Media Recs from the Chief Staff

BY CHIEF STAFF

Looking to binge a new tv show? Read a book that Booktok hasn’t overhyped? Perhaps a soulful melody to get you through that academic slump? Check out what media The Spectrum’s chief staff dug up in 2022.

Adi ’23 Editor-in-Chief
2022 was a year of listening to (and excessively repeating) a small list of songs: “Sometimes” by My Bloody Valentine, “Fits and Starts” by Ashrae Fax, “The Kill” by Jessie Ware, “Robot World” by Bailter Space, and “The Beautiful Days” by Swans

Emily ’23 Editor-in-Chief
Emily’s 2022 favorites:
Music: Nicole by NIKI, GABRIEL by keshi, Oh, What a Life by American Authors, “wish that i
could” by UMI, “Mikrokosmos” by BTS, “Turnaround” by COIN, NewJeans
Video: Kaguya-sama Love is War, Vox Borders, Johnny Harris (YouTube)
Apps: Duolingo, LoveYouToBits (adventure game!), The New York Times Crossword
Written pieces: The Spectrum!
Miscellaneous: My orange cat (email [email protected] for a picture), drinking water with a straw, pomegranate seeds, napping after school

Grace ’23 Op-Ed Editor
I have a soft spot for melancholy music that seeps into your bones and makes you, as my band director likes to say, “feel a feeling.” To achieve that “I’ve never been in a
relationship but I still like crying to breakup music” vibe, give Taey-
ang’s “Eyes, Nose, Lips” a listen. Or, if you’ve ever felt like a sup-
porting character with a broken heart, “The Shining” by the Neigh-
bourhood might resonate with you. To wrap it all up (and so your eyes can take a break, you poor soul), Rina Sawayama’s “Chosen Family” will remind you that you are still loved, always.

Anusha ’24 Mainspread Editor
For me, 2022 was the year of reading where I dived deeper into the world of philosophy and reflective memoirs. One of my favorite reads was When Breath Becomes
Air by Paul Kalanithi, for those who enjoy a good tearjerker. I also enjoyed Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? by Lorrie Moore, which details youth in the 70’s with bonus
points for Moore being one of my most treasured authors. Or, perhaps you prefer deeply emotional stories, in which case I recommend the beautifully written On Earth We’re
Briefly Gorgeous by my personal favorite, Ocean Vuong.

Sophia ’24 Bits Editor
One of my favorite reads of 2022 was without a doubt I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, a heartbreaking but honest memoir. If you’re looking to make your New Year’s resolution stick, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg offers valuable advice.

Kéra ’24 Chief Copy Editor
What should have taken the world by storm in 2022 was the film adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing. Given that it told the story much more beautifully than even the novel, I was very pleased! It’s right up there with the new Avatar
film—except it was better.

As for music, my EP of the year has to go to The Lead by the newand exceptional girl group, FLO. They are three members of incredible vocal abilities both individually and as a cohesive sound. There were only 5 songs but none of them were skips!

Lastly, the Booktok community is seriously missing out on the talent that is Ashley Woodfolk. She released two books last year: Nothing Burns as Bright as You and Opening my Eyes Underwater, and both were incredibly written. Nothing Burns as Bright as You offers a touching sapphic love story in poetic form, whereas Opening my Eyes Underwater is a nonfiction book that caters to our generation perfectly.

Julia ’23 Chief Copy Editor
Music Recs: “Nxde” by (G)I-dle, “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon, “Kaerou” by Fujii Kaze, “To You” by Seventeen, “The Astronaut” by Jin, “Nonsense” by Sabrina Carpenter
TV Shows/Movies: Wednesday, Semantic Error, The Sound of Music, The Witcher, The 100
Books: Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik, The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Phoebe ’23 Chief Layout Editor
I’ve recently been listening to more music by Indonesian artists, specifically Warren Hue. What drew me to him was his genre-fluid masterpieces. Known for combining different genres into his own style of hip-hop, he often incorporates R&B, trap, and rap into his songs. My favorites include “HANDSOME,” a hype performance song, and
“WEST,” one with a sick trap beat.

Aisha ’23 Chief Layout Editor
As someone who doesn’t normally enjoy mysteries or psychological thrillers, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is one of my favorite books. The fast paced plot and satisfying ending definitely make it a quick read. I’ve also been trying to read more nonfiction recently and have really enjoyed The Mind Gut Connection by Emeran Mayer and Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin.

Catherine ’23 Honorary Mascot
Music: “Black Swan” by BTS, Softcore by The Neighbourhood, “Sesame Syrup” by Cigarettes After Sex, “SHOOT!” by Itzy, “Low” by SZA, “Drew Barrymore” by Bryce Vine
TV Shows: Wednesday, The Queen’s Gambit, Criminal Minds, The Wilds, and Young Royals
Books: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat, and Shutter Island by Dennis
Lehane.

Here’s a list of everything we loved this year. So next time you have nothing to do, we don’t want to hear it!