If you read my 2024 recap, and are looking for something a tad more enjoyable, fear not, for this blog post is here! This shall be a round-up of everything I worked on (not too much), watched (a lot), read (embarrassingly little), and listened to (a lot!).

First up, here is a small round-up of what I have written and worked on this year:

1. Kamala Harris is Using Meme Culture to Woo Gen-Z Voters. Are They Buying It? – The Polis Project

I worked on a very long piece with interviews of fellow Gen-Zers exploring whether Harris’ attempts to use memes and meme culture to appeal to Gen-Z voters was working. It was a piece that I really enjoyed working on and is culmination of several of my interests, and I am so glad I found a place for it.

2. Ayesha Jalal ’78 speaks on Kashmir, Partition and Nationalism – The Wellesley News

I got to speak to THE Ayesha Jalal for an interview about her event talking about the conflict in Kashmir. She spoke about the parallels to what is happening in Palestine, and what the future of the region could look like. It was definitely a pinch-me moment to speak to such a prolific scholar whose work I had read in my classes.

3. Can’t You See? We are the Capitol. (Technically this academic year, so it counts!) – The Wellesley News

After the release of the Hunger Games prequel, I wrote an article about the frustration I had with people refusing to see the parallels with real life. It was a difficult piece to write, but touched on a question I have asked myself many times: what is the value of art in a time of despair and the genocide of an entire people?

4. United Nations Virtual Reality: Inspiring Empathy or Exploitation? (Research paper)

For my Cinema and Media Studies class on Virtual Reality, I worked on a paper about the UNVR program. The program was part of the UN’s Action Campaign for the Sustainable Development Goals, and launched in 2015. The aim of the program was to expose people to the conditions of the most marginalized people in order to motivate them to act to help them. The entire concept of it felt icky to me, so of course I wrote an 8-page research paper about it. This was by far one of my favorite research papers, and I am spoiled for choice considering I got to work on a lot of interesting research projects at Wellesley.

5. Interior Chinatown Bites off More Social Commentary Than It Can Chew – Tell-Tale TV

I reviewed the incredibly interesting series, Interior Chinatown, after its release on Hulu. While I really enjoyed the concept of it, its execution left something to be desired, but it was certainly a very enjoyable binge. I enjoyed writing this review and digging deep into my experience watching the series, and I think it turned out pretty well. 

6. ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ Reminds Us to Love Life Unconditionally – Joy Sauce

This is also technically from last year, but I think it deserves more love. For Kal Ho Naa Ho’s 20th anniversary, I wrote a piece reflecting on what it meant to me when I first watched it, and how that has changed throughout my life. This was an incredibly personal piece, and I am very proud of how it turned out. 

7. Wellesley FJP Formed for the First Time – The Wellesley News

This article came together incredibly quickly, and I am very grateful to not only those who formed the now-FSJP (Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine), but also to my news section editors at the time who patiently waited for me to finish my article, despite us going to print the same night. The fact that Wellesley finally has an FSJP is a culmination of many organizing efforts over the years, and I was honored to be able to record that in print with this article. It is very heartening to see professors stand up for their students, at Wellesley and elsewhere too.

Books –

This year, I read a lot less than I used to, but I began with the sequel to Legendborn. Bloodmarked was so, so good. I have no idea what Tracy Deonn put in those books, but I legitimately could not put it down. I eventually got my cousin on it too, and practically cackled every time he texted me in disbelief. 

I am so excited for the next installment of the series to come out, because Deonn so effectively explores the gaps in the myths and legends we believe in, not just related to Arthurian legend, but also to present-day institutions and icons. Lots of writers struggle to effectively explore racism and its systemic nature, especially in fantasy through allegory, but Deonn is not one of them.

1. Unmasking AI – Joy Boulamwini
   Considering just how much we are all talking about AI these days, this book, although it was released last year, was a very timely read. Dr. Buolamwini talks about her journey as a scholar on technology and computer vision, and how much she uncovered in her research when it came to the biases of the technology that she studied. I am the No. 1 ChatGPT hater, and this was a good balm for my rage at our imminent AI-generated future.
   
2. Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon
   This book is very long, and I was always daunted by the length when looking at its physical version, but I read it on my Kindle, and it wasn’t a problem at all. A very good (but kind of dense) high fantasy with a couple very interesting protagonists. I also just love dragons in any medium/genre, so I liked this book a lot.
   
3. There are Rivers in the Sky – Elif Shafak
   In theory, this is an intriguing novel – it follows a drop of water through Mesopotamia, London, and Syria through the stories of three different characters living in very different time periods. The novel dragged at a couple points, but I liked seeing the way Shafak drew all the characters together in the end, and there is a lot of rich history and research that she draws on. 

I also am currently reading There’s Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib (finally), and I am very excited to read it.

My goal is to read a lot more next year, but alas, that is a goal that has always remained unfulfilled. Who knows, maybe 2025 will be different?

Movies –

I watched an impressive (and scary) amount of action films in the beginning of this year, including but not limited to all the Mission Impossible films, all the Daniel Craig James Bond films, the John Wick series, and the Kingsman films. 

Do not ask me to explain why. I just really love a good action movie, and whether or not those were good ones, they definitely scratched the itch. Maybe there was something attractive about the good guys punching through the bad (though I don’t personally think any of the main characters of the films mentioned above are good, except maybe Eggsy from The Kingsman.) Sometimes you just want to see a villain get what is coming to him.

Beyond January, I also particularly enjoyed Monkey Man and Rebel Ridge. Monkey Man, as Dev Patel’s directorial debut, was a very enjoyable action watch, also because I am rooting for the success of Desi king Dev Patel in whatever he does. Rebel Ridge, starring Aaron Pierre, was a riveting watch, and one of my favorite recent action flicks – a true shame it was relegated to just a streaming release.

Maybe I just like watching action movies around wintertime, because I just watched the first 6 Fast & Furious movies (there was a precipitous drop in quality from 5 to 6), and Ocean’s 12 and 13. I really enjoy the stylistic choices in the Ocean’s trilogy.

Shows –

This year was filled with a lot more shows for me than it was movies, so here are some of my favorite TV shows that I watched in 2024, in no particular order:

1. Shogun! – A very, very interesting political historical drama. It has everything – gory battle, political machinations, and doomed romance! Plus Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai gave incredible performances
2. Black Doves – One of too few spy/political thrillers that does not take itself very seriously, and because of it, its stars Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw had a lot of fun with their roles, and I sure had fun watching them.
3. Panchayat – This is on this list almost solely because of the hilarious fight scene at the end of this recent season, but the rest of the season was really great too. Panchayat has never had trouble with pacing, and this season was very well-plotted.
4. The Acolyte – Star Wars could be so different, as this show demonstrated, but alas, it was canceled all too soon. At least Andor is coming back!
5. Interior Chinatown – explained above (I’m lazy, sorry!)

I also watched The Diplomat (a little too idealistic about American diplomacy, especially these days), Arcane, The Legend of Vox Machina, and the animated Tomb Raider series! It was definitely a good year for animated shows.

A couple shows that I have watched for a while ended this year, both with unsatisfying conclusions, unfortunately. The Umbrella Academy ended with a 6-episode season (booo), and it was kind of a mess. Dragon Prince, a show that my sisters and I watch together, also ended this December with a definitely better season, but some of it was left a little too open-ended.

I just started The Penguin, after all the hype died down, and it is actually very good, but it suffers from too few eps, and I’m only on E2! My primary complaint about shows these days (especially on streaming) is the small amount of episodes makes it so that everything that happens in every episode is EXTREMELY important, which kind of makes for an exhausting watch. There are no low-key episodes where you see relationships building, or you get to see funny misunderstandings or the fallout of intense arguments.

I binge-watched the medical drama The Resident (was it good? maybe… but it was on the better end of medical dramas) and almost all six seasons had 20+ episodes. I was absolutely wrecked when one of the main characters died, but that is not so when I am watching a 12-episode season of a show that comes out every 2 years. Most of the time, I forget why I was supposed to care about a character in the first place, since there is such a long gap between seasons!

Ok, rant over.

While my reading dipped a bit this year, my listening to music did not! Here are some of my favorite listens of the year, in no particular order:

1. Eternal Sunshine – Ariana Grande
   
   Grande has had a great run this year, and this album was, to me, one of her best. I have not stopped listening to “we can’t be friends” since the album came out, and I’m still not sick of it! Grande has matured significantly in her music and her production too, and I am always impressed with what she comes up with.
   
2. 21st Century Symphony – RAYE, The Heritage Orchestra
   
   This album came out in 2023, but it has still remained on my rotation this year. As a violin player, I am a sucker for good orchestral arrangements, and this album, an orchestral live version of RAYE’s 21st Century Blues, is just gorgeous. Escapism and Black Mascara are both very, very good as orchestral arrangements. I can’t wait to see what RAYE does next.
   
3. Brat – Charli XCX (yes, I’m basic)
   
   I am a pop listener first and foremost (for better or worse), but I did genuinely enjoy the thumping rhythms all throughout Charli XCX’s hit album. I’ve been a loyal Charli XCX listener for a long time, so it was only a matter of time for her big break. I was exhausted by the discourse, but I did also like the all-star remix album version of brat too. Personal favorites include girl, so confusing with Lorde, Von dutch, and b2b with Tinashe (another favorite of mine).
   
4. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT – Billie Eilish
   
   I have always really liked Billie Eilish, and this album was definitely a return to form for her prior to Happier than Ever, and I really enjoyed it. My personal favorites were BLUE and The GREATEST. Her and FINNEAS are always experimenting with new production, so every album sounds new (for Eilish at least).
   
5. Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
   
   The song of the summer was undeniably Espresso, one of my personal favorites on this album. Short n’ Sweet is fun and funny too, and most of the songs are extremely entertaining to listen to. Another of my favorites was Taste. Pop was very good this year! 
   
6. Alligator Bites Never Heal – Doechii
   
   Doechii is my favorite rapper right now, and this album is such a good demonstration of her versatility. She has amazing energy and cadence, and an impressive skillset as a rapper and singer. NISSAN ALTIMA is addictive, and DENIAL IS A RIVER has some very clever storytelling. Plus her Tiny Desk was brilliant (the arrangements! the brass!).
   
7. Access All Areas – FLO
   
   FLO is the next big girl group, and their first full-length album is well-curated, and spans across genres. My personal favorites include I’m Just a Girl, Check, and How Does It Feel?
   
8. What a Devastating Turn of Events – Rachel Chinouriri
   
   Chinouriri has a great, rich voice, and this pop/R&B/rock album is perfectly suited for it. I loved Garden of Eden and The Hills, and considering this is her debut, I am very intrigued to see where she goes next.
   
9. Radical Optimism/Dua Lipa Live from the Royal Albert Hall – Dua Lipa
   
   Again, basic, I know. But Dua Lipa has hit her stride in dance pop, and this album was a decent follow-up to the no-skip Future Nostalgia. I especially loved her album of live performances at the Royal Albert Hall that came out this month. One of my favorite songs by her from Future Nostalgia, Love Again, was just perfect as a live performance with a string orchestra. She is a great performer and this album, especially Houdini, has some great arrangements. I also liked Illusion and End of An Era.
   
10. The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan (duh)
    
    Chappell Roan absolutely dominated this year, and enough has been said about this album. I loved Femininomenon and Pink Pony Club (told you I’m basic!) and could not get enough of this album this summer. She’s also incredibly versatile, and I hope to see her experiment with more styles in her music.

Other listens include gnx – Kendrick Lamar (MUSTAAAAAARD!), verbathim – Nemahsis, Chromakopia – Tyler the Creator, Wicked: The Soundtrack (duh), and Megan Act II – Megan Thee Stallion.

That’s all for this year! Hopefully, if you read this far, you found some tunes, flicks, binges, and reads to carry you through to 2025. See you next year 🙂