For the past month, countless people have come to me asking for my personal 2025 in-and-out list. As the CEO of Good Taste, I knew my peers would inevitably levee this responsibility—nay, burden— onto me. Never one to disappoint those counting on me, I’ve worked diligently to compile the comprehensive index below. Embrace each “in” and purge each “out” for the best possible results this year.
IN: Deconstructivist architecture
In my sophomore year AP Art History class, I gave a presentation on the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, designed by Frank Gehry. I poured so much effort into that presentation, and I want more credit for the single hour of work I spent working on that slideshow three years ago. I think that if more people understood and appreciated deconstructivism, I would finally get the recognition that I deserve for speaking for 15 minutes to the other 10 people in my class about an architectural style that Wikipedia completely excoriates as inconsistent, dystopian, and dead.
OUT: Decaf
On that note, nothing screams “inauthentic” more than decaffeinated coffee. The word ‘caffeine’ even sounds like the word ‘coffee,’ so the entire concept of decaf is, frankly, ridiculous. Most people’s least favorite thing about coffee is the taste, and you’re telling me that you want all of the taste for none of the buzz? Ridiculous. By the way, most commercially available decaf isn’t even completely caffeine-free. Decaf is for frauds.
IN: Squash (the plant)
While all cucurbits are making a comeback, squash really seems to be coming into its own this year. Butternut squash soup is a winter classic that isn’t too difficult to make (even with a communal dorm kitchen setup). Don’t forget that pumpkins and zucchini are also part of the squash family—I’m of the opinion that pumpkins should be a year-round porch decoration, and I’ve always felt so fancy calling zucchinis courgettes. Spaghetti squash is definitely still NOT in, though.
OUT: Squash (the sport)
Okay, I’m sorry, but squash is a ridiculous (love that word!) name for an actual sport that people play. Hold on, let me take a step back for a second. There are too many sports that are just tennis but not. I think we should consolidate some of them back into tennis so I won’t get confused when someone tells me what game their racket is for. Squash isn’t even an Olympic sport yet. That means it’s 116 years behind eventing, which according to Wikipedia, is like a horse triathlon. Also, every time someone tells me they play squash, I associate them with Jay from Modern Family. Would-be suitors—keep this in mind.
IN: Pithiness
The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘pithiness’ as “fullness of meaning with brevity of expression,” something I strive for every day of my life, except for the fact that I actually say a lot and the vast majority of it is meaningless. But if we don’t have dreams, how can our dreams come true? Every breakfast since I’ve returned to campus, I’ve scraped each and every half grapefruit dry in the hopes that I’ll ingest enough pith to get to the level to which I aspire. Was that good? Was that pithy enough? I’ll get there.
OUT: Indifference
You know what exhausts me more than anything else? When people don’t have opinions on things. Stop being so blasé! It’s like you’re not even trying to be an interesting person. What inevitably happens is that I have to fill in the empty space with all my opinions, and then I feel guilty for monopolizing the conversation, which is also very much OUT for 2025. Did you mistakenly have decaf this morning or something? I need you to match my energy and keep the dialogue going with some of your own takes.
IN: Having an air of mystery about you
This is the biggest “in” for 2025. Not everything about you has to be known (except for at least some of your opinions, as I elucidated in the previous “out”). Avoid responding to all your texts for six hours even if you have the time and energy to respond to them. Walk with purpose in the opposite direction from any building you actually have to walk toward to generate intrigue from onlookers. Check your phone, look like you were startled by something you read, and immediately run in the other direction. All of this will truly emanate the Italian concept of sprezzatura and get people talking about you. Vagueness plus calmness equals happiness.
OUT: Blood oaths
They’re just never worth it.
Jules Sanders ’28 (julessanders@college.harvard.edu) is not taking any further suggestions for this list.