Hi-Line staff picks 2019 favorites

Marissa Johnson Photo

As the lights dim on 2019, the Hi-Line staff reviews their top picks of what made 2019 such a memorable year and what will hopefully make 2020 just as great.

Favorite song of 2019?

Kaitlyn: Circles by Post Malone 

Ashlyn: This is a very hard question but I would say it is all the good girls go to hell by Billie Eilish. I really like the lyrics and just like the beat of it.

Kendall: Good As Hell by Lizzo

Alyssa: everything i wanted by Billie Eilish, My Oh My by Camila Cabello, or Take What You Want by Post Malone (feat. Ozzie)

Skylar: I can’t really narrow it down to my top favorite, but here are my top four. Truth Hurts by Lizzo, Old Town Road by Lil Nas X, Lose You to Love Me by Selena Gomez, and bad guy by Billie Eilish.  

Sophia: For Elise, Saint Motel 

Chloe: 10/10 by Rex Orange County

Myra: xanny by Billie Eilish. It has such a great message about drug use and how it affects someone in a relationship and I really relate to it.

Aaliyah: Tip of My Tongue by Kenny Chesney

Justine: Lose You to Love Me by Selena Gomez

Ryan: Juice by Lizzo. Easily the most fun song of the year in my opinion.

Alayna: This is tough, I have like three! What Am I by Why Don’t We is so cute, it will most definitely be played at my wedding. Who Do You Love by 5SOS slaps so hard and If You’re Gonna Lie by FLETCHER is the most raw song written this year.

Winkel: Sharon VanEtten’s “Seventeen” is a haunting song with a range of equally intriguing interpretations, especially for a parent and teacher of teens.

Favorite movie of 2019?

Kaitlyn: Avengers: Endgame 

Quandas: Joker

Ashlyn: I got to say either of the IT movies. While they may have not been as scary as I hoped I still loved watching them. I also loved watching Doctor Sleep.

Kendall: Frozen II

Alyssa: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood because I liked the message of It and I also connected a lot to it.

Skylar: I’d have to say, Joker, because it is truly disturbing, it brings a different, more broad outlook on mental health and why we should offer more services and resources to continue to take care of ourselves in this society where the topic of mental illness, oftentimes, is considered by many as taboo. 

Sophia: Spider-Man: Far From Home

Chloe: Dumbo

Myra: Detective Pikachu. Such a fun movie that puts a funny twist on the beloved show.

Aaliyah: Rambo: Last Blood 

Justine: The live action Lion King 

Ryan: Toy Story 4. I had very low expectations for the movie going in, but it ended up being one of my favorites of the Toy Story franchise.

Alayna: Probably Avengers: Endgame. That movie was three hours of emotional turmoil for me. 

Winkel: “Parasite” is a movie that is unafraid of exposing the fragile walls that separate us into lives of privilege or struggle. I hope it gets an Oscar nod for Best Picture.

Favorite app of 2019?

Kaitlyn: Disney+

Quandas: YouTube

Ashlyn: I hate that I am saying this, but TikTok. My friend begged me to get it and ever since then I have been addicted. The cosplay community on there is amazing.

Kendall: TikTok

Alyssa: Disney+ and TikTok.

Skylar: I would have to say Webtoon, especially because of the comic Lore Olympus, giving the readers a modern retelling of the taking of Persephone. 

Sophia: Screen Record. My sister snaps me cute videos of this baby when she babysits and I love being able to save them! 

Chloe: Disney+

Myra: Word Cookies

Aaliyah: Disney+

Justine: TikTok

Ryan: TikTok, unfortunately.

Alayna: After the newfound fame the volleyball team got from TikTok, I became obsessed with watching them. It’s an unfortunate addiction. 

Winkel: iNaturalist is an incredibly handy app that allows users to take pictures of virtually anything in nature and get someone to give a definitive identification of what it is. For example, I took a pic of a butterfly and learned it’s a silver-spotted skipper in seconds.

Favorite video game of 2019?

Kaitlyn: Death Stranding, it shows a different way of storytelling in video games and it’s  a very open world. 

Quandas: Paladins for PS4

Ashlyn: This is a hard question because I love video games but don’t really own any. Out of what I do own it’s Minecraft or Stardew Valley which were definitely not made in 2019 but they are what I have been obsessing over.

Kendall: Wii

Skylar: I would have to say the Untitled Goose Game mostly because of the meme material, but also because it is so different from everything else I’ve ever seen and pretty entertaining in all.

Sophia: Wii! It’s always a great choice. 

Chloe: Mario KartOI

Myra: My Little Pony Mobile. I know, lame. But I loved My Little Pony since I was a little girl and the mobile game brings back good memories. 

Justine: I don’t play video games.

Ryan: MLB The Show is always a classic. Although unfortunately, it’s currently only available for the PS4, it’s the best baseball video game on the market.

Alayna: I don’t really play video games… does Just Dance count?

Winkel: My favorite videogame is the New York Times Daily Mini Crossword. It’s free, and my wife and I do these crosswords every night before bed. 

Favorite book of 2019?

Kaitlyn: The Red Scrolls of Magic 

Quandas: Anything science related so the book of the periodic table. 

Ashlyn: Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell. I have been waiting for this book for over two years and it did not disappoint.

Skylar: The Girl in Red by Christina Henry. I love all of her books but this post apocalyptic twist on little red riding hood has got to be my favorite story of this year.

Sophia: Slaughterhouse 5. It was a book for APLIT, but the meanings behind the books are so amazing and it made me want to keep reading. It was all about the destruction war creates. 

Chloe: lol I don’t read, sorry Mrs. Green.

Myra: Zom-B by Darren Shan. It was an extremely gory book, (warning!) but it was a very fun read.

Justine: The Legends series

Ryan: I generally don’t read much for newer books, but one of the best books that I read this year was The Last Campaign by Thurston Clarke, a beautiful look at Bobby Kennedy’s 1968 presidential campaign.

Alayna: I don’t read a lot, but I really enjoyed the book The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys which I read for my comp class.

Winkel: Most of the books I read were not released in 2019, but Leslie Jamison’s collection of essays “Make It Scream, Make It Burn” was a rewarding exploration of how she as a reporter reacted to many interesting stories globally as well as in her own life. She shows that objectivity in writing is nearly impossible … and maybe that’s OK. Jonathan Safran Foer’s “We are the Weather” was also a disturbing examination of how much is at stake with climate change, but yet we are individually, collectively taking little action. “Mama’s Last Hug” was also a convincing collection of studies and stories showing that animals have extensive emotional lives.

What are you most excited about in 2020? 

Kaitlyn: I’m excited to graduate and go to Iowa State for college. 

Quandas: New games coming out next year.

Ashlyn: This is really hard to answer. I obviously have many books and movies I am looking forward to but I suppose I am very excited for my first ever First Robotics Competition (FRC) season.

Kendall: Graduation.

Alyssa: I am excited to get out of high school and the Black Widow movie coming out May 2020.

Skylar: I’m excited to be getting out of high school and I am looking forward to the newest novella by Christina Henry that’s coming out in April. I’m also excited to begin college and start towards the final steps of becoming what I’ve wanted to be for so long and really just to make a difference.

Sophia: Going to college. I can’t wait to start a new journey and meet new people and learn new things. 

Chloe: Getting out of high school and going to college and living with my best friend and my fish.

Myra: Looking forward to further recovering from depression and anxiety. I’ve waited since I was twelve for this and I feel it’s finally getting better. 

Aaliyah: For my sister to be home.

Justine: Graduation. 

Ryan: I’m excited for college and the next chapter of my life. Also, the caucuses are coming up in February and that will be very exciting!

Alayna: I’m so excited for new music from 5SOS and I’m also really looking forward to movies like Black Widow and Wonder Woman 2. I think female superheroes are finally getting some representation in a male dominated genre and that’s really exciting to see.

Winkel: Any new discoveries waiting for exploration in hiking, paddling and biking outdoors.

What changes would you like to see in the world in 2020?

Kaitlyn: People open to learning about things they don’t know about.

Quandas: I’d like to see more people with common sense. 

Ashlyn: There needs to be more equality for those of different races, religions, sexuailty, ability, gender, etc. There also needs to be more acceptance and understanding of mental health and conditions.

Skylar: More environmentally friendly options, trade practices, and the like. I would also like to see more going towards mental health. 

Sophia: AMEN SKYLAR!! I also want to add just more love to everybody despite what they look like, sound like, act, etc. 

Chloe: Ryan going to Harvard. 

Myra: North Korea needs to chill. Just everyone needs to chill. We all live on the same planet for god’s sake!

Aaliyah: Addressing climate change. 

Justine: Being able to travel to other countries without feeling judged by your race or what you look like.

Ryan: Serious action on the issue of climate change.

Alayna: People making the effort to be more environmentally conscious and making choices that help make the world a nicer place.

Mr. Winkel: Serious steps to address climate change.