What The 19th loved in 2025

For five years, The 19th staff has taken time to pause and reflect on the things that brought us joy over the past year — completely unrelated to our work. That felt especially important in 2025, which brought an unrelenting, heavy news cycle. 

Some of these were little treats. Some of them were profound life changes. Some had dual purposes as a medical device and pest control. 

Here is where we went, and what we did, watched, listened to and wore that brought us joy in 2025.

Do

What gave me life in 2025 was bonding with the tiny human to which I gave life in 2024. Thanks to our parental leave, I cared for myself and my baby girl, Zael, before returning to work six months later. 2025 marked a becoming — relearning and remaking everything I thought I knew about myself, care, love, happiness, family, fatigue and priorities. This was a year of silent tears, roaring belly laughs, bewilderment and a deep knowing. Moments preserved in photographs, memories, laughter, community and connection. Moments I will never get back, yet can never be taken away. Count it all joy. — Zurii Conroy, people operations manager

I took up knitting over the past year, and it has been grounding in a world that feels so digital and abstract lately. To be able to do something tactile and see what I make progress into an actual object that doesn’t exist on a screen is so fulfilling. So far I have made exactly one hat and one scarf, but my next project is a set of slippers. The yarn just came in the mail and I can’t wait to begin! — Jessica Kutz, climate reporter

My spouse and I spent time after our baby went to sleep playing Blue Prince, an indie puzzle game, together. It’s been a joy exploring the grounds of Mt. Holly together in the evenings with mugs of hot apple cider or tea. It was also very comforting to learn that, as new parents, we don’t have to stop playing video games or give up our hobbies! — Sara Luterman, disability and aging reporter

As I think back on a year shaped by an unending onslaught of national news events, few things sustained me as much as the community I found locally by getting to know my neighbors. That has meant distributing pounds of Halloween candy, volunteering for Thanksgiving grocery deliveries or drinking hot chocolate from the elementary school’s fundraiser. It’s meant watering someone’s plants or trusting a friend to feed my cat. It’s meant trading a slice of apple cake for pumpkin cookies or gathering to watch “Severance” with mapo tofu. And it’s meant saying hello on the street — remembering that all of us are in this together. — Shefali Luthra, reproductive health reporter

I leveled up my yoga practice — by doing less, not more. It evolved from “how many calories can I burn on my Apple Watch” and “how many pushups can I squeeze into my vinyasas” to something I can only describe as spiritual. I learned the transcendence that comes from truly focusing on my breath. I learned how liberating it is to rest when others are in motion. I learned that setting an intention is about more than muttering a phrase at the start of class. My body has responded in turn, offering poses and balances I could never master before, but that now seem beside the point. — Emily Ramshaw, CEO

Go

Our family’s overnight stay aboard the USS Lexington was one of 2025’s most meaningful experiences. This legendary aircraft carrier — known as the “Blue Ghost” — now serves as a museum docked off the coast of Corpus Christi, Texas. Watching my kids and their scout troop explore it was pure joy. But what made this truly special was the personal connection: walking those steel corridors, I felt closer to my father, a WWII Navy veteran who served aboard the USS Polana and USS Franklin. Past and present merged, and I experienced a glimpse of the legacy he lived — a profound gift of understanding, gratitude and connection across generations. — Clarice Bajkowski, chief creative officer

After 23 years away, I moved to Ohio, the state where I grew up, to see if it would lead to fuller coverage about how politics impacts the lives of Americans. An added personal benefit is living much closer to my family. It’s an entirely different experience to spend time with them as a part of my day-to-day life, instead of trips during the holidays and summers. I’m especially grateful to be closer to my nieces, who are 3 and 5. There is no joy quite like being a preschooler’s “special guest” for their “special day” at school. — Amanda Becker, Washington correspondent 

This year, I loved the feeling of settling into Texas — finding my quiet corners, learning the rhythm of the light in my home and exploring that sense of possibility. There was something grounding about building a life here slowly, noticing what gave me energy, and developing a truly unnecessary level of passion for barbecue and Tex-Mex. It felt like rediscovering myself through place: spacious, joyful and ready for whatever comes next. — LaSharah S. Bunting, vice president

I definitely love my cozy bed and a hot shower, but this year I surprised myself by falling in love — OK, like — with backcountry camping. We’re talking off-the-grid primitive camping. From quiet, sunny mornings in the Colorado mountains to the sweeping peaks of Grand Teton National Park, those trips gave me something I desperately needed: a full reset. With no cell phone service, no schedule and nothing but endless vistas and fresh air, I truly unplugged. There’s something magical about ending the day under a sky full of stars, and nothing keeps you present quite like knowing you’re just a guest in bear country. — Anne Musial, chief development officer

Through all of the chaos, I felt so lucky to be able to find New York femme- and queer-owned community spaces that became my homes away from home. Spaces like Yu and Me Books, All Night Skate and Athena Keke’s are wonderfully designed and managed to create cozy places to decompress and/or to express loudly and safely. The owners and staff aren’t afraid to lead with their values and always fight for their communities. I don’t think I could’ve made it through 2025 without these physical spaces that created unforgettable shared experiences and I’m relieved to be able to rely on them in 2026. — Wynton Wong, multimedia producer

Listen

I loved how many women and queer artists of color were at the forefront of electronic/dance music this year. FKA Twigs, PinkPantheress, Rochelle Jordan, Erika de Casier, Shygirl, TOKiMONSTA, KAYTRANADA and Tyler, the Creator all had me moving and grooving to their sounds and continue to help redefine genres that have always included Black, Brown and queer musicians — even when they don’t always receive the proper spotlight. — Lance Dixon, audience producer

It’s easy for friendships to fall into “catch-up” hangouts. Enter audio messages: listen-while-you-clean-your-floors and respond-while-walking-to-work method of friendship. Voice memos have made distance (time or physical) from my people seem smaller and our relationships feel deeper. I live for the long story — bring me on the journey! Updates each time my friend’s crush likes her carefully curated IG thirst trap? Yes, please. (They’re now dating.) Fifteen-minute play-by-play vacation recap? Five, eight-minute audio messages about my friend’s latest existential late 20s spiral? Send it my way. Then, when we’re together, no need for updates. We just get into mischief (albeit less risky) like we did a decade ago. — Marissa Nelson, executive coordinator

My father, a professor and scholar of musicology, raised me on classical and baroque music but also made room for my early love of pop. Given my status as a day one pop girl, it was no surprise that Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” and Miley Cyrus’ “Something Beautiful” were my top albums of the year. What I didn’t see coming was Rosalía’s “Lux,” a gorgeous, enthralling classical and operatic concept album that I’ve listened to nonstop since it came out in November. Thanks to Rosalía, I can give my dad the gift of sharing (some) of his taste in music. — Grace Panetta, politics reporter

Watch

I marathoned the first three seasons of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” in a matter of weeks, absolutely relishing in being transported to some of the most holistic, transformative world-building I have seen on screen in a very long time. Like a nightclub described by Stefan, this show has everything: class war, late-stage capitalism, lots of hot people and a murderer’s row of musical theatre legends in period costume. Next season, I hope they find an excuse for Audra McDonald to sing and let us all bathe in the sweet, sweet glow of a Bertha Russell (the incomparable Carrie Coon) redemption arc. — Jennifer Gerson, reporter

As someone who has a tight grip on my favorite ‘90s and 2000s comfort shows, I rarely venture out and watch current shows on streaming platforms. But Dan Fogelman (creator of my beloved “Only Murders in the Building” and “This Is Us”) made magic again this year with Hulu’s “Paradise.” Starring the man, the myth, my celebrity crush Sterling K. Brown, the political thriller is unlike anything I’ve watched before. I successfully convinced several friends to watch — and everyone was hooked from episode 1. — Sierra Lyons, audience fellow

I loved going to the movies this year. Watching “Sinners” in IMAX 70mm is worth it — trust me. I left “Superman” feeling more hopeful than I had in months. “Weapons” created the same eerie strangeness that comes from finishing “Twin Peaks.” I felt like “One Battle After Another” was an incision into our country’s rotten wounds — determined to air them out, even when it’s messy. And if you like “Star Wars,” then you’ll love “Predator: Badlands.” Seeing these movies on the big screen left me in awe of the stories we can tell and how we tell them. — Orion Rummler, LGBTQ+ reporter

My favorite sound is Alan Cumming saying — really, luxuriating in — the word “murder.” This comes in the U.S. version of “The Traitors,” a show in which a group of people try to win money and either murder or figure out who is a murderer. I love the chaotic theories, the silly challenges (forever villain Tom Sandoval trying to sing backward nursery rhymes from spooky dolls!), the bonds the players make. I want more roundtables from more countries — we’ve watched U.K., Australia and New Zealand — preferably hosted by people with Cumming’s flair for the dramatic. — Terri Rupar, politics editor

Wear

I started 2025 searching for wide-leg jeans I love after finally donating all of my skinnys (can you guess what generation I belong to?). There are two that get compliments every time I wear them: the Quince Bella stretch barrel jeans and Le Bon Shoppe’s Arc pants in blue denim. They’re high-waisted, because I have already lived the hell of ultra-low rise and shan’t be returning. They are comfy — the Arc pants actually have an elastic waistband. And they both pair with just about any top in my closet. Cute, effortless and won’t get you dragged by Gen Z. — Abby Johnston, partnerships editor 

My husband ordered this ice pack for his shoulder surgery. As soon as he recovered, I stole it to treat anything and everything related to my body’s descent into middle age. I have used it for tendinitis, surgery recovery, headaches, sore muscles and the existential stress of living in an apartment with mediocre air conditioning. Most recently, on my way to put this bad boy back in the freezer, I saw a mouse and threw my ice pack at it. The mouse regained its footing, crawled off to a corner and died. I sanitized the ice pack promptly and it is back in use, more valued than ever. — Flora Peir, news editor