Editor’s note: Tastemakers is a column at The Spectator where we give you, the readers, a glimpse into what we at The Spectator are interested in (fashion, music, pop culture, etc.) It takes heavy inspiration from Perfectly Imperfect, a paid Substack with content in a similar format.

Olivia Rommel is a current staff writer for The Spectator. This is their first year on staff and want to share more about who they are behind the scenes.

Painting: I have always had a creative spirit and loved to express myself with colors through my drawings and clothing style. 

A few years ago I started to get into watercolor painting. Whenever I had a rough day at school or just needed a break, I busted out my huge paper canvas. Sometimes I found images on Google and copied them, and other times I followed my gut and came up with my own ideas. 

This was usually over the summer when I had more time to paint. You could find me in the living room where the sun shone through the back door’s glass screen.

It allowed me to focus on something I enjoyed.  

Horror books: Reading horror books, especially ones about demonic exorcisms, is something I am fascinated by. One of my favorites is a book called “Rosemary’s Baby.”

The first time I read this book, I fell in love with the horror genre. This book not only explores demonic possession and satanic cults, but it also incorporates how society’s expectations of women can destroy their identities. 

Wattpad: Sometimes I find school or even life to be a little bit too much, so I like to hop onto Wattpad and just write. 

I am working towards a creative writing minor, and I have a few writing projects on Wattpad I work on when I have free time. This helps me escape reality for a moment — to imagine different worlds where imagination does not have any roles or limits.   

Boom Chicka Pop: Ever since moving into the dorms, I have been experimenting with different snacks. Popcorn has truly become one of my favorites, specifically Boom Chicka Pop’s Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn.

I love mixing Boom Chicka Pop with Orville’s popcorn because it gives that perfect sweet and salty mixture. On a cold weekend nigh,t I like to curl up with  my blanket and snack on Boom Chicka Pop while I watch a movie. It’s a perfect relaxation snack.

Gracie Abrams: I recently discovered Gracie Abrams and I have absolutely fallen in love with her music. When I am walking to class, doing homework or walking to Riverview Café, I listen to her songs. My favorites are “Close to You,” “Mess It Up” and “I Love You, I’m Sorry.” 

These songs just speak to me. The thing I love most is that they explore making mistakes, and how someone can walk away from a situation only to realize they were the problem. Her sense of vulnerability is so powerful. I highly recommend listening to her music.

H&M: Most of the clothes in my closet are from H&M. I love that the clothes for women are not too bright or flashy, but colors that can be easily paired together with other colors. Their clothes are very modern and fashionable, in my opinion.

“50 First Dates” and Movies : I put these two together because I wanted to express my weird yet conflicting tastes. I love rom-coms, especially “50 first dates,” because of just how wonderful Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore are together. 

When I feel sad or stressed out, I turn on “50 First Dates,” and this movie immediately lifts my spirit, especially with Rob Schneider who makes me crack up.

Compared with “Aliens,” a sci-fi movie that stars Sigourney Weaver who has to survive on an abandoned spaceship by fighting off aliens, people can see I have a chaotic selection of top films.

 As a little girl, I looked up to Sigourney Weaver’s character “Ellen Ripley” because she was recognized as the first female hero in sci-fi, and she was able to stay cool under pressure and solve any problems that came her way. 

The “Alien” series combined, from a writer’s perspective, is well done. What I love about the series is its messaging. The main points are how greedy corporations value money over human lives, the exploitation of workers and the repeated misogyny Ripley faces. These themes are explored in a realistic way which I appreciate even more as I grow older.

Rommel can be reached at [email protected].