As most of you reading this may know, Oprah has (somewhat) recently published her favorite things of 2025. Considering we at The Current are even more important than Oprah, we figured we should publish our list of favorite things in 2025, but in 2026 as a twist. I have asked for The Current’s favorite things among our Faculty Advisors, Editors-in-Chief, Section Editors, and some teachers. Many of them have submitted one or two of their favorite items with a short description, and I have been chosen (forced) to fill the delightful role of judging each item’s real value and buyability.
Mr. Pennisi, Faculty Advisor of The Current:
Item: Patagonia bomber puffer jacket
His description: Warm, stylish, never seen anyone else wear it, loves the color…it’s incredible.
Rating: If you have ever seen him wear this, you would understand why I rate this item so highly. As he says, it is stylish and unique. As several (unnamed) people have said, “It just screams Mr. P.” Simple as that. I do question the name “Bomber,” though. I have never really understood this naming concept. Patagonia might as well name their next line of jackets “Fighters,” then “Transport,” or “Tankers” (I would recommend the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for the role, though; it really has a nice ring to it).
Final Rating: 8/10
Buyability: 0/10 (Only Mr. Pennisi can rock this look, so don’t even try it).
Ms. Corey, Faculty Advisor of The Current:
Item #1: Heated throw blanket
Her description: Seems simple, but on a cold January evening, watching Netflix, plug in the blanket, and you automatically feel cozy. Plenty of examples on Amazon.
Rating: For those of you who don’t have this item: go get it. That’s it. No, actually, I’ve decided to make you suckers read even more description. Imagine yourself on a cold winter evening; oh shoot, did she already say that? Uh, it functions not only as a blanket but also as a heater! Pretty sweet, right?
Final Rating: 9/10
Buyability: 10/10
Item #2: All Her Fault on Peacock
Her description: I just finished binge-watching this thriller. So many twists and turns. And it does an amazing job of blending mystery with real pressures around parenting and social judgment.
Rating: So, having just watched the trailer, it seems like an exquisite mystery. My stupid, way-too-early-to-judge take on who did it? I’m glad you asked. This looks like a good ol’ Roger Ackroyder with the mom. I’ll leave it at that. (And no, it would not, I repeat not, bring me joy if you were to come up to me and tell me I’m wrong, I enjoy my bubble of ignorance.)
Final Rating: 7.53/10 (I would have to watch more to give it any higher than this.)
Buyability: Option 1: Figure out a way to get a free trial (do they still do those?) and watch it all before the trial ends (it’s only eight episodes!). 10/10 (plus you can watch other random shows). Option 2: pay Peacock monthly, then forget about it a week or two later after you’ve watched everything you like, and then a year later wonder where you lost hundreds of dollars.10/10 (From the company’s perspective, of course, they’ve caught you hook, line, and sinker.) Otherwise, Sucker/10.
Josh Reinecke ‘27, Editor-in-Chief:
Item: Claussen Kosher Dill Whole Pickles
His description: These are my favorite food in the world. I’ve tried at least 30 different pickle brands in search of a better one, and nothing has come close. The combination of the impeccable crunch and garlic-dill flavor makes them pretty addictive, so try at your own risk!
Final Rating: 25/10: I mean, seriously, these things are just so good. I don’t even like pickles! The crunch, the flavor…“dill-icious.” I regret the last 16 years, 4 months, and 26 days of my life I’ve spent without these.
Buyability 9/10: Cheap, yet for some reason, it took me over a month to get one of these. I think there must be very high demand. (Editor’s Note: Josh had these in his fridge multiple days before spring break started, but he forgot to bring them to your correspondent until well after break had ended, resulting in a false appearance of scarcity.)
Elizabeth Ahn ‘26, Editor-in-Chief:
Item: iPhone case
Her description: My favorite thing is the CASETiFY Magsafe Snappy Ripple Wallet in the color “radish.” My first impression was “$57 for a phone wallet?!” But from the soft yet durable silicone that makes sure none of my cards fall out, to its fun design, this purchase has been WELL worth it. Better yet, it doubles as a fidget! As the name suggests, the magnet “snaps” back and forth on the back of my phone, and it’s super fun to play with.
Final Rating: First, regardless of price, this seems like a cool item. I had a similar (cheaper) item myself, but it broke. However, I would assume that the radish color and ripples would add to the case’s durability, rather than my goose turd green, rippleless case. Unfortunately, and I am quite sorry, readers, The Current’s section editor’s salary is not remotely enough for me to afford this item, so my complete understanding of the item approaches pure guesswork. #JusticeforJulian 6.7/10
Buyability: One must find the philosopher John Stuart Mill to answer this question: from a utilitarian lens, is $57 the most apt purchase one could make? In layperson’s terms, how many Pop-Tarts could I buy instead? 38. Is it even ethical to buy anything for $57 when you could donate $57 to starving kids? I’ll leave this one up to you. A snack debt that rises to your neck, threatening to drown you at any moment/10
Helena Zhai ‘27, Editor-in-Chief:
Item: Cable Bites
Her description: My favorite thing at the moment are cable bites: small animal-shaped clips that attach to charging cables and give you something sturdy to grab when plugging devices in. They’re silly and cute to look at, but they also protect the part where the cord meets the plug, which is the most fragile part of the charger. I think they really make a difference in the longevity and organization of my chargers! They’re especially clutch because my cat has recently taken up the habit of chewing my charging cords.
Final Rating: Whoa, these are awesome. I have certainly felt this problem before. Your computer is at 1% while doing your Foundations homework at 10:30 on a Thursday night, and oh darn, your computer charger breaks in two after you were jumping up and down from the pure joy and excitement of doing Foundations work. And with only 30 more minutes to go, oh noooooooooooooo! 10.1/10
Buyability: depends on shipping/10
Ms. Hellman, GPAC Supreme Leader, and food connoisseur:
Item #1: Fun socks
Her description: Fun socks that aren’t boring and usually have a message for the day. Maybe I only understand the message, but they do have one (i.e., Rosie the Riveter socks for the days that you have to do something).
Final Rating: Immediate 10/10. As someone who is also a fun sock enjoyer, this should be on everyone’s shopping list. I usually prefer them for humor purposes (or the opposite, as some people tell me), but why not make them poetic? I’ll pursue the purchase of “The Road Shall Not Be Taken” or “Because I Could Not Stop Death” socks and be inspired.
Buyability: 8.5/10 (cheap but can get holes in them)
Item #2: Le Creuset oven
Her description: I have had it since I’ve been married. You can make anything in it: bread, stew…you can put it in the oven. I use it several times a week; it is extremely durable. Make sure to find a color that you like.
Final Rating: 9/10 I’m sure this is amazing, but again, The Current’s meager salary scale does not allow for me to purchase this item, so, uh, as food connoisseur David Murtagh says, “Life is too short to eat boring food.” (Definitely, David, and you came up with “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,” “Love like you’ll never be hurt,” “Sing like there’s nobody listening,” and “Live like it’s heaven on Earth.”)
Buyability: Get it as a wedding gift/10
