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CU Boulder | Culture

My Favorite January Media

Nyssa Baca Student Contributor, University of Colorado - Boulder
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
  1. “Missing Out” by Maya Hawke 

This song came out in 2024, but I only got around to hearing it more recently. I feel like this is such a January song. The undertones of worry that you’re behind in life in comparison to your peers, mixed with the worry that you’ll never go as far as you want, is something Hawke encapsulates completely.

  1. “Bittersweet” by  Madison Beer

With a new year, I tend to do a lot more reflection about my life, relationships, academics, and career. I think this tends to dredge up a lot of mixed emotions — making me feel bittersweet, if you will.

  1. The Pitt on HBO Max

Admittedly, I am not typically one for medical shows. However, The Pitt has enveloped my life completely and I am obsessed. From well-thought-out, nuanced characters like Dr. Mckay to loveable characters like Dr. Whitaker, all these characters create an overarching message regarding the American healthcare system in a way that demonstrates extreme care and thought. The dedication to realism also reminds me of The Bear, an equally curated show I love.

  1. It: Welcome to Derry on HBO Max

I am fairly late on this show, but I grew up with the It movies, and I loved the characters, plot, but more importantly, how they addressed being queer and a person of color in the 80’s. Not to mention, this new tv series addressed what It: Chapter Two addressed quite poorly — the Native American storyline in Derry, in a more concrete, organized way that gave homage to actual Native American history. 

  1. “I Like America & America Likes Me” by The 1975

Despite coming out in 2018, The 1975’s political songs tend to stay relevant. A lot of lyrics in A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships speak to issues prevalent during the 2016 election, but somehow, we are still stuck on these issues in 2026. The 1975 offers, as I feel, a relatable but contemplative outlook on America as a whole.

  1. “Give Yourself A Try” by The 1975

Following the theming of this list, “Give Yourself A Try” follows the idea of giving yourself the opportunity to live life — which means forgiving yourself, trying new things (namely yourself), and looking back on your life and things that have impacted you.

  1. “Sincerity Is Scary” by The 1975

A lot of songs by the 1975, I know. But these all feel extremely topical and relate to things I’ve been exploring in my personal life, namely social media and how it affects my personal relationships. This song explores how disconnected we have become because of our phones, social media, and how scared we are of being embarrassed socially, and how being sincere in today’s social climate is often a rarity. 

  1. “Such A Funny Way” by Sabrina Carpenter

This song has been my entire January, to the point I wrote an article including these lyrics. I find myself having so much interest in the way people communicate with each other and how this allows relationships to either flourish or crumble, which I think is exactly what this song addresses. 

  1. “Lucky” by Britney Spears 

I only recently heard this song for the first time, and I absolutely love it. When I listen to music, my most important factor is the lyrics. I think Spears does a good job of constructing the quote-unquote “showgirl” life, and how it affected her when she was at the height of her career. A really fun, pop beat that is simultaneously melancholic via its lyrics. 

Honestly, I wish I had one more suggestion to round out this list, but I find myself most drawn to all of these media and how they relate to themes I’m currently exploring in my personal life. 

Nyssa Baca

CU Boulder '27

A Junior at CU Boulder studying Information Science with a minor in Media Studies & certificate in User Experience. Nyssa's favorite part about her major is all the questions she gets- like what even is that? Simple answer; a mixture of the humanities and computer/data science! She is increasingly interested in AI and ethical boundaries that are getting pushed, as well as the relationship between academia and AI, and how that will transform with the further development of Artificial Intelligence.

Also a Substack aficionado. In her free time, she likes to shop, catch up on reading, take pictures of her dog, explore new parts of Colorado, or fixate on a new tv show to over-analyze and obsess over. Nyssa has over 344 perfectly curated Spotify playlists, so talk to her about music! (and please be her friend on Spotify...) Currently studying abroad in the heart of London!

As a writer, Nyssa is a comma defender. She will use commas as a stylistic choice and has ever since junior year in AP Lang. Topics she adores and could talk about for hours include but are not limited to: lyrical analysis, pop culture and its' relation to stan culture, etc.