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By Mary Kramer '22 At the end of every year, Spotify hits me with the "Spotify Wrapped" to recap the year in music. Spotify Wrapped" came out on Tuesday, December 3. When I looked at mine consisted of many similar indie pop artists including, Conan Gray, Declan Mckenna, the Walters, Girl in Red, Lorde, Clairo, and my top artist of the year, Wallows. This is the band with everyone’s favorite, Clay Jensen. These songs are a few of my favorite from my "Top 100 Songs of the Year" playlist. "Roi" by Videoclub Now despite me not speaking French or understanding this song at all I have two Videoclub songs on my top 5 songs of the year “Roi” and “Amour Plastique”. This indie pop duo Matty and Adele are a couple living in France living my summer dream life. Their music videos have inspired me to move to France. "10/10" by Rex Orange County Rex Orange county’s new album pony released on October 25 this year was Alex’s first album since "Apricot Princess" in 2017, which gained a ton of popularity. This song describes Alex’s past years and how he’s struggled to get through them, and is now trying to live his best life as a 10/10. "Adore You" by Harry Styles "Adore You" is Harry’s third song he has released from his album "Fine Line". As I am writing this, the song has been out for 15 minutes, and I have listened to it 4 times. He promoted this song by making a fake island tourist account on twitter @visiteroda. Harry’s second album, "Fine Line," comes out December 13th with his worldwide Love on Tour starting in April, stopping St. Louis on July 21st. "Maniac" by Conan Gray I saw that Carmyn already had this on her fall music recommendations, but I had to include it myself. This song is the perfect song to scream the lyrics out in your kitchen alone. I have followed Conan for two years, since I subscribed to his YouTube channel in 2017. After that, he has been writing and singing his own music mostly based on his love life. Luckily, I got the great chance to see him in concert on October 28 at The Pageant, which was the best experience of my life to date. I still haven’t recovered from the concert, and from him liking my Instagram post after it (slight flex). "1980s Horror Film II" by Wallows Wallows has been my obsession since late 2018, and I have been listening to them ever since. This song has a different feel than most of Wallows songs. Unlike their most popular song “Are you Bored Yet?,” which has more of a poppy tune with underlying sad lyrics, 1980s Horror Film II has more of vintage tune.

By Elizabeth Barton '20 https://www.blissfulbasil.com/creamy-artichoke-leek-white-bean-hummus/ I made this hummus for the first time when i was in 6th grade. My family ate the entire batch in 30 minutes; it’s that good. I prefer it warm and it’s really good with some wheat thin crackers or veggies. It’s also made with white beans instead of chick peas like normal hummus so if you aren’t a fan of that normal hummus taste this would be an awesome recipe to try! tips: make sure your canned artichokes are not marinated (i use Reese brand ones canned in water), and make sure to wash your leeks thoroughly!

By Catherine Potter '20 While most of us are used to stuffing our faces with food until we feel like we will burst on Thanksgiving, many people in the Saint Louis community don’t have this luxury. That’s why the National Honors Society execs decided to participate in the No Hunger Holiday turkey drive for the third year in a row. Students were allowed to dress down for either a $2 donation or a frozen turkey. In addition to the dress down day, NHS also made a bake sale to bring in additional money. Many Viz girls donated more than the suggested amount because of the great cause. NHS collected 103 turkeys and $1435.05 for No Hunger Holiday this year. Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Dean, along with some Viz NHS members, helped pack meals over Thanksgiving break as well. Way to go Viz!

By Carmyn Grapperhaus '20 Do you ever sit in Mr. Russell’s room and just vibe out to all the random tunes he blasts? Ever wonder what a teenage girl’s version of those tunes are? You are in luck. Here are some songs I’ve been vibing out to this November and suggest you vibe out to too. Here are five songs to help you get through this last week before thanksgiving break! They are a mix of alternative rock, indie, and pop. "Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles If you haven’t yet heard in the halls, Harry Style 2 is finally happening with the up-coming release of his sophomore album, Fine Line (to be released on December 13). This past Saturday his second single “Watermelon Sugar” was put out into the world less than an hour before he performed it live on SNL. This single provides feel good vibes with a groovy bass line and a reminder of summer. "The Whole Of The Moon" by The Waterboys We are throwing it all the way back to 1985 with this one. I first heard this song just last week while watching the Netflix Original “Let It Snow”, an adaptation of the book by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson. When the song faded out and the movie continued I immediately paused the TV to look up the song. “The Whole of the Moon” contains that classic British rock sound and plenty of brass. It is one I definitely recommend to get you in a good mood. "Like An American" by Vistas Continuing with the alternative rock vibes is Vistas with “Like An American.” This song comes from their newly-released EP “Hello” that came out this past summer. This is the perfect track to jam out to in the car with the windows down (even if it is 45 degrees). Go ahead and turn up the volume, Vistas have you covered. " Maniac" by Conan Gray Our next song comes from up-and-coming artist Conan Gray. Gray’s career began on YouTube. His channel, which he started in 2013, currently has over 1.5 million subscribers and he has amassed millions of plays on Spotify. Gray is currently on his second headlining tour. He has opened for world-known artists like Panic! At The Disco and played at festivals including The Great Escape. “Maniac” is a high-energy track with a fast paced lyrics that will help you push through this last week of school before break. "Call Me Back" by Young the Giant My fifth and final suggestion is ”Call Me Back” by Young the Giant. This a very “vibey” song. I would describe this song with a very specific mood – when you have a long day and are driving home late at night and its lightly drizzling and your looking out the window like you’re in a music video with this song playing. When you are feeling stressed out this week, put on this song and lay on the floor, you’ll make it through the day.

Compiled by Grace Elsner '20 Of course I am thankful for my family and friends, but most of all I am thankful for all of the opportunities I've had in life. I am so privileged and blessed to live a comfortable life and attend a school like Viz. -Grace Kalil '20 Not to sound cliché but I am so thankful for my friends and family this year. I have never felt so supportive by a group of individuals and am so blessed for the memories I have made this year and friends. -Holly Hunt '20 I am thankful for late start Mondays, Mr. Russell, my wonderful friends, the entire Emerging Media team, Viz and all they do, my parents, and most importantly, my dog. -Bella Leonard '21 I am thankful for my strong relationships with the others around me, my good health, all the opportunities I receive in life, and my doggo. -Grace Franklin '20 I am thankful for having great friends and family. I am also thankful for having good health and for all of the opportunities that I have been given. -Anna Cichelero '21 “I am thankful for my family and the constant love and support they provide for me. I am also thankful for my friends. My friends fill my day with laughter while also giving me advice to make me the best version of myself. I also want to thank my school, Visitation Academy for giving me the best education possible. I don’t know where I would be without the support of my family, friends and Visitation Academy.” -Katie French '20 I am lucky to have much to be thankful for. I am grateful for friends that support me, a family that inspires me, and health that empowers me. Thank you to all that have provided me the opportunity to become the person I am today. -Grace Elsner '20 I’m thankful for my family and being able to live in a heated house for the winter. I am also thankful for Chick-Fil-A because I eat it way too often. -Esha Manchanda '21

KIRTI MADHU '21 The YAG conference is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in government. This year I took the role as a judge. As one of the twenty-five chosen students, my role was to go to trials, ask questions, and score the attorneys. In my free time, I would help students from all schools and give them advice on their cases. This year I also ran for Chief Justice which added quiet a bit of stress for me. I worked even harder to make sure all the other judges and advisors knew I would be fit to be Chief Justice next year. Luckily, my hard work paid off and led to me acting as lead judge for a semi-final case (which is a big deal), assisting the Chief Justice with the final trial, and assuming my role as Chief Justice for the 2020 YAG conference. This conference was very enjoyable and was my most memorable one so far. VICTORIA BROWN '21 I remember the bus ride to YAG: I was nervous, excited, and scared all at once. It was my first time in senate and my first time as a committee chair. I had no idea what to expect or how things would turn out. In the end, though, all my worries were for nothing; it was one of the best experiences of my life. With the determination to do the best I could and a stream of people constantly supporting me, the conference went great! Honestly, there’s so much to talk about that I don’t even know where to begin. One of the most memorable experiences I had was my time in senate. I was apprehensive about doing it, to be honest. The stereotypes about senate were very intimidating: that senate was mean, that senate would tear your bill apart, that senate was the most intense part about YAG. And to be fair, it was more serious than my time in house, but the people there were so kind, welcoming, and encouraging. For example, when I was presenting my bill, but the committee ran out of time, everyone voluntarily stayed to debate my bill despite using up their own time for dinner. Everyone voiced their honest opinion and helped encourage me to be more confident with my own viewpoints. Also, everyone in senate did the honor of choosing me as their next lieutenant governor. I actually got 100% of the votes, but to be fair, I was the only choice. ELIZABETH CRAIG '21 I will forever be grateful to the Youth and Government program. This year I got the chance to speak and represent myself in front of hundreds of kids from a variety of schools. I was given the opportunity to meet the most intelligent, driven, passionate kids that our youth has to offer, and I can confidently say I met lifelong friends. Youth and Government has truly changed my life. Sitting on the house floor gazing at all of the other delegates, I came to the realization that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to be a state representative, I want to have my voice and the voices of others heard. YAG has given me the opportunity to discover something I love and this is something I will never be able to repay. MEGAN EVERSON '21 YAG consists of a healthy combination of working hard and playing harder—and it did so this year more than ever. Being an attorney for the judicial branch is a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it. The adrenaline rush of presenting the argument you spent months preparing outweighs the painstaking hours poring over the case and precedents. If you do well enough in your preliminary trials, you are given the chance to move onto the semifinals. Preparation for the semifinals is surreal; everyone seems to be on steroids, with a pen and one hand and an Ultra Blue Monster—every delegate’s drug of choice—in the other. The scheduled time for prep is from 10:30 pm to midnight, but most will carry on their work through later in the night and early into the next morning. When the time comes for the semifinals trial, you have half the judicial branch as your audience. The tension in the room is palpable and everyone anticipates their turn to speak. The unease lingers even after the trial, as you wait the dreaded twenty minutes for them to announce the results of the case. I had the privilege of losing to the brilliant Caroline Gaughan, who went on to win in the final round. My experience as an attorney for YAG is an invaluable one that I would not trade for the world. On top of preparing as an attorney, I also ran a campaign for Attorney General, the head of the judicial branch. I made a trifold poster board with my campaign platform, handed out stickers, and even gave a speech and answered questions in front of the whole six-hundred-person conference. I went into a run-off election, but ultimately I did not get the position. Although some might consider my campaign unsuccessful, I would call it anything but. I made so many friends and learned a lot about myself from the trials and tribulations of campaigning—I loved every second of it. YAG is the highlight of my year and I would go back to Jefferson City and do it again in a heartbeat.

By Bella Leonard '21 Many fellow high schoolers turn to the popular social media platform, Instagram, for their daily needs. Many use the site to gather information about the current news, others use it to look for memes, and some use it to stalk their ex and their new significant other. No matter your reason for tuning to Instagram, it is safe to say a majority of teens go on that app at least once a day. Over the summer, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom announced that in Australia he would block accounts from viewing likes, and would slowly roll out that update across the Insta-crazy world. I follow an influencer that lives in Australia, you can roll your eyes but she has good content, so I was already aware of the update. However I was not prepared at how soon it would approach US. Earlier this week a meme page I have loyally been following frantically posted how Instagram would be hiding likes in the US now. My initial reaction with this was that Instagram would be hiding me from ALL likes, my friends as well as my own. Now on November 14, 2019 I have realized that is simply not true. I cannot view how many likes my friends have, but I can view how many likes I have. Personally, I would be fine with getting rid of likes if that meant I would not be able to see who liked my most recent posts, however the fact that only I can see my likes is rather annoying. Hiding likes is why many people are on VSCO now; does this mean Instagram might lose their grip of their #1 spot of social media and join the world of Facebook and MySpace? Personally, I would be for Instagram hiding their likes if that meant I was unable to see my likes as well, but the fact I can still see who liked my posts almost defeats the purpose. I do believe that the world of social media has a toxic side, many people, myself included, judge their success by the status of their most recent post on Instagram. However, if Instagram really wants to fix that problem, they might as well get rid of likes all together.

By Victoria Brown '21 French Week was a success! The decorations seen around school were created on the weekend leading up to French Week. There was the French Week banner with a big Eiffel tower, lots of French flags, and plenty of posters, created by the French students. The bright colors and creative designs made them look so professional. Personally, my favorite decorations were the locks on the theater lobby stairs. With adorable decorations on them, the student-made locks were made with so much love and care. Additionally, there were many events that took place during French Week, like the bake sale, where French Club ran out of crêpes to sell, hidden escargots that students could find for a prize, and different French foods served at lunch each day. I would like to thank so many different people at Viz: the students, the teachers, the chefs for their work during French week. They made the week amazing and memorable! Merci!

"Feel Dat Funk" choices by Caroline Jung '20 As fall winds down and winter is quickly on its way in St. Louis, many are digging through their playlists and fishing out their beloved Christmas music. This is quite the controversy, as many people, me being one of them, believe that it is only appropriate to blast Christmas music after Thanksgiving. Here are five feel-good, funky, groovy songs to tide you over through the last bit of fall until you can blast all the Mariah Carey you want. Warm by Dre’es Featuring Mia This is the perfect end-of-fall song. The production on this track, like the twangy guitar with a healthy dose of reverb, just screams fall. But soft and subtle voices, light percussion and the pre-chorus (repetition of “hold my hand”) also makes it a great song for winter. I hate to say it, but it really does give off great vibes and you will “fall in love” with it on your first listen. Lost in Nostalgia by Xavier Omar You will have the chorus of “Lost in Nostalgia” all day after your first listen. It is the funkiest of this bunch and its layered vocals will have you wishing the song were longer. There’s not much I can say about this song that would do it justice over than hearing it. So I suggest you do that. Cringe by Matt Maeson The boot-stomping and swelling beats paired with the acoustic and rough verses in “Cringe” will make you wish the leaves stayed on the trees for just a little while longer. Go ahead and dig out your raspy voice to sing along to this. But once all those leaves fall, give the stripped version a listen. It’s a totally different feel, more mellow and minimalistic, but just as great. Wait a Minute! By WILLOW With over 100 million streams on Spotify, there is a chance you might have heard Willow Smith’s transcendental “Wait a Minute!” Yes, “Whip My Hair” Willow Smith. But, if you haven’t, boy are you missing out. Do yourself a favor and give this bumpy, dreamy, dance-alone-in-your-room song a listen. Cocoon by Milky Chance “Milky Chance, now where have I heard that name before?” They made “Stolen Dance”. You’re welcome. This German (yes, German!) group’s latest album, “Blossom”, gives us this gem of a song. Milky Chance’s classic hoarse vocals and folky production comes together in “Cocoon” and will have you hanging onto these last couple of fall days.

By Jane Miller '20 (Picture Credits to Wikipedia) Free clothes from a cute brand, all you have to do is pay shipping. Isn't that the dream? Especially with spring break around the corner, the idea seemed too good to be true. Today, some Viz seniors discovered what they believed to be a glitch in the Billabong website that made all products on the site completely free. The only associated cost was the $5.99 shipping fee. The news spread like wildfire among the senior class, sending girls flying to their laptops to claim as many free products as possible. "I placed two orders, then texted my sister, who told all her friends." Ellie Dierberg '20 admitted. Billabong is a Surf inspired clothing brand that sells swimsuits and beachy clothing. A swimsuit top from the brand can cost anywhere from twenty to seventy-five dollars, so the zero dollar price tag was definitely appealing. However, as the school gathered in Alumni Hall for signing day, some students raised eyebrows at the scheme. "The Billabong thing is a "crippling cyber attack.'" Grace Shaughnessy '20, texted the senior class. Further research confirmed that the company had in fact been affected by a Ransomware attack, which likely triggered the glitch in the system. The realization sent everyone into a panic. Girls were frantically calling their banks, their parents and trying to cancel their orders. "When I realized it was a scam, I went to the library with the other girls for the hilariously scary moment of calling our moms and telling them what we had done," Emily Guyot '20 recalled. Although no one knew whether the hacking affected consumers directly or just the Billabong company itself, many girls aired on the side of caution and locked their cards. There is still little known about the hacking or the repercussions of the orders placed, but the glitch on the website has been fixed. "Now that the whole thing is over, I guess we just have to wait and see if the people who ordered get their clothes. If they do, that would be pretty cool!" Grace Kalil '20, laughed. As the story develops further, consumer Ellie Dierberg '20 received an email that said, "Please accept our sincerest apologies for the canceled items on your order due to a technical issue. We certainly appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused."

By Caroline Hanzlik '20 In my seven years at Viz, this year's spirit theme is what I consider the most inventive one yet. In case you missed the assembly on Friday, the spirit theme was announced: VIZ vs FOOD! I am sure most of our school was shocked, and so were most of the reps at the time of the decision. Every year, all of the representatives meet and decide on a theme at the start of the school year. A lot of ideas were thrown around until the idea of food as a theme was contributed. At first we discussed about the theme as a joke, but we soon saw its potential to become a real possibility. To be honest, I was at first skeptical due to how our peers would react to such an unconventional theme. Thankfully, our student body is more than willing to accept new ideas and is always spirited despite the occasion. Spirit Club is currently working towards creating the best week yet, so stay tuned and save your appetite for Viz Spirit Week 2020. What's on the menu? Good Morning Monday…………...2/3/2020 Take Out Tuesday……………………...2/4/2020 We Dine Wednesday………….2/5/2020 Treat Yo’Self Thursday……...........2/6/2020 Crazy Red & White Friday………..2/7/2020 (Homecoming)

By Olivia Helfrey '21 Open House was two Sundays ago, but it feels like yesterday. Admissions would like to give a big thank you to all of the Viz students that participated this year. Open House is so important because it shows the best Viz has to offer, our amazing students. Girls come to our school because of our students and their enthusiasm, charisma, and intelligence. This year, we had a very large turnout. We hope to continue this pattern next year, so remember to mark your calendars when the schedule comes out! Please send any feedback you have to Mrs. Spellman. Thank you again to everyone who helped out.