Editor’s note: Tastemakers is a new column we’re trying out here 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 also takes heavy inspiration from Perfectly Imperfect, a paid Substack with content in a similar format. 

This week we will be looking at Cade Fisher, The Spectator’s news editor this semester. Don’t let the idea of hard news cloud your judgment, he is a softy at heart. Fisher is a third-year organizational communications and creative writing student. He is currently working as a resident assistant for housing, and has not left campus in 23 business days. He is a lover of books, crafts and Greek mythology. Let’s hear him break down a bit more of his taste.

2010s YA Novels: I don’t know why my peak reading days were in middle school, but something about a young adult book from the 2010s. Anything in the vein of Percy Jackson, Shadowhunters, the Lunar Chronicles, the Darkest Minds and the Throne of Glass series would describe the books I shuttled off to class with. I was the kid who would read his book and watch the feet in front of him as he shuffled through the hallway. It’s a skill.

However, it has been a while since I’ve picked up a book to read for fun and I miss those days. I hope this article will keep me accountable for reading more in the future. Maybe when I settle into a real job. However, my love of buying books has not stopped. Keep my bank account in your thoughts.

Jeans: When I was somewhere between 5 and 6 years old and I was getting dressed to go out with my family, I would ask my mom what I should wear. Impatient, she told me to pick something out. I, an overthinker, couldn’t just do that. I kept asking until my mother shed a pure beam of wisdom upon me. “Wear jeans. Jeans go with everything.”

I don’t think she meant for me to stick to that idea by heart, but I took it and never looked back. You will always see me in a pair of jeans with some kind of sweatshirt joining it. I have worn jeans almost every day since kindergarten, and it has become a brand. Of course, I’ll wear shorts (not jorts) in the summer and the occasional khakis when I work at the golf course, but otherwise I’m always in jeans.

Chicken Tenders: As a 21-year-old college student, it is probably embarrassing to say, but I am a picky eater. My palette has expanded as I have come to fear criticism from my peers more than the texture of some foods, but I do have a smaller set of options on the menu. Chicken tenders have become a staple for me, a reliable friend in a sea of fearful flavors. Almost every menu has a chicken tender option of sorts. Chicken tenders are my rock, my confidant. The thing that will lift me up when I’ve fallen down from tummy troubles. As I grow older, I hope to try new options, but I’ll never forget the one who always had my back.

Reneè Rapp: I will be honest, this is a new obsession. However, the artist who has been filling up my headphones as I walk around campus and write different papers is Reneè. Something about the relatable songs and slower rhythms soothes my brain and gets my creative writing brain flowing. I do have to put it in writing, my favorite musical artist will always be Little Mix, but Reneè Rapp has become a new favorite that I have no choice but to stan. It also does not hurt that she just came out with a new album for me to meticulously memorize.

“National Treasure”: This might seem like a joke, and maybe it is at this point, but my favorite movie is “National Treasure.” I know what you’re thinking, yes Nicholas Cage. Forget about that. This movie is so much fun and gets at two of my favorite things: Random history and puzzles. My dream job as a retired individual would be to open an escape room. I love puzzles and watching people as they sift through their brains to understand what is ahead of them. This movie does just that, laying a large puzzle out with action scenes and fun historical perspectives. Make fun of me all you want, but this is a nostalgic and iconic movie that I will not let go.

Fisher can be reached at [email protected].