If you’re ever looking for good media recommendations in the pubs room, Lilly Jaeger is your best bet. This year, her highlights have been “Severance,” “The Pitt,” and everything surrounding the chaotic rollout of “Wicked.” “The “Severance” era was really big for me because I got so many of my friends and even a teacher, Mr. Weiland, to talk about it every week,” she said.
But Lilly’s advice extends far beyond pop culture. As managing editor during the 2024–25 year, she helped refine story pitches to make them more engaging and took on every task from late-night edits to learning how to use Google Sheets for production planning. Lilly’s passion for leadership is the same that defines her TV taste: always ready to share something new.
Her favorite Zephyrus memory was the trip to Philadelphia in the fall, where she enjoyed meeting students from across the nation. “I haven’t had that travel conference experience for any other activities, and it was just such a fun way to learn more about journalism,” she said. “And trying a Philly cheesesteak at the best place to ever get a Philly cheesesteak, Angelo’s, was incredible.”
Outside of Zephyrus, Lilly is a drum major for the EHS Marching Band, a Concert Band member, and a volunteer at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital.
Lilly plans to attend the University of Minnesota and, interested in the technical side of the healthcare industry, has decided to study biomedical engineering. “Once I discovered [it] as a major, I realized it was perfect for me,” she said.
Until then, Lilly is excited to spend a few more months nannying, taking her new puppy Louie out on the lake, and hanging out with her friends, whose silliness and spontaneity have gotten her through senior year. “There’s a lot of pressure I feel in senior year to live it up, but having a group of friends around you that will go to a park at 10 p.m. to play soccer… will make your weekend so happy,” she said.
And if you ask her about her experiences with them, whether it be driving through a snowstorm from a Wallows concert in Iowa to not miss Sweethearts or running into a disappearing il Mago di Oz (the Wizard of Oz) on the band trip to Italy, you’ll understand why.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 20, 2025
