While some of this year’s highlights include a deadly global pandemic, a controversial civil rights movement, an embarrassingly barbaric presidential election cycle and many celebrity deaths, perhaps like many things, 2020 may have actually acted as a blessing in disguise. Let’s try and look for the good in the bad, even though yes, we all know the year contained a freakishly insurmountable amount of bad. 

Especially now, during the holidays, we must remind ourselves of all that we usually take for granted. With everything going on and the future of the country somewhat up in the air, I think we should take a tip from all those cheesy posts on social media along the lines of “appreciate all the good things in your life” because, most of the time, these tiny, little, happy things save us at the end of the day. 

Think of what continued to fuel that little light of hope which shone through during your lowest moments while stuck at home due to COVID-19. Keep in mind the people that stood by your side during these past few months and checked in on you. Take a minute and pat yourself on the back for getting through all the issues our society grew familiar with, and for getting through ones that took a personal toll as well. 

2020 definitely won a spot in the Worst Years Hall of Fame for many of its events, but I think that, as hard as it may seem to find for so many of us, there were some happy days hidden in 2020. 

As a society, we have grown in many aspects. This year, we were challenged with politics and accepting others’ beliefs, while simultaneously defending our own. Many of us actively began to participate in protests regarding human rights, and society’s viewpoints progressed in terms of equality. We lost some battles and won others, but we all underwent them together. Social classes and races alike worked to save our nation and we exhibited some of the “unity” our Constitution speaks so highly of. 

If you genuinely cannot think of one little star in your dark 2020 night sky, I encourage you to remember that next year shall soon arrive, and another one after that… unless an asteroid hits the Earth or something even more catastrophic happens…. All jokes!

No, but seriously, while I may not have experienced all of life’s negatives, I am aware of how terrible life can treat us sometimes. I can assure you that it gets better, because once you have hit rock bottom, the only way left is up! 2020 has given some of us the chance to experience the bad times and see what we have to do to make sure we never experience them again. Try to take 2020 — which may go down as  “worst year ever” — as a lesson and keep on working your way to a better stage in life. I am excited to see us all bounce back and achieve our goals.