With all the tragedies of 2020, there is always the possibility of a better year. Although we are not guaranteed a great start to 2021, it may get better. There seems to be a lot of “ifs” and “maybes” lately, but that’s all we have going for us right now.
With the help of New York Post’s list, here is a recap of 2020 so far from a high schooler’s perspective: Australian wildfires, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit the royal family, Kobe and Gigi Bryant’s death, the impeachment of President Donald Trump, George Floyd’s death, stock market crash, Black Lives Matter protests, Biden became the 46th president of the United States, “Murder Hornets,” Chadwick Boseman’s death, West Coast wildfires, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, Alex Trebek’s death, and last but not least, a global pandemic formally known as COVID-19.
When looking at the bigger picture, the negatives of this year definitely seem to outweigh the positives. According to Business Insider, “Generation Z, is the youngest, most ethnically-diverse, and largest generation in American history, comprising 27% of the US population.” With this fact in mind, a recent study from the World Economic Forum shows that “16 million more people from Generation Z are eligible to vote in the 2020 election, reaching a total of 23 million.” Gen Z had a lot of political influence this year with voting and protests and is slowly changing the way our world works.
A good New Year’s Resolution might be just what everyone needs to start off 2021 the right way. Although cheesy, a resolution can help motivate you to pursue your goals. Maybe it’s time to take the saying “new year, new me” seriously, especially after this mess of a year.
Article photo by Anthony Fallone
Senior, West Brunswick High School
(This article reprinted from the school’s The West Wind)
