2020 could not have been more of a historical year, it brought new changes and challenges that forced us to change our ways of living.

Never before did I ever think that by the age of 18 I would have experienced the reign of a fascist government, attended protests in the middle of a pandemic, or even experience a pandemic.

Nothing could have prepared me for what came that year, it taught me to adapt quickly, keep six feet apart, and learn to educate myself through countless books by activists.

Throughout this entire year, I lost my junior year experiences by missing out on getting my class ring in a decades-old ceremony, delayed my entry into National Honors Society, and never had a prom.

Senior year brought the same challenges, I missed Loretto senior landmarks such as winning field day, decorating my little’s locker, and singing our Christmas song while crying when we all realize this is the last year of high school.

Although I missed so much this year, I was forced to think outside the box to find ways to keep me mentally sane and allow me to thrive under such constricted circumstances.

I depended on plants for peace, books for knowledge, and the outdoors for personal growth.

This year was not easy on anyone, millions of people lost their jobs or faced hour cuts and struggled to support their families.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans died and are continuing to die from a virus that turned our world upside down.

We experienced the deaths of the most influential people from all spectrums, from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Kobe Bryant and Alex Trebek.

In November, I lost my grandmother to cancer and had to take an absence from school to figure out how to move on without the very woman who influenced my political life.

We all lost something, but we have to promise to make 2021 count in order to make up for a year of ugly that brought us deep polarization and illness.

I look forward to making 2021 count, I can’t wait until I get my college acceptance letters, get vaccinated, attend a concert in the far future, and get to live again.

Working in customer service throughout the pandemic taught me that being around people can be tough, but we need to appreciate what vibrant life we have around us.

Without the supportive people I work with, I would not have had the mental strength I have today.

On the lowest days where everything went wrong and nothing good, having people help you through situations that are beyond your control bring a different kind of comfort.

Being surrounded by my family constantly and eating dinner together, cooking together, and ordering out on Friday’s brought us together in a way that could have only happened with a pandemic that forced everyone to stay inside.

Through all the dark days of 2020 we persevered through the worst, we adapted within days to figure out how to learn from home, we found ways to make masks when we had none, and we adapted so fast to bumping elbows instead of handshakes and any other direct contact.

We deserve a break and to celebrate what humanity left of 2020 brought us in 2021, if we persevere a little longer, we can make the most of 2021, I know I will- so good riddance, 2020!