Looking forward to 2021

2020 has not been the most enjoyable year, and it’s caused many of us to rethink the way we live our day-to-day lives. Simple things we may have taken for granted, such as going to school, work, parties, or just seeing friends and family have become a thing of the past. Looking forward to the years to come, nothing will ever be the same, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the best of it.

Though our 2020 plans may have been canceled or even postponed, there’s nothing stopping us from looking forward to plans in 2021. Megan Hunt, a patient care coordinator for complex respiratory, already has plans for next year. “A charter fishing trip for my husband’s 40th in the spring, and a trip to Cabo San Lucas for my 40th birthday in June.” When asked about the probability of these events Hunt responded with “unless something more serious happens, I don’t see any reason why those events won’t happen.” Hopefully, moving on from this year and into the next, things will start to clear up until we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Some people may think that life came to a full stop when the Covid scare first became public, and in a way, it did. States had stay-at-home orders, curfews were mandated, schools, businesses, and restaurants were closed. Everything seemed to pause for a while. Schools and some businesses still haven’t opened yet, and this has people wondering: Will life ever go back to the bustling way it was before? Alexandra Cryderman, a project manager who up until recently worked at Sleep Technologies in Washington says, “I am hopeful some larger gatherings will happen in the future, but I think that the days of giant crowds are behind us.” Do you agree with her? 

Through the hardships of this year, people have found many ways to keep their spirits up. Whether it be making plans for next year, reflecting on what we are grateful for, or even looking back at memories we made pre-Covid and reminiscing on the way life used to be. Zacharias Whartons, a student that attends Metro East Web Academy, has plans including going out in public and seeing friends. But instead of the plans themselves, this is what he told me is guiding him through this year, “freedom from masks, being able to breath fresh air, being able to show and see people expressions. It’s crazy how much we take being able to see people smile in person for granted.” Masks separate us from being able to see one of the most expressive body parts; the mouth. Smiling to one another was one way to feel connected. Being able to smile at one another again is something many people are looking forward to. 

One thing my interviewees had in common was looking forward to seeing their friends and family next year. So while this year was tough, and tested our strength, it did prove one thing, don’t take things for granted.

Being able to interact and socialize with people seems easy and common, but you never realize how important something is in your life until it’s taken away for an extended amount of time. This being said, keep your chin up, and don’t lose hope. Look forward to the years to come, and how you’re going to change your views on the things that once seemed so insignificant, and remember it can’t necessarily get any worse. We can only learn, grow, and move in a better direction.