One of our student features writers reflects on her experiences of 2020, and what we can all do to make 2021 better.
I’m quite sure that I’m not the only person glad that 2020 is over, welcoming the new year with open arms. But before we do that, I would like to attempt to review the year
So starting in January, everyone was making the joke about having 2020 vision (not as funny when you don’t). But for me that sums up just how unprepared we all were, how blind we were. That it really has taken this year to clearly see all the injustices in the world – racism, children going hungry, poverty and so many more. Though most importantly with this year’s newfound vision we have acted, protested, campaigned, and shown solidarity for the rights of everyone.
The lockdowns that everyone has been through united us even at a distance – that shared situation producing unique experiences for each person but under the same circumstances.
So being a teenager is hard at the best of times, but this year has been crazy. School was cancelled, exams were cancelled, everything was basically cancelled. Then the mess up of the grades in the summer, even getting back and starting college after a 6 month break. It’s hard, because these are the best years of our lives, and we feel like we’ve been robbed of them.
The “new normal” of masks, social distancing, closure of shops, self-isolations, working from home. These huge changes to everyday life that as a society we had to adapt to. Protecting other people through our own sacrifices is amazing, and demonstrates just how united we really are.
I hope that the new year will be better than the last but I also hope that it is the same, that we might have the same togetherness that we have had for the past 12 months. That we continue to care for each other and the people of the NHS. I think that the thing we will all need to get through these tough early days of the year is that we keep the spirit that we found in the darkness of 2020 and bring that into 2021.
That in 2021 we will stand together.
