4 Reasons to be Optimistic in 2021
To say that 2020 was a difficult year would be an understatement. Everyone has difficult years, years which are more difficult than others. 2009 and 2012 were particularly rough years for me, with my appendix rupturing towards the end of my 6th grade year in 2009 and my grandmother passing away during my sophomore year of high school (which already sucks).
However, 2020 was a year which was universally difficult for just about everyone. A novel disease called Coronavirus upended our way of life, steadily seeping into societies around the world, causing illness and death, especially among minority communities. Daily life underwent a social upheaval, as masks and social distancing became requirements and a facet of pop culture.
It can be hard to be optimistic in difficult times, especially during a pandemic which has resulted in the deaths of nearly 2 million people worldwide. With a new year on the horizon, and being mindful that Covid-19 will not disappear on January 1st, there are still many reasons to be optimistic about the new year.
1. The Covid-19 Vaccine
That a vaccine was created in record time is a testament to advances in science and technology. It is also a testament to the scientists motivated by widespread illness and suffering to help protect human-kind from the pandemic now ravaging the globe. Two of the first vaccines to receive FDA approval are promising, with over a 90% efficacy rate.
The vaccines will save lives and especially protect the most vulnerable among us. Thanks to advances in science and the polio vaccine, polio has been eradicated in the United States since 1979. We must still be mindful that polio remains a problem in countries around the world and help bridge that divide. This should also serve as a lesson that getting vaccinated can change the trajectory of illnesses and save countless lives.
2. New Year, New President
The 2020 presidential election was highly contentious, with the weirdness and tension of the election cycle being augmented by a global pandemic. The Trump administration will be remembered for many things, but the failure of the administration to competently handle the pandemic which has resulted in the deaths of over 340,000 Americans as of this writing, will surely be at the top of the list. Instead of encouraging Americans to take the virus seriously, Trump instead used precious time to tweet and divide, promoting conspiracy theories, suggested injecting disinfectant as a treatment, and even encouraged protests against mask mandates in states. There will be plenty of time to dissect the failures and incompetence of the Trump administration, and 2021 will be a year when such a woefully inept and erratic man will no longer be at the helm of the US government — good news not just for Americans — but the entire world.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris received a record number of votes in the 2020 election, exceeding 81 million votes and winning over 51% of the popular vote, ultimately garnering 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232. Kamala Harris will also make history as the first woman to be Vice President, as well as the first woman of color to hold the office. There’s many reasons to celebrate the election and feel optimistic about the new year: Americans repudiated Trumpism and its incompetence, those who hold the highest offices are starting to look more like the American electorate, and competent and experienced leadership will provide the guidance needed for the world and for the United States, to navigate a deadly pandemic.
3. New Music
Who doesn’t love new music? Whatever type of music you fancy, be it pop, rock, country, or any of a number of genres, a new year brings new hits and new music. Every year is filled with exciting new bops, some songs becoming so popular as to almost define the mood or tone of the entire year, completely taking over pop culture. Which new songs or artists will dominate in 2021?
4. The “Friends” Reunion
There are two types of people in this world: people who like Friends, and people who are wrong. Predictably on everyone’s “things to look forward to in 2021” list is the Friends reunion movie, which is set to begin filming in March and will air on HBO Max. I’ve always found Friends to be one of those comfort shows that are watchable whether you’re happy, mad, sad, or afraid.
There will be a lot of people wanting to know what Friends has been up to in the alternative TV universe where the show is actually a reality. Did Ross and Rachel stay together? Does Joey live with Monica and Chandler? What has Phoebe been up to? So many pressing questions to ponder and hopefully give us some comfort in the new year. No pressure.
