Wow. 2017. What a year. What a beautiful, disgusting mess of a year. Around this time of year we start reflecting on everything that’s happened and where we want the next year to head, and boy is there a ton to reflect on.

There’s no getting around it, this was a year largely influenced by the new Trump administration. In some way, shape, or form Trump has been involved or has shed his opinion on each of the events of this year. From the very beginning we knew this was going to be a vitriolic presidency. To what extent it would be shown, I’m not exactly sure we could have predicted. From the outset, this administration attempted to ban an entire area of the world based on their faith, covered up by claiming it was about terrorism when no terrorist had ever come from those countries to America. Many claim these moves only make matters worse and give ISIS fighters a message to sway others to their cause. Later on, Trump announced his plan to not allow transgender military service members in the military for reasons that proved to be not very solid. And of course no one can forget the riots in Charlottesville when the President of the United States declared that both sides were equally bad when comparing Nazis and counter protestors despite the fact that a counter protestor was murdered when a vehicle purposefully drove onto the sidewalk to harm those speaking out against white nationalism and Nazism.

The administration has also shown it has no regard for scientific knowledge and the very idea of what a “fact” is has largely been muddied by his rhetoric. The new head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt has shown time and time again that he is the opposite of what his post should be. His linked in account even states that he is “a leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda.” America has decided to pull out of the Paris Climate agreement, making us the only country in the world to not be participating. The EPA has pulled climate science data from their website and now the CDC has been given a list of terms from the Trump administration that it is banned from using in clusing phrases like “science-based” or evidence-based.”

Meanwhile, natural disasters have continued to worsen. Forest fires have turned many parts of California into barren ash and an abnormal amount of harmful hurricanes have run up the east coast and the Caribbean. Puerto Rico is still trying to recover from the hurricanes as Trump sits from the white house telling them that the U.S. can’t help with clean up for long and denying that the process there is going badly – despite the fact that a majority of Puerto Ricans still are living without electricity.

Terrorist attacks – domestic and abroad – have kept their spotlight in the headlines. The mass shootings occurring in Las Vegas and during a church service in Texas have only been highlights out of the many other shooting that didn’t make the national news. Despite the cries for something to be done, congressmen in Washington continue to lift restrictions on firearms in the United States.

We continue to keep North Korea in the back of our minds at all times due to their continuing work on weapons of mass destruction. Not much help from our president, only stoking the fire by calling the dictator names over the internet as if he were some middle school cyber bully.

And then of course there was net neutrality that was just voted to be taken away by members of the FCC. There is hope in 2018 that this may not come to pass.

And that is an important thing to remember. Although the year may have seemed as if it were one of the worst, it’s important to remember the good as well. A lot of it actually seemed to be related to the entertainment industry. Superhero movies such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, and Wonder Woman performed extraordinarily well and inspired millions. The #metoo movement started after allegations of Harvey Weinstein and has continued to make a difference each day with new allegations coming to light by women who have been given the courage by this movement to come forward with their stories. NFL players made a political stance on the fields by protesting the national anthem to raise awareness for crimes against men and women of color despite blowback from opposition misconstruing their message.

Marches were set earlier this year to protest what has been threatened by the new administration. The march for women drew millions to advocate for women’s rights and the awareness for sexual violence and harassment. The march for science – which I actually participated in – was created to call attention to the administrations attempts to silence and discredit facts already known to the scientific community and to have scientists stand in solidarity to say they will not be silenced.

Relating to science, this year also saw the first gene therapy for a Leukemia treatment. The treatment modifies existing cells to specifically attack the leukemia cells. Gene treatment can potentially cure Leukemia.

And of course there was the great American solar eclipse that made all of us sit down and stare in wonder at the amazing might of nature – provided you were able to snag a pair of glasses before they all sold out.

2017 had ups and many downs. But each New Year has the chance to become something better. Although I am sure we will be witnessing yet another year of monumental events – good and bad – Let’s all do ourselves a favor and try to make it the best we can with what we’re given. Fight for what’s right and never be complicit. Do good for others. Make the world a better place.