With 2017 coming to a close, it is always nice to reflect on the past year.

Through the good, the bad, and the ugly you changed and grew just like everyone else. Some years are better than others, and this article is for those who had a rough one. That is, the year 2017.

Now I know what you expect me to say: that 2018 will be better, that things will change, and that it can't get any worse than this. In all honesty, I cannot tell you this. I wish I could see into the future and tell you whether or not you will stop crying yourself to sleep or that you will get that 4.0 in that one class, but it is not up to me to make that prediction nor to make that happen. The only thing that I can say to you is that you have the choice to make this year either the worst or the best one yet. Making mistakes, makes you wiser and losing people that you thought you couldn't live without, makes you stronger. Failing a class, believe it or not, makes you smarter.

See, you learn from the unfortunate events that happen in your life. You can either let them ruin your entire life or you can choose to make them into something way better.

Choosing to make your next year better can be a hard task to achieve. But it can be done. Begin by writing down at least three things that have made 2017 a bad year. Once you have at least three things down, look into the causes of each of them. Some, you may find, were outside of your control.

For instance, someone close to you passes away from natural causes, that is not your fault but sadly a part of life. You may start to feel some regret over the things you have no control over. What can you do about this? Not only do you need to tell yourself it is not your fault, you have to somehow believe that it is not your fault. Write down the problem — if there is not a cause, write down ways to help you cope.

If this is something you cannot figure out alone, reach out to an adviser or counselor. They will be able to give you resources on how to cope with these issues and help you start your journey of healing.

One of the last things I would like to cover is to spend New Year's Eve and day however you want. If spending the day inside and having a glass of wine with your mama is your cup of tea, then do that. If it is partying with a couple girlfriends then going home at 3 AM to binge-watch The Office, do it. This is your life and it is too short to let one dreadful year ruin the next.

Have a happy new year!