Crazy would be an understatement when describing 2016. It was the year of many deaths, unbelievable moments, and was overall a very unexpected turnout. On top of it all, our generation experienced the seemingly never-ending sorrow of a dead animal, and everything seems to be getting weirder by the minute. Maybe that's another reason why "Stranger Things" was so popular this year – because we feel like we're living a life of strange things.
Starting with the best things that happened in 2016, and then the worst below is a list of all the things to remember 2016 by. Although not all of them may seem worth remembering, this was still a powerful year that should at least try to be appreciated.
The Best Of 2016:
Pokemon Go
Although Pokemon Go caused some of the most ridiculous car accidents, and some controversies here and there, it was a global enjoyment that unexpectedly brought a lot of people together. This was the only game everyone related to and wasn't afraid to admit playing. Even though it died down towards the end of the year, Pokemon Go will always have a lot of funny, enjoyable, and great memories. It was also a fun way for 90s kids to get back into one of the many rememberable features of that time. Lastly, Pokemon Go helped take our minds off what was a strange time, with one of the hottest summers ever, and the election bombarding us. Even though it got out of hand sometimes, it was a much needed distraction.
Netflix is Now Available to Stream Offline
As if the excitement around Netflix couldn't get any better, shows can now be downloaded so users can watch it offline. Not every show can be watched yet, but even just being able to watch a few shows at the moment offline is something no one thought would ever happen. People might not sleep ever again, but this is definitely a great addition alongside all the forthcoming shows in 2017.
Potentially Habitable Planets Found
Science has really come far this year, as possibly other Earth-like planets have been found. Multiple other Earth-like planets have been discovered this year, and could serve as new hope for the future of our civilization. Although the planets do not mean immediate new transfers for us, it's a groundbreaking discovery that could pave the way to future space travel.
The Worst of 2016
Too Many Talented Losses
2016, unfortunately, felt like taking a ton of people, starting with Alan Rickman, and recently taking John Glen. At one point, there had been so many deaths it may have started to not even become as unexpected if we were on social media and saw that yet another celebrity died. The list of all those to be remembered is found here, and we can only hope that 2017 will be easier on all of us.
Harambe
Besides the already-tragic fact that a boy almost got killed, and an innocent gorilla did get killed from a zoo incident, Harambe really brought out a lot of strange traits in our generation, and one of them is that we care more about a dead gorilla than a child almost getting killed, but for sole reasons of entertainment. It says a lot about our generation that the loss of an ordinary zoo gorilla sparked more mourning than almost all of the celebrity deaths combined. Who would have guessed that our society would become so infatuated with a dead gorilla for half a year, and still carry it on so much that merchandise is now found with Harambe's face on it. Harambe may have been funny to some, but it shows the ignorant and bored side of us. Think about it: we were more upset about a gorilla than Alan Rickman, who most of us have been inspired by since our childhood.
The 2016 Election
Words can't quite describe all the anger, confusion, and astonishment that the election has sparked. But we are in for possibly the weirdest next few years in American than ever. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do now, but it will most likely have a negative impact on climate change, as scientists worry that Trump could destroy many efforts made to combat climate change over the years. Additionally, critics worry that Trump could get rid of important Government data, and leaders Worldwide are concerned for our whole country. However, Trump shouldn't be worried about too much, and nothing is certain, but we should all adjust to this outcome of 2016 and accept what we could face.
Standing Rock
Standing Rock will go down in history as one of the most powerful protests that worked, but it sadly made thousands of innocent people suffer. Standing Rock really brought out how corrupt many businesses in this country are, and how police take cruelty and unjust measures to another level. Standing Rock was ultimately a battle against human rights and government corporations. Although the protestors won and showed how important it is to stand up for what you believe in, the overall event was unfair beyond reason, and how it's all gone into peril again. Recently, 100,000 gallons of crude oil leaked into one of the creeks near Standing Rock, the very thing the Native Americans worried about, and now people have been attempting to clean up the oil for a week. Hopefully Standing Rock will never have to face any issues ever again, because after everything they've done, and how unfairly they were treated throughout history, they shouldn't have to deal any of these complicated situations.
Syria Faces Horror Nearing Christmas
Recently, Syrian civilians face their second day of evacuating from Aleppo, and the UN says there's still 50,000 people trapped. Thousands of women and children have been injured or killed. What makes the whole situation even worse is that almost no one seems to recognize the situation. While Paris got thousands of 'PrayforParis' hashtags after it's horrible situation, Syria has gotten little to none. It's times like these though where we should remember how thankful we should be, but this is still one of the saddest major events around this time that no one should have to experience during the Holidays.
Although this has been a year many losses, perils, and panic, there are some good things to make out of it. We shouldn't be so negative about a year that's out of our control. Out of the hardships in 2016, came a new rise of strength and adjusting to unexpected circumstances. 2017 will determine how strong we are, and I hope we can all be ready for what other challenges lay ahead of us in the future.
