2016 has had its ups and downs. There have unfortunately been times of great sadness, but there have also been many moments for people to get excited about and celebrate.

1. It Was A Great Year For Movies

The box office exploded with the release of countless thrilling movies this year. Disney and Pixar fans were pleased with the releases of Moana and Finding Dory, Harry Potter and Star Wars fans were excited about the expansion of their fandoms with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Rogue One, and Marvel fans rejoiced with the releases of Deadpool and Captain America Civil War.

2. The Chicago Cubs Won The World Series

After 108 years of waiting the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series. Sports fans across the country, but especially in Chicago, watched this historic moment and rightfully celebrated the fantastic win.

3. The 2016 Presidential Election Is Over

Regardless of how you feel about the results of the election, nearly everyone can agree that they are glad that this election cycle is over. Quite possibly the only good thing to come from this election are the SNL skits mocking the debates.

4. Increased Number Of Pandas and Tigers

Tigers and pandas have long been on the endangered animals list, but in 2016 the World Wildlife Fund reported that the number of these animals has increased.

5. Leonardo DiCaprio Finally Won An Oscar

Before 2016, Leonardo DiCaprio had been nominated for 5 Oscars and lost each nomination. When the actor finally won in 2016 for his role in The Revenant, fans everywhere cheered on DiCaprio and congratulated him on social media.

6. ALS Gene Has Been Found

While many people thought that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was just a silly social media trend, the funds contributed by this phenomenon have led to the discovery of the gene responsible for ALS, bringing scientist closer to an effective treatment for the disease.

7. The 2016 Summer Olympics

Team USA dominated the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. With 121 total medals for the U.S., names like Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles, and Michael Phelps, helped contribute numerous gold medals to this number.

As we look back on this year we may see a lot of bad things, but its important to recognize the good 2016 has brought about.