As the 2016 comes to a close and 2017 begins, it's time to reflect on what a tumultuous and fascinating year 2016 has been for all of us. For almost everyone, this year has been full of ups and downs to some extent, and some of those lows may be a lot higher than the greatest highs. This year has also been one of bittersweet endings and exciting new beginnings. In my own life, I've ended my high school career in a small town and started my college career at a huge campus. I've had to say goodbye to a lot of my high school friends, but I've said hello to a lot of new wonderful friends once I started college. So in terms of academics, my year has definitely been notable for the experience of many milestones.

I've learned in 2016 that you actually have very little control over what happens in the world around you, so it's always best to just go with the flow and be appreciative of what you have, as well as ready to experience anything. This past year, the world has experienced so much drama and heartbreak that many of us are celebrating that this year is finally coming to a close. However, we will feel the residual effects from this year for many years to come, and must be ready for anything that could be thrown at us. We must all put on a brave face and be ready for whatever could be coming our way, because after everything 2016 has thrown at us, who knows what 2017 could have in store?

2016 has taught me that everyone has an opinion, especially one that is political, and you're not always going to agree with it. In fact, you're more likely not to agree with it. However, throwing relationships away over political opinions is no way to live life. We must all accept our differences in opinion, even between family members and close friends, and understand that there are some things people feel strongly about one way or another, and we must be respectful of that. Our country allows us to have a very vocal engagement in regards to politics, so we must not take this for granted. Instead, let us learn from one another and see where we can compromise.

Finally, 2016 has taught me that above all, love is one of the most valuable things that we can have. Love and simple acts of kindness are free, and after such a heartbreaking and traumatic year filled with so much hate, we all deserve to love each other a little more. I've always loved Ellen DeGeneres's closing line "Be kind to one another", and this year has shown me that kindness needs to become more of an everyday occurrence, rather than an occasional surprise. Google's Year in Search 2016 is an extremely powerful video to check out to recap the year, and reminds us all that through all of the terror and divide, love is what can pull us through and probably will make you cry. I hope that you're all ready to close the book of 2016 and see what adventures 2017 has ready.