The majority of us can agree that 2016 has been a rough year. Between the U.S. presidential election and violent and tragic accidents and shootings, people are feeling hopeless. The internet is full of memes about just how bad this year has been and with each new and horrifying news story there isn't much surprise. However, I believe that some good things have still come out of 2016. It's easy when it seems like our country and world are falling apart to give up hope, but we can't forget about all of the positives that we still have.
1. Great Music
This year we were blessed with Beyonce's Lemonade, Drake's Views, Chance's Coloring Book, Kanye's Life of Pablo, JoJo's Mad Love, and Lady Gaga's Joanne just to name a few. The music we got this year was honest and it was relevant. The artists gave us a new sound that we haven't heard and there was less of the gimmicky radio music that we've grown accustomed to. Feminist ideas were embraced and different cultures were too. The music this year worked as a reaction against the craziness that has been going on all around us.
2. Finding Dory
WE WAITED 13 YEARS FOR THIS, GUYS! I know that some people were disappointed in the movie, but we got some great and adorable images from it. We also finally got to learn more about Dory's past. Any new Pixar movie is a positive because they're so well made and beautiful to watch. The film was very necessary this year to encourage us to "just keep swimming" through the struggles of 2016.
3. New Harry Potter Things
Although we lost Alan Rickman this year, 2016 has been good to Harry Potter fans. J.K. Rowling released a new book in the Harry Potter realm, The Cursed Child, and the new film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is going to be released soon. Potter- heads are finally beginning to have some of their questions from the original series answered.
4. Leonardo DiCaprio won an Oscar
Most of us folks here on the internet were not sure if this was ever going to happen. He is one of the most iconic actors of our time, but due to poor timing of roles and general bad luck he had not managed to clutch an Oscar before this year. Although The Revenant was not one of his strongest roles, he deserved the award for the sheer fact that he laid inside a dead horse and drug himself on the ground for the majority of the film. Now DiCaprio can get back to what he's really good at; hiding from the paparazzi.
5. The Olympics
So the 2016 Summer Olympics weren't without some shenanigans, but overall this was a large positive that happened this year. The American-built robot, Michael Phelps, had a very successful year in what was likely his final Olympics. The U.S. gymnastics team dominated and became international sensations. Oh, and Katie Ledecky swam so much faster than her competition in the 800m Free that they weren't even in the same television frame as her. The 2016 summer Olympics were reassuring for Americans that at least we could get something right this year.
6. President Obama Visited Cuba
For some people, this may not be seen as a positive, but after a long period of hostile relations between Cuba and the U.S., things are starting to change. 2016 has also seen some lifting of rules in the travel ban to Cuba. Also more recently they have made moves towards ending the embargo placed on Cuba. More good news for the U.S. and how we are perceived internationally!
7. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively Had Another Child
Two of the most beautiful people alive have graced us all with another offspring. This is great because they also are amazing people inside and out and we could use more people like that in our world. Also pregnant Blake Lively is more stylish and gorgeous than any of us deserve. So, in a year where we can hardly turn on the television without seeing an orange angry face, this was a necessary addition.
8. THE MEMES
Guys, it was a fantastic year for memes. We had "Damn, Daniel," "Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer," "Crying Jordan Face," "Spongegar," "Water Bottle Flipping," and of course Harambe. Memes have become our way of dealing with the issues we have faced this year and I'm not mad about it at all. Keep on meme-ing, my friends.
9. SNL Election Coverage
This is really one of the few good things that have come out of the election, but it's been great. "Saturday Night Live" brought back Alec Baldwin specifically to play Donald Trump and he is killing it as Kate McKinnon has continued her flawless Hillary Clinton. It's been a pretty easy election season for the SNL writers, too as they haven't had to actually write much new material to be said in their bits. They've been able to take things almost word for word. This isn't SNL's first rodeo when it comes to elections, but it's definitely been a weird one.
10. Hamilton
Not many of us have been lucky enough to get tickets to see the actual show, but still, the nation is in love with Hamilton. The broadway musical puts a modern twist on a historical tale and the result is really incredible. Not only did we get the musical this year, but we've also gotten to know Lin-Manuel Miranda. Hopefully, this is what 2016 will be known for many years from now and not the election of a billionaire demagogue.
11. The Cubs Won the World Series
Whether or not your a Cubs fan or a sports fan this was an awe-inspiring moment in history. After not winning a world series for over a century, the Cubs finally reclaimed it. It shows us all to never give up and never stop trying no matter how bleak things may seem. It's the lesson we can all take out of 2016, to never get too down even when the world seems like it may be ending.
