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Reflecting On 2016

Looking back can help move us forward

Samantha Baker

Jan 03, 2017

Colorado State University-Pueblo

FreeWebPoint

A new year means new opportunities. New opportunities in love, in work, and in relationships. This also means that the new year is full of missteps and mistakes because not every step we take is the right one. Many may want to leave everything that happened in 2016 there, but history is important.

Without history we would not exist. We would not be who we are today. Whether you like who you are now or you plan on making changes, you wouldn't have anything to work with if you didn't remember your history.

This is why I propose reflecting back on 2016 in such a way that will make 2017 better. Remember the good and the bad in a neutral way that will allow you to learn from what you did. What is past is gone, nothing can be changed, but looking back can help us from making the same mistakes in the future.

Remember when...

January 2016: Iran Nuclear Deal went into effect, Taiwan elected its first female president

February 2016: Super Bowl 50, #OscarsSoWhite

March 2016: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton pulled ahead in presidential race, former first lady Nancy Reagan died

April 2016: Obama moves more troops to Syria to fight ISIS, airstrike killed 50 people in Aleppo, Syria hospital

May 2016: EgyptAir flight MS804 went missing over the Mediterranean

June 2016: Orlando club shooting killed 49 people, Olympic athletes bow out due to zika virus in Rio

July 2016: Pokemon Go is launched, Dallas shooting killed 5 police officers

August 2016: Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Brazil female president is impeached

September 2016: U.S. and Russia have Syria cease-fire, Government recalls Samsung Note 7

October 2016: 141 people arrested at Dakota Access Pipeline, Cubs win World Series

November 2016: Donald Trump wins the presidential election, Ohio State sees someone crash car and begin attacking individuals with a butcher knife

December 2016: Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher died

All of this happened in the world around you. Some of it directly affected you while others were just something in the news. History is being made every day. So take some time to reflect on your history. You might learn something about yourself or others, and that something just might make 2017 the best year yet.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Reflecting On 2016

Looking back can help move us forward

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#Adulting is hard.

1. Taking care of yourself when you're sick

2. Making a to-do list

3. Planning your activities around the weather

4. Scheduling your own doctor’s appointments

5. Getting your own toilet paper

6. Making food without needing to ask your mom questions

7. Holding your tongue

8. Saving your paycheck (or your tax refund) to pay your bills

9. Balancing your checkbook

10. Going places alone

11. Packing your own lunches

12. Actually eating your vegetables...on purpose

13. Taking a multivitamin

14. Planning a life after graduation

Sometimes bigger isn't always better.

1. If something happens, everyone knows about it

2. Never getting to be invisible

3. Knowing every single thing about every single person in the town

4. New kids are a big deal

5. It’s hard to make new friends

6. On that note ... the dating pool is even smaller!

7. Teachers are weirdly close to their students

8. It forced you to make friends out of school

"I'm hopeless and awkward and desperate for love"

1. That Time He Tested Out His Flirting Skills and This Happened

2. When He Was Willing to Do Anything to Avoid Confrontation

3. When He Couldn't Handle Awkward, Emotional Situations

4. How He Reacted Whenever His Friends Ignored Him

5. All of the Times He Worried About His Failing Love Life

6. Whenever He Tried to Whip Himself Into Shape

7. How He Handled New People and New Experiences

8. Whenever His Friends Got Annoying, He Was Always the Voice of Reason

9. He Always Knew How to Jam

10. He Finds a Way to Make Any Situation More Fun

No, I can't help you.

1. When a customer wants to return a product, hands you the receipt, where is printed "ALL SALES ARE FINAL" in all caps.

2. Just because you might be having a bad day, and you're in a crappy mood, doesn't make it okay for you to yell at me or be rude to me. I'm a person with feelings, just like you.

3. People refusing to be put on hold when a customer is standing right in front of you. Oh, how I wish I could just hang up on you!

4. Having the same conversations over and over again! To be honest I really don't even want to talk to you right now, or have this fake ass smile on my face!

5. Always having to have a smile on your face. I promise I'm not as happy as I may look!

6. Customers not understanding that sometimes, mistakes happen. I am a human being, we all mess up sometimes!

7. Having the boss from hell, it's their way or the highway! Even though I did my job correctly and efficiently, if I don't do it the exact way you do, I'm a piece of shit.

8. Having coworker who don't help out, who bend the rules just enough to screw you over.

9. Having to be at work after closing because a customer is taking forever and half! Not like I'd like to go home or anything!

10. Having shitty hours and more shifts than you asked for. Just because we don't have enough workers, doesn't mean I want to pick up every shift that you cant cover, oh great boss of mine!

11. Not having time for a social life. It gets old saying, "I can't I have work..." Every day of the week!

12. Having that lazy costumer who can't do anything for themselves... no please I'll get that, it's no problem at all!

It's just my face, I swear.

1. When you meet new people, they automatically assume you hate them or are rude.

2. People are constantly asking you if you're OK.

3. After being friends with someone for a while, they confess to you, "I thought you were so mean when I first met you," or, "I thought you hated me."

4. You get told to smile more, but they don't understand how scary that would be.

5. You're always labeled as seeming "judgy."

6. Passing a friend with your RBF in full force and not realizing you just shot them a death glare.

7. Being sarcastic, but everyone thinks you're outright rude.

8. Not knowing how mean you really look until you see a picture of yourself in resting face.

9. Your apologies never sound sincere because of your emotionless face.

10. Your "mad face" scares you.

11. And, lastly, people are constantly asking you if you are happy or having a good time because you look bored to death.

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