To the Upcoming Year of 2017,

I'm excited for your arrival. I know the whole "new year, new me" is repetitive and generic, but it is the truth. 2016 has been surreal (in which its synonyms consist of "bizarre" and weird"); even Merriam-Webster said so.

For me personally, I want the benefits of 2016 to roll over while the challenges can roll away. I hope that I will continue to pass classes, receive working opportunities, lose weight, and have good relationships with my family and friends. In a nutshell, more good days than bad days would be ideal.

From the United States of America, thank you for not being an election year. While I realize that it is important to be informed, I felt like the only information I would get some days would be within the political realm. It's overwhelming negative since about half of Americans "wins" while the other half "loses" every four years. Everyone has different opinions on who should lead our nation and in what fashion. Since Donald Trump won, I hope he can make America's economy and policies great, make all citizens feel welcome, and address various concerns and issues facing our country. If Hillary Clinton had won, my hopes would have been the exact same.

However, I also hope for little changes to occur within our country as well. Can more people start utilizing their car blinkers? Can Chick-fil-A open on Sundays? Can there be therapy dogs on college campuses 24/7? Can celebrities not be taken from this earth in droves? This would make many Americans happy. I realize you can't please everyone, though, so I will keep telling myself to have "serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Sincerely,

Olivia Heinen