The year 2016 has been a grand rollercoaster ride, packed with ups and just as many (if not more) downs. Some would even say this year, with all its misfortunes and tragedies, has been a perpetual descent toward affirming the notion that our world truly is on fire. People take it to their social media accounts to vent and rant about how 2016 has been the absolute worst. They compile this year's grief into holistic articles published on various news sources to convey to their audiences just how poorly the past 365 days have played out.

Well, I am about to join the modest crowd of people dissecting 2016 in search of the good, the treasurable, the hopeful. Like most, I feel as if this year has seen more tragedy and turbulence than previous years. However, in the face of all the mourning (though well-justified), I also feel it's necessary to reflect on this year's redeeming events that have had a positive and personal impact on me.

So here it goes. My ten highlights of 2016:

1. My best friend returned from Spain where she spent her gap year, showered me with the love of friendship (and many presents) and embarked on a memorable road trip to Savannah, Georgia with me.

(The immensely beautiful Forsyth Park in Savannah, GA)

2. I signed up for Chinese classes at Georgia Tech.

Admittedly, I may have taken those courses to fulfill a language requirement for my major, but I also used the lessons to refine my Mandarin skills. Thank goodness my 10+ years of Chinese schooling did not fail me and provided a solid foundation on which to become more proficient in the language.

3. I had the opportunity to dive into the cultural depths of my hometown, Toronto.

...though at the expense of my parents' time who graciously offered to be our designated "Uber drivers", taking me and my sister from one destination to another. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

(Seen in the Distillery District of downtown Toronto)

Of course, hitting up the local, independent coffee shops is partially how I choose to experience a city's culture. To hell with Starbuck's! Jimmy's Coffee (pictured above) was one of my favorites and had no shortage of "Jimmy" displays: an entire wall rendered a colossal painting of Jimmy Carter while the rest crawled with images of Fallon, Kimmel and Morrison.

4. My cousin gave birth to a beautiful half-Chinese, half-Egyptian baby named Theia.

And I have yet to meet her!

5. I became close with people from all over the world, including South Korea, Singapore and India.

This was a result of my joining Georgia Tech's International House, a residential community made up of 50% full-time students and 50% exchange students.

(Introducing Dawon, an exchange student from South Korea, to Atwood's Pizza near Georgia Tech)

6. I had the time of my life seeing my favorite band in concert. Twice.

(twenty one pilots at Infinite Energy Center in Duluth, GA)

It's worth noting that my first time seeing them at Infinite Energy farrrrr exceeded the second time, which was at Music Midtown where hundreds of other bodies were squished against mine as we all pushed to be in front row. If I had known how tightly spaced the area I was in would be (and that's an understatement), I would have opted to watch them from afar, but as soon as I was in there, no way could I escape that claustrophobia-inducing pit.

7. I completed my first year of college with a GPA I am proud of and lessons I would not have learned without the experiences I had as a freshman at Tech.

One lesson I learned is that opportunities come and go. If you come upon one that even slightly appeals to you, seize it.

(A view of Atlanta from the window of my residence hall's 5th floor lounge)

8. I discovered a new favorite book, TV show and movie.

"A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry, "Stranger Things" and "La La Land", respectively.

(Image Credits: A Fine Balance, Stranger Things, La La Land)

9. For three weeks over the summer, I worked out every single day without fail.

The decision to work on my fitness this past summer challenged both my physical and mental capacities, but it was something I never thought I had enough determination or the right mindset to do.

10. I was lucky to have witnessed some pretty spectacular sights.

(A blanket of clouds and mist floats above Hong Kong's Victoria Peak)

(An elevated view of Shanghai from the Oriental Pearl Tower)

(Tybee Island in the heat of summer)

There were also many good things that happened this year that didn't affect me directly but that I am nevertheless happy about. Don't believe me? Check out these articles:

Here are some good things that happened during the terrible, no good, very bad year of 2016 (LA Times)

Eight Good Things That Happened in 2016 (Yes, Really) (NBC news)

Although their deaths taint the year 2016 with constant reminders of how unfair the world can be, the enduring legacies of Prince, David Bowie, Muhammed Ali and other high-profile individuals will never be forgotten. The month of November brought us the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, discouraging people from wanting to usher in the new year when he will officially become president. The media delivered us unwelcome news from year out to year end with events like the Orlando shooting, Brexit and the recent capture of Aleppo. The list of horrors goes on. ("Horrors" may be too strong of a word if you wanted Britain to remain in the EU.)

Despite the bad and the ugly, I encourage everyone to reflect on the past year in pursuit of the good. Did you discover a new passion this year? Travel to a place you've never been before? Meet someone who has altered your life for the better?

If there is one thing to take away from the year 2016, it is embodied in the following quote by Leonard Cohen (another life that was unfortunately taken this year):

"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in."

Let us all ring in 2017 with this idea in mind.