It's that time of year again, where people look back on the last year and make vows for the new year. Looking back on it, 2016 was a rough year for everyone. We had a bitter presidential election (the bitterness continues), the war in Syria is getting worse, and Harambe died. There wasn't any significant worldwide news to redeem 2016, but I had personal events that made this an overall pretty good year.

For starters, I got married. That alone makes 2016 worth it for me. I also made so many new friends. True friends, not the fake kind I had in high school. I discovered my career path, and am officially one semester away from my Associate's of Health Science. A pretty big year for me thus far. I would dare say, the biggest year.

But like everyone, I still strive for better things. What's the point of life if we are always stationary? So in 2017, I have a few goals that I would like to achieve. The first being to eat healthier. I know, that's everyone's resolution, but I have better reasons than everyone else. I took nutrition this semester, and have been scared into eating healthier. Trust me, if I wasn't terrified of Cardiovascular Diseases, I would most certainly continue my current eating habits. I would also like to read more. I have set a goal of reading 50 books this year, and while that may not happen, I like to be ambitious. Better to be ambitious than to underestimate yourself. I want to graduate this semester, which is going to happen as long as nothing insane happens to me. I want to become a CNA this summer in order to further my education. To become a nurse through Jonesboro you either have to be a CNA or an LPN, and the CNA path was cheaper.

I have some goals that are more personal. This year I want to open my mind more and learn to listen and think before I speak. Anyone who knows me knows that I talk way too much for my own good. I hope to better communicate with the people around me because I have seen what lack of communication has brought this nation to. I would also like to become more confident in my intelligence and try harder in school. I want to finish this semester with a 4.0, something I haven't done since my first semester. Though grades mean nothing to some people, my knowledge means everything to me. That is the one thing no one can take away from me.

I wish everyone a happy end to 2016 and an amazing start to 2017. May you reach all your goals, and better yourselves. Just remember, if you fall down all you have to do is get back up.