2021 might have started off rough, but we shouldn't abandon hope
New year, new us, right? That’s what we expected, but so far it seems like just more of the same — the same, endless, bad news cycle that never fails to incite anxiety. It feels like we’ve all been stuck in a timeless vacuum since quarantine started early last year, repeating the same day over and over again.
That’s not completely fair, either. There have been so many changes — albeit most of them being negative — in such a short period of time that it might seem like that’s everything this new year has to offer. From the insurrection at the Capitol to the rising numbers of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, it seems like everything keeps getting worse, and it’s overwhelming.
Just like the start of a new year, the start of the new semester fills you with motivation and optimism. You’re going to be focused this year, you just know it. You spend most of your day on Zoom lectures, organizing your classes, checking Canvas and doing your readings.
But when you finally give yourself a break to check your Twitter or Instagram, there it is: another bad news story, another thing you should worry about. And as much as you want an escape, you can’t find one.
This is nothing new. We’ve been dealing with this destructive cycle since quarantine started. The difference is that at the start of it, we all had hope that it would end soon, that a new year would mean a clean slate.
It’s only been a few weeks since 2021 started, yet it feels like it has been months. The end of former President Donald J. Trump’s presidency marks a historic moment for millions of people.
While the evil is far from being defeated — those same people who supported Trump and stood by him are all still out there, unburdened by consequences — and President Joseph R. Biden Jr. might not have been our first choice, there’s hope for the first time in four years, and that's a win we should be proud of for this year.
That doesn’t mean our fight is over and everything will just go back to normal. Nothing will go back to normal — and it shouldn’t.
It’s not perfect, but is anything ever perfect? If we write things off just because they're not absolutely perfect, we would be left with nothing at all.
This idea of embracing imperfection is something I’m actually currently working on in therapy. My anxiety does this funny thing where it evaluates situations in extremes. If I spot a single flaw, suddenly everything is ruined.
There might be one small thing that annoys me about a person, but it becomes the only thing I can focus on and then I never want to speak to them again. I mess up one thing at work, and the next thing you know, I think I’m going to get fired. A bad thing happens and my first thought is, "I guess I’m just doomed forever."
Maybe you can relate to this. It’s normal during these unprecedented times to experience heightened emotions. And while it’s normal to expect the new year to be a fresh start and a chance to get rid of the baggage from 2020, it's also unrealistic.
Another thing I’m learning to accept is that you can’t appreciate true happiness unless you’ve felt true sadness. I tend to run away from anything "bad," distracting myself in fictional worlds so I don’t have to see what’s happening in our real one. And while this is not a bad thing in itself, too much escapism isn’t healthy either. Ultimately, balance is the key.
2021 is a fresh start in the ways that truly matter: It’s a fresh start to change your perspective, to appreciate small victories, to really prioritize self-care — not just perfecting that skincare routine, but eating three times a day, having a consistent sleep schedule and getting those 8 hours in — and to learn to be compassionate with yourself.
So, should we abandon all hope? Never. Hope’s the only thing we have. We’ve come too far to give up now. The year’s only starting. Sure, it’s not how we imagined it to go so far, but when do things actually turn out the way we think they will anyway?
