2020: the year when nothing happened
I cannot believe I’m writing my annual wrap up reflection piece already. To be honest, it doesn’t feel like a whole year has passed. It feels like it was only yesterday that I came back to Ateneo for my second semester (even that felt incomplete, rushed, like until now I still haven’t made peace to that particular time yet). It would already have been 1 year since then on the 26th, I think.
Lots and lots of realizations in the year of our Lord 2020. It’s ironic because 2019 was probably one of the best years of my life and the 360 degrees turn of that for its proceeding year caught me in a whiplash.
February was amazing albeit the looming threat of the virus, I was having fun with my classes. I love all my professors, I had a routine, I was rewarding myself with NCT content every day, I would go out after class to eat merienda with a few friends I made in my block (now former block, lol) and the highlight of my year also happened at the very last day of February, attending NCT Dream’s Concert with my friend Hannah. I promised myself that when I finally go to college, I would attend all the concerts, events, conventions I wasn’t able to go to when I was stuck in the province. I thought the concert was gonna be the start of it but hail corona which struck not even a week after.
March, May, June, July, and August. I do not remember what the fuck I did during these times, or if I even did anything besides sleeping, eating, and trying to keep my shit together. Don’t get me wrong I love going home. I was homesick for the majority of my first semester in university but living in this house 24/7 needs a lot of mental strength which I was slowly losing as days go by. I have Hospital Playlist, and NCT to thank as they kept me distracted. I also was able to finish You’re The Worst which has now become my favorite TV Show of all time after starting that in 2015? 2016? Man, time is stupid. My sister and I also finally bid farewell to Girl Meets World. In hindsight, I watched a shit ton of things during these times. The end.
I finally shifted out of Health Science (thank fuck). I’m thankful that I’m out of that department even though the process of shifting was arduous. One thing I learned during the first year of uni was the importance of a healthy learning environment and community as well as actually doing what you love. Despite what other people might think, no matter how hard it is to ignore their daunting voice in your head, it is of utmost importance to do what you love. I know it’s hard, especially in a society and the current Philippines that we live in but you don’t wake up every morning just to feel like a lifeless android obeying, moving, and processing. There should be love, passion, and color to your everyday. I am still in the processing of finally achieving this. I hope if you are reading this, it would become a goal of yours as well.
The first semester of sophomore year kicked my ass. I knew from the very beginning that online school would become a huge challenge. Grades are out and I’m thankful that they are good but I know I could do better (I was .03, not 3, not .3 but .03 away from First Honors, fuck you, Theo). Let’s wish for a better 2021 because if you haven’t noticed a theme: 2020 sucks ass.
One of the silver linings of 2020, on the other hand, was the donation drive we did here in Minalin. I never imagined that the people here would trust us in such a huge project and the fact that I saw how generous and helpful these people made me realize how the Philippines could be such a better country if only our government wasn’t infested with greed, arrogance, and nonchalance.
My hope for 2021 is high. I mean what else is there to do but hope? If we stop hoping, we are destined for damnation. To have faith is to seek change and betterment. I hope 2020 was able to teach us the values we ignored before. There are so much good and potential in ourselves and in the world that we have yet to hone. I hope that 2021 finally becomes a year when are our aspirations become beautiful realities.
Big thanks to my friends, my family, NCT, and Mark Lee for inspiring me every day and for giving me something to look forward to every morning.
2021 let’s get it !!!!!!!
