As with any year, 2021 flew past. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that this was a year of challenges and resilience, with drastic changes that required patience. 

Many might have gone into the year with the hope that COVID-19 would be gone and over with. Effective vaccines were developed to combat it, only for the world to be introduced to new variants of the virus. School is now back to normal, however, a new grading system made the shift even harder for many. With the overall difficult task that is adjusting, the transition did not go so smoothly. 

That being said, a lot has changed for the better, and with 2020 being one of the toughest years that many of us had to face, it was relieving to see things start to look up. This year allowed me to grow and recover from all of the stress and anxiety that the initial wave of COVID-19 brought. After being secluded for so long, I started to become more introverted in the comfort of my own home. Throughout quarantine, I developed more pessimistic views as a result of what was going on in the world, whereas before, I would describe myself as optimistic. When it became safe to see other people, I found myself canceling plans or providing excuses as to why I could not show up. I much preferred staying at home, and honestly feared interacting with other people again. Throughout this year, however, I began to prioritize my mental health and well-being. All that time I spent in my house allowed me to pick up new hobbies, and going out again meant that I could showcase them. One of these included expressing myself through fashion. Being able to see my friends and also just constantly interact with other people at school has really been helpful for my, and many others social and emotional well being. Being able to get the vaccine and safely go out in public relieves many of the nerves I dealt with when COVID-19 first came around. 

I can confidently say that this year has been a blossoming one, and although it felt short, I think it is what we all needed. There has been much to be thankful for in 2021, and I think this shows what there is to look forward to in years to come.