Look, I know 2020 has been a hard year. It feels like both the longest year and the shortest year of our lives. And let’s be honest, we all knew that when Harry Styles didn’t tweet “It’s 2020.” that things weren’t looking too good for us. Still, I refuse to believe that 2020 is a cursed year, or that there are no positive takeaways. Instead, I’d like to think that there is still so much to be grateful for amidst all of the hardship we have faced collectively. Thus, I present to you 20 things I think we can all be grateful for in 2020!
- Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 election
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I’m coming in hot at No. 1 because I think we can all agree that this is by far the best thing to happen in 2020. This election was a reminder that love still exists in the world and that despite the many ways our country has been set back, we can finally move forward towards nationwide healing and unity.
- New perspective
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Quarantine allowed us time to think and to reflect, to realize what we took for granted or identify the things we’d like to change.
- Essential workers
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Not all heroes wear capes, and we’ve seen this in the millions of people whose brave work kept our country together in a time when it felt like things were falling apart.
- Quarantine album releases
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I’m looking at you, Folklore.
- Family time
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Some may say they weren’t so thankful for this after day 60 in quarantine, but this abnormal extra time we all suddenly had to spend with our families was important. I think 2020 helped us recenter what really matters and what areas of our life we might have been neglecting.
- The Obamas
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Speaking of families, we can always be thankful for this one. Michelle Obama’s documentary Becoming and her new podcast were amazing gifts. Plus, Barack Obama just released his new memoir, A Promised Land.
- Technology
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Seriously. It’s scary to think about what we would have done this year without it. Thanks to virtual calling apps like Zoom, online streaming services like Netflix, and social media apps like TikTok, we had lots to do. We were able to continue classes, to see friends and family from afar, to stay occupied with shows like Love Is Blind and plays like Hamilton, and to get endless ideas for games and crafts to do in the comfort of our homes.
- Tie-dye
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Speaking of crafts, let’s all take a minute to thank the tie-dye trend for making a full-on comeback this year. It’s fun, nostalgic, and a great craft to pass the time. Plus, it really adds a nice flare to all those boring sweats we’ve been living in.
- Harry Styles
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Again, someone to always be thankful for, even if he might have doomed us. Harry’s massive hits like “Watermelon Sugar” and “Golden” are reasons in themselves to celebrate. Also, Harry broke boundaries this year as American Vogue’s first man to appear solo on the cover.
- Take-out
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God only knows what we’d be without the ability to order food and eat it at home. Starving. That’s what we’d be.
- That one video of Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello walking really slowly on the sidewalk
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Yeah, you know the one. It’s hilarious. I have lots of questions. That’s all.
- Drive-in movie theaters
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If you’re anything like me, not being able to go to the movies during quarantine was heartbreaking. Luckily, a tradition we kept from the 50s that is still politically correct is going to see films in your car. It’s safe, wholesome, and Instagrammable. What more could you want?
- Time to try new things
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Or to focus on passions we don’t usually have the time to explore!
- Nature
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One great thing about being quarantined was that I came to appreciate the outdoors and the sunshine a lot more than I used to. I took lots of walks, went on bike rides, and kayaked. It was great to see all of the ways we took for granted the beautiful weather this year.
- The fly that landed on Pence’s head during the debate
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Enough said.
- Face masks
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The protective kind and the skin-care kind. Both are important ways to show you care.
- Stacey Abrams
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Founder of Fair Fight Action, Abrams has championed voting rights in the state of Georgia over the past few years and is a major reason that Georgia became a critical swing state in the 2020 election.
- Science
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Because it exists… and is helpful if we decide to believe in it. Special shoutout to Dr. Anthony Fauci for keeping it real.
- Health
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This seems obvious, but honestly, if there’s anything we’ve learned to be grateful for in 2020, it’s this. Health is not a luxury many Americans had this year. And while we all faced various unthinkable trials in the wake of this pandemic, it’s important to keep things in perspective.
- Growth
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Finally, I believe that all of the hardships we have faced this year are leading us to be better. Our eyes have been opened to the health disparities, environmental crises, and racial injustices that have plagued our nation before and during this pandemic. 2020 has been a year of extreme loss, but it doesn’t have to be for nothing. If we acknowledge our faults, we can strive to do better. After all, that’s what growth is all about.
So, thank you, 2020, for showing us that a lot needs to change — for showing us that sometimes the things that matter most can be found right here in our own homes. Happy Thanksgiving!