It’s no exaggeration to say that 2016 will go down as something of a complete and total trainwreck. From the deaths of way, way too many celebrities, to Brexit, to Trump’s win in the US Election, and not to mention a rise in xenophobia and hate crimes, global conflict and terrorism, this year has fed us a healthy portion of straight up crap. Even Brangelina didn’t make it out alive. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disheartened in the midst of what feels like a world in total chaos, and it’s even easier to feel skeptical about what 2017 is likely to bring, but it’s important to remember that, despite all this, good things are still happening. Even if it definitely, absolutely does not feel like it.
We’re so done with you, 2016, but here are a few things that you didn’t totally destroy.
1. Beyonce released Lemonade:
Beyonce changed the world, once again, by candidly addressing her relationship troubles, unashamedly celebrating blackness, and pushing back against racism and police brutality in her new – and incredible – visual album. She basically made us all want a cheating husband whose car we can smash up while blasting Lemonade as loud as it can possibly go.
Thanks, Bey.
2. Finding Dory was released:
Potentially the most glorious thing to happen to film this year was Destiny the whale shark. She’s the most precious, short-sighted, animated creature to grace humankind and her friendship with Dory was nothing short of perfection. Finding Dory was definitely one of the greatest things that happened in 2016, and Destiny was the best bit.
3. The global population of tigers is increasing for the first time in 100 years:
Tigers, a.k.a giant, fluffy, murder kittens, are finally seeing their numbers rise for the first time in a century thanks to a population increase in India, Russia, Nepal and Bhutan. There’s still plenty of work to be done, obviously, but this is a huge step in the right direction. Hopefully soon we’ll see similar success in countries where poaching and deforestation are still threatening the tiger population, and the WWF’s goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022 is a target significantly more in sight now.
4. Ramsay Bolton died in Game of Thrones:
It was a long time coming, but justice was *finally* served for the most repulsive character of all time. See you never, Ramsay.
Let’s not talk about anything else that happened this season, agreed?
5. A plane flew around the world without any fuel:
A plane powered exclusively by solar energy successfully completed a flight around the world in July. This is a massive breakthrough, and is hopefully one significant step closer to a future where we can focus more on renewable and sustainable alternatives to reduce carbon emissions.
6. Larry didn’t get kicked out of Number 10:
With all the political turmoil in Downing Street this year, there has been one constant, and that’s Larry. Passed into the care of Theresa May following David Cameron’s resignation, Larry has seen two new cats enter his territory in 2016 – Palmerston, belonging to the Foreign Office, and Gladstone, to the Treasury. His continual brawls with Palmerston are potentially more savage than any other kind of conflict that happens in Parliament.
Never leave us, Larry.
7. Pokemon Go took over our lives:
We never, ever thought we’d willingly say the phrase, “I need to find a gym” until we started playing Pokemon Go.
It increased our chances of getting hit by a car by, like, a significant amount, but it definitely entertained us all summer. Even if there were way, way too many Weedles around.
8. Stranger Things premiered on Netflix:
Creepy and thrilling and addictive, Stranger Things is everything that we want in a TV show and it definitely delivered. With fantastic, complex characters, including some of the most adorable ‘lil nerds to ever exist on TV, this show was an overnight phenomenon and is definitely one of the best things produced this year. You did good, Netflix.
Not only that, but Stranger Things introduced the groundbreaking, and extremely convincing, fan theory that the character of Steve is actually the father of Parks and Recreation‘s Jean-Ralphio. It’s basically canon.
9. It’s nearly over!
December is upon us, and there’s only one month left of this disaster of a year. We can make it through, folks.