For most, 2016 was the year to forget, with multiple notable occurrences that shattered America’s confidence and led to an overall bleak outlook. Notably, Harambe was killed, David Bowie, Gene Wilder, Arnold Palmer, Prince, George Michael, Carrie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds died, and the election went horribly wrong for half of the country.

“It wasn’t the best, but it could have been better.” said Senior Grace Price.

The unfortunate events of last year might make some pessimistic about the future of America and the unpromising culture that leaked into 2016, but we should instead be optimistic. 2017 is a new year and whatever happened in the past should stay there. Without being too cliché, I urge you to leave your negative attitudes in 2016 and stay hopeful for this year.

In actuality, many good things happened in the year-who-must-not-be-named; Leonardo DiCaprio finally won the Oscar he had been dreaming about for most of his career, drug lord “El Chapo” was recaptured after a 6-month stint on the lam, and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” breaks North American box office records, passing “Avatar” in most money taken in. Unemployment rates hit the lowest level since the recession, USA demolished the Olympics, the Cubs break their World Series curse, and relations between America and Cuba become friendlier. The Giant Panda was deemed no longer endangered, and the graduation rate of American teens hit a historic high. While these may not be uplifting enough to overcome the many terrible happenings of the preceding year, I would like to think that if that many good things occurred last year, I can be hopeful for 2017.