At first, I considered writing this article about all the bad that we’ve witnessed so far. Like, as a reminder. I mean, think of all the good that would come of that! Eventually, though, I figured that with how this year’s gone so far, y’all won’t be forgetting even a moment any time soon. So, why cater to what our brains naturally focus on, especially when every other media outlet already does that? 

So, 2020 sucks. A lot. I’ll leave it at that and move on to what everyone has been grasping for: the bright side. 

Initially, the only good thing I could come up with was Joji’s new album. Days later, though, I conjured up a short list to share with all of you:

1. Alongside Joji, several other artists have blessed us with new music this year.
The full list is too great to go over, but my personal favorites so far have been the likes of Brent Faiyaz, Pink Sweat$, Giveon, and Keshi(now is the kind of time to listen to R&B and mourn the year that could’ve been). Other notable releases have been by artists such as The Weeknd, Megan Thee Stallion and the other girl, Mac Miller, Young M.A., Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber (if you haven’t listened to the album yet: don’t), The 1975, Taylor Swift, and Aminé. Regardless of how obscure you may believe your taste in music is, each of these artists cater to a different kind of person. Yes, even you, edgy indie listener! 

2. Many abhorrent movies and shows have been postponed or canceled.
Luckily, Hotel Transylvania 4 was one of them. The movie nobody asked for or particularly wanted (I didn’t even know 2 or 3 existed?), the release of HT4 would have been the cherry on top for 2020, inevitably causing the collapse of society as we know it. Millions would have been left inconsolable. They may still be left inconsolable, though, as The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run has also been postponed. But we’ll focus on HT4 as solace.

That’s all. Good night.

Nah, just playing. We’ve got a few good things left:

3. Perfect for social distancing, several video games have been either released this year, or popularized just now.
Whether your innermost desire amid the chaos of 2020 is running off to an island with your friends and committing minor crimes, repeatedly getting thrown into a never-ending void of pink goo while trying to complete an obstacle course, or homicide (getting away with it, if you’re at my level), this is the year for all of us to join the plague that is the gaming world.

4. College Board got sued.
During the disaster that was College Board’s online AP testing this year, many students were unable to submit their exams due to the incompetence of the organization and its website. They were then urged to retake the exam, despite the error having been on College Board’s end. Several Californian students that found themselves in this predicament banded together to hit the monopoly of education that is College Board with a class-action lawsuit.

5. People have found time to learn new skills and discover hidden talents.
Like cooking or roasting or grilling or baking. The bravest of them have begun to exercise. But that’s just what I’ve heard. I’m not one of those people. Y’all, I won’t even lie, I spent this summer “teaching myself guitar,” which consisted of strumming the same strings while singing Party in the U.S.A. or You Belong With Me for hours on end. In unrelated news, my family has set a rule that only allows for playing in the basement—far from the rest of civilization. 

I hope in the midst of all the awfulness that has been this year, you’ve found some sort of peace or relief, whether it’s been through one of these things or not. And if you ever feel down again, I urge you to remind yourself of all there is to be thankful for. After all, you could have been in the middle of a social uprising during a pandemic while the west coast burns down AND live in a world where Hotel Transylvania 4 exists.