2020 — A Reflection
University students talk about 2020 and what they hope for 2021.
2020 — a year of emotional turmoil and solitary solace, a year of wins for some but losses for many, and of course a year filled with the constant turbulence of ups and downs. To officially kiss it goodbye, the TLMUN Herald team has gathered the thoughts of a couple of university students from all walks of life about their perspective of the so-called ‘worst year ever’ and what they are expecting in the hopefully, better new year.
Here’s what they have to say:
2020 has been a challenging year. It has made me reflect on the privilege I hold, the responsibilities I will have, and has tested my family of their patience and will.
For 2021, I hope to find a healthy way to balance life.
— Teoh Jin Wen
I would describe 2020 as a year of testing my capabilities, skills & emotions all at once.
I look forward to entering more doors of opportunities without hesitating like I used to in 2021.
— Jodi Yip Mei Kei
My 2020 started off with constant heartbreaks, leaving me feeling empty and lost. It’s safe to say that I have hit rock bottom this year. It definitely wasn’t an easy process of trying to get back on my feet but I believe in that process, I found something that was even more meaningful. That is, the fact that I managed to survive a pandemic, or the fact that I managed to get through my studies and most of all, being able to have my family and close friends by my side. So often I’ve taken their presence for granted but 2020 made me realise how important it is to be able to have a strong relationship with them. If there’s anything that I’m grateful for in 2020, it’s that I got closer to my family and friends. I believe that those bonds are something money can never buy.
Next year, I look forward to achieving certain goals for myself, in terms of career, studies, faith and social life. I also really look forward to finding happiness within myself.
— Natalya Maurice
The first few months were rough. I will never forget the period of time where incidents that I used to think were “bad things” seemed to happen continuously. However, as I reflect back on those days, I feel really grateful to have experienced those times as I soon realised those “bad things” were blessings in disguise. The rest of the year was extremely rewarding to me. If I were to put aside the pandemic and the global unfortunate events, 2020 has been a really good year, and by far, it’s the year where I have managed to develop myself the most. It made me understand that for magic to happen, I need to venture out of my comfort zone, and that the only person who could limit me is actually myself. In another aspect, 2020 has given me amazing new friends as I got to know people from all over campus. I’m also thankful to end college on a high note with my goals achieved.
In 2021, I look forward to more memories and quality time with my family and friends. I also look forward to further self-development from new challenges and adventures. I hope I will be able to experience how university life really is and at the same time achieve my new year’s resolutions and goals on all aspects. I would really like to meet new people and build bonds. Lastly, I anticipate a year filled with more blessings, such as new opportunities. Of course, I hope that the curve of COVID-19 will be flattened too.
— Rie Kajiya
2020 has been weirdly hectic yet uneventful at the same time.
I am definitely looking forward to a better year ahead! Although I have adapted to the new normal, I am still hopeful that the world will recover from the pandemic in 2021. I look forward to going back to campus and having the chance to experience the ‘usual’ campus life again.
— Bee Ke Xin
To me, 2020 has been a year of adaptation and change. Most importantly, a year where I have learnt the importance of self-love and prioritizing myself.
For 2021, I’m eagerly awaiting a year where there’s more freedom without the grasps of Covid-19, and a year where there will be more opportunities and experiences.
— Angelique Tek Hui Wen
2020 has been a stressful and emotional ride for me. I have lost the people I held close to my heart. However, I have also managed to reunite with long-distance friends.
I want 2021 to be a better year. Hopefully, the Coronavirus will end by then so that everyone can travel and see their families that are living overseas. I want to have the normal life we all had before the pandemic started.
— Nor Alya Nor Azhar
To say 2020 was a terrible year is an understatement. However, if we take the pandemic out of the equation, it has been a year full of new opportunities and experiences for me. Despite the quarantine, I was able to participate in more events and conferences than before. Due to everything having to move online now, I could attend them even if they were hundreds of kilometres away.
I look forward to a more peaceful year for everyone. I hope that everyone can build back better, and that the world finally begins to reckon with the damage we have done to our planet, and to our fellow human beings. We need to start looking out for each other again, as one human race. I also can’t wait to close this pandemic chapter of our lives so I can finally hang out with the people I care about.
— Poh Hoh Shan
2020 has been a year of unplanned frustrations though there were some exciting times for me.
I look forward to meeting more friends on campus next year. I hope that I can tackle my programming course better than the previous semester.
— Rachel Goh Wen Xuen
Without a doubt, 2020 has been a tough year. However, alongside the mayhems and devastations, there are still silver linings we can be thankful for- be it the privilege we realized we have, the additional time we have gotten to spend with our family and loved ones or even the character growth we have embraced throughout. Though the year will not go down as a great year in history, that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the small triumphs or progress we have made. At the end of the day, we survived the trials and tribulations 2020 has set for us.
As author Mathew Henry once said, after the storm comes a calm. Here’s to a much better year for all of us!
[Written by: Jane Law Lee Bin]
