As we round into the beginning of December, the jolliest month of this cursed year, what kind of season are we to expect. In the previous years we have all heard the same expressions “tis the season to be jolly”, “seasons tidings” or “the holiday season”. Guessing it just depends on what kind of circumstance you are in this year. Are you a kid getting ready to watch the Polar Express with some sort of pot luck on the last day of school before winter break? Or are you the high school student rushing to get all of your assignments and college applications submitted to enjoy said winter break? If you identify with the second statement then you are in the “Season of college applications and finals” waiting for the first opportunity to relax over this year's winter break. That's if any of your teachers don’t assign homework, Christmas doesn't feel like an actual probability this year. For most of us reading this, we fall into the second option, unless someone’s younger siblings are reading this. How are we supposed to act if we are getting to the end of the cursed year., Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel that seems to be suffocating everyone. No one wants to be the Grinch or Ebenezer Scrooge during the holiday season and no one wants to be forced into being some kind of spongebob personality with his everlasting smile. Where is the middle ground? where's the place where we can show how exhausting this year has been? not only on high school students but on everyone living on this planet! Also, where's the place where we are grateful to be alive and have our loved ones, where we are grateful for the changes that were made in our lives. There has to be some type of median here and before going on, I’d like to point out that this isn’t a pity party where I write to complain about my life and 2020 overall. This to empathize that even though we have all struggled, we have been put through the ringer, that we are still here doing our best even if it's the bare minimum. Now that is something to be appreciated this holiday season. That is something that later on in life we can brag about to our kids, if you want them, like our parents did. You know that “when I was your age…” speech they give us when we don’t want to wake up so early or do chores. We can be proud of ourselves that we are still here even though we could've chosen to quit and to give up. Continuing on from where I last left off, the middle ground, this year has been a lot. This year it shouldn’t be the “season to be jolly”, not this year, in 2020, it’s going to be the “season of being appreciative”. Appreciative of being alive, appreciative that your loved ones are alive, that you are here in this very moment more fortunate than others. Yeah that’s going to be our “season of” for 2020, well personally but for the rest, it’s up to you.
Find the shape and tell it!
This was a powerful statement of saying that your life is basically what you choose it to be. We have all suffered through this last year together and it is your decision how you want to come out of it. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that last year's Christmas felt different from the past, and it was definitely a time of appreciating what we have. 2020 may have been an insane year, but we can be proud of how we've gotten through it. Great work!
ReplyDeleteI love your topic because 2020 was truly a blur to many of us. We all had so many things going on, some of us having to deal with very hard circumstances from time to time. At the end though, it was up to us to see how we were going to deal with this. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you chose to talk about this because I've been feeling the exact same. If there's one thing everyone can take from 2020 it's to not take things for granted because life is really unpredictable.
ReplyDeleteThis was a nice topic to read about. For most of us, 2020 kind of curb stomped us and with that we lost sight of what it was to be in control. Thank you for showing us that it's our lives and it is truly up to us how to deal with our hardships and struggles. We can be proud of the little things and take back what feels like 2020 has taken from us.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your points that we should appreciate our efforts throughout 2020. Even if these efforts weren't the best, they were still our personal best and therefore should be appreciated. I also really liked how you started off the piece by trying to define what season it is and ended the piece by saying the season is what you make of it.
ReplyDeleteI loved your exploration of what the holiday season is to so many people. Even when disregarding the nightmare that was 2020, many people have not viewed the holiday season in the same happy-go-lucky lens that is crammed down our throats by the wintry advertisements, decorations, and media. This season as all seasons should be left to the individual use. They shall make of it what they will: a time to rejoice, a time to relax, or a time to reflect. Let this holiday season not be of joy, but of healing, which a great many people are in dire need of. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteChristmas last year was really different and I liked how you addressed this problem by seeing it as a time to be appreciative of staying strong this year instead.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very good essay. It was cool and informative how you not only talked about 2020 and the past but how you made it applicable to life currently and currrent difficulties.
ReplyDelete2020 has been a tough year for all of us, but thank you for giving another outlook for how we should view it as. It is the season to be appreciative especially since all of us got stripped of our senior year we have still learned to look on the brighter side and to move past this. Thank you for ending your story how you did. It showed that we are the only ones who can change our outcome. Amazing work!
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right! Everything changed so much, we need to appreciate the little things because we don't know what the future holds.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right! Last year felt so different, only know are we beginning to notice the impact of even the little things in life.
ReplyDeleteI think this was a nice reflection of 2020. Due to covid-19, life hasn't been "normal" for almost a year. Instead of grieving over a lost year and missed opportunities, we should be thankful for our lives and health. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteThis was an innovative topic to discuss. This year was emotionally taxing for many and frankly unpredicatble for some so the way you described it was cool . Nice work.
ReplyDeleteWhat you wrote was an amazing message that touched my heart alot. The middle ground really is a hook for me and has had me thinking for some time now. This was amazing and the way you expressed your feelings and articulated your points were spot on. -Arnold Porter Jr
ReplyDeleteKatelyn!!! This was absolutely powerful and thought-inducing!! Covid has changed the lives of so many people around us, stress of not only life’s obstacles but academic challenges have also affected us as seniors. The last bit where you emphasis being appreciative was also a very needed reminder from yours truly. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Katelyn! I absolutely loved the title and theme of your piece! I thought that it was so powerfully written and I completely agree with everything that you said. This isn't what we're used to and it's definitely not a season of joy (for me at least), but I loved the turn around of simply being appreciative of what we have and not focusing of what we have lost. I also really enjoyed what you said about how exhausting this year has been to participate in the extremed, both happy and sad. I wish I knew how to find the middle ground but for now, i'm just exhausted. Great job! - Estella Poirier :)
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