2020 was a rough year for all of us. COVID created panic and caused disasters in schools. However, with every rough year, a new beginning is always around the corner. 2021 brings hope to people of all ages, genders, and races. With this hope comes dreams and then goals and then accomplishments. Many people wished for COVID to disappear as the year 2021 began, but those wishes have not come true. 2021 is a way for people to let go of what has happened in the previous year. They can create goals for themselves they have never thought of before.
With 2021 comes many new opportunities and many revealing New Year's resolutions. Everyone has at least one resolution for the new year. No matter if it's something simple and easy such as reading a book every week or starting a journal. Sometimes, the resolutions are harder and more thought out, such as putting yourself out there and making at least five new friends or achieving some type of personal goal for yourself. I have asked multiple students and staff of Blackford County to answer questions regarding their personal goals, hopes, and accomplishments for the new year. As I said before, some resolutions will be extremely simple and some will be extremely difficult to accomplish, but they give each person a sense of achievement when they accomplish them.
I interviewed a former student staff member of our Blackford County school Newspaper, Emma Daugherty. She is a sophomore this year, and I asked her some simple questions regarding 2021. When asked, “What do you expect to accomplish this year in your work/ school?” Emma replied, “Have all A’s and get my GPA higher.” GPA is important once you get into high school, especially during your freshman year. As your grades get higher, your GPA will slowly get higher. It’s hard to raise your GPA, but it is easy to drop your GPA. I also asked her what she would like to work on about herself. She stated, “ I would like to work on my plans for what I want to do for my future. (College/career)” What she expects to accomplish this year affects the aspect of what she wants to work toward. Having a higher GPA can give you better chances of getting into your dream school and following a career path you want to follow.
I interviewed our respected lunch lady. Her name is Tammy Sisler and this year she is starting her own small business. Mrs. Silser plans on selling herbs, like cilantro and basil, and making crafts to sell. However, she doesn’t make any New Years’ resolutions because she believes that people won’t stick to them. It is rare for people to stick to their New Year's resolutions. It is also extremely difficult. I asked Mrs. Silser, “If you could name one thing to look forward to happening this year, what would it be?” Mrs. Sisler responded with, “Our country uniting and becoming One Nation under God again.” She also gave an ending quote and it seemed to fit extremely well with this statement. The quote was, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” -Ronald Reagan.
I asked Mrs. Sisler if she could name one person she knows will be walking into 2021 with her and staying by her side. She said her husband. “Tom Sisler. He is my husband and my best friend. He is very loving, kind, and truly faithful.” I also happened to ask her, “ If you could work on one aspect of yourself this year what would it be and why?” Mrs. Sisler responded with, “Patience. I have no patience whether I'm walking or trying to get something done. I always get in a hurry and never slow down until my head hits my pillow.” Sometimes rushing through life is what happens to us. Day to day we rush and never really take time to enjoy the small things that happen around us. With Mrs. Silser starting her small business, I believe that she will be able to slow down her pace from day to day and enjoy the joy of opening this business.
Earlier in the article, I said that sometimes people have trouble keeping their new year's resolutions going. It all depends on how willing the person is to keep that goal going. Angelina Gibson said exactly this, “I guess depending on the person and their determination, anyone can stick to their resolution. I plan to keep mine going.” Angelina Gibson is a sophomore, and she is working on a few stories and this year she hopes to get at least one done. Angel said, “A New Years resolution I’ve given myself is to speak up more.” Speaking up is hard for a lot of people. It takes time to gather courage, and for some people, this doesn’t come easily. I asked Angel what aspect she would like to work on for herself. She stated, “One aspect of myself I would work on is my communication. I’m not the best communicator and I’d like to get better at it.” This fits with her New Year's resolution. Angel also looks forward to turning seventeen this year. I wish her a happy birthday, and I hope she can achieve her goals for this year.
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Everyone has one person they look forward to walking into this year with, Mrs. Tammy has her husband, and Emma has someone very special she’d rather not name. Angelina Gibson has her best friend, Sarah Ellison. Sarah is a great influence on her, and Angel says they are like sisters. I walked into this year with someone special as well. This one person that everybody has can determine the fate of the New Year. Some will lose them, and some will gain a lot more. Everyone has one person, and this one person can change everything, even if they aren’t in their life yet.
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I was able to interview our 7th and 8th-grade art teacher, Mrs. Walter. I asked her, “What do you expect to accomplish this year in your work/school?” Mrs. Walter said, “I hope to create a virtual art show, composed of images of the artworks my students have produced throughout the school year, to share with the community.” She also hopes to be more disciplined with herself in regards to her health and fitness. I asked her a question I haven’t covered yet, “What kind of things do you predict will happen in 2021?” Mrs. Walter responded with, “I predict state legislators will come to the realization that the over-emphasis on standardized tests is to the detriment of our students, and they will leave important decisions regarding the education of students to the teachers themselves (since they truly are the most qualified professionals to make such important decisions.) Teachers can dream, right?” Teachers most certainly can dream. Dreams, if you think about them all the time and hope for them to come true, always have the chance to come alive. Mrs. Walter is also looking forward to spending extended vacations with family and traveling.
The last person I was able to interview was Angel Thomas. She is graduating this year. She hopes to pass all of her classes this year, and she plans to stick to this goal. She wants to work on her attitude, and she wishes that we didn’t have to wear masks this year. I believe a lot of people have this wish. The masks can become irritating. Her mom, Dariean Thomas, stuck with Angel throughout 2020, and Angel hopes she will do the same during 2021.
2020 was a rough year for all of us. However, 2021 is here, and I wish all of you the best. Don’t hold on to the past year. Instead, move through 2021 with a new look at life, and make new memories with your families.