2017 has come and gone. The holiday break has ended, the new semester has kicked off, and Commonwealth Avenue is back to being flooded in a sea of red. 2018 is now underway, and Boston and its surrounding areas have wasted no time starting the year on the right foot. The Patriots have secured a spot in the Super Bowl. Cambridge recently hosted a massive Women’s March. Our own medical school has made leading breakthroughs in the study of head injuries. You get the point — this year is already looking good.
But before we find ourselves enthralled in what is to come — both good and bad — it is important to reflect on the year lost. As controversial and crazy as it was, 2017 arguably held some of the most influential events the country, even the world, has seen in a long time.
It is easy to look at Washington D.C. and feel defeated. Whether you are a Trump supporter or not, we are arguably the closest to nuclear war we have yet to be. It does not feel as though much is being accomplished, as the government recently shut down due to a stalemate — but when we peel our eyes away from that car wreck — it becomes clear 2017 brought amazing breakthroughs and achievements most of us do not even know about.
In 2017, less children died worldwide than ever before. That’s huge.
In 2017, the #MeToo movement swept the nation, shedding light on the seriousness of sexual assault in the workplace for women of all types by revealing shocking stories. The movement told stories from celebrities like Taylor Swift to allegations of harassment from across the world, and continued to gain momentum as more and more women felt empowered to speak out.
In 2017, Israel announced a new treatment for Lou Gehrig’s disease, otherwise known as ALS — a devastating disease that has been hard to treat for years.
In 2017, Southwest Airlines flew dozens of planes of animals to rescue them from Hurricane Harvey.
In 2017, scientists invented a gun that shoots stem cells. This allows burn victims to regrow skin without the scarring and complications that often come with skin grafts.
In 2017, scientists also altered a human embryo for the first time.
The point is, feats like these have been completely overshadowed and pushed to the back burner as a result of the chaos and controversy that seems to be breaking headlines everyday in the United States lately. Innovations and breakthroughs like these, however, are blind to affiliations with political parties. The breakthroughs in science and social issues do not see race, gender or religion. The importance and excellence of these discoveries cannot be disputed, even in a time when it appears as though just about everything can be.
As we move into the new year, it is important to remember both as college students at Boston University and as citizens of the United States, this country is still doing impressive things. While many feel like we are regressing as a nation, I seek comfort in the notion that many people feel that way — and so long as there are people paying notice, this country is going to be okay. So long as there are moments in which we are able to step back from the controversy and admire the pioneering around us — the inventiveness both this country and school were founded upon — we will be more than alright. We are at a school with an entire student body striving to break barriers. When you step back from that, we are living in an entire city that is also looking to push the envelope.
2017, like all years, had its highs and lows. While we seem to only emphasize the lows, we also had our highs. 2018 is sure to bring both, too, so buckle up. In little time, more power will be shifted to people of our age. We are on the verge of being able to make even bigger ripples in the water, and with that power comes a lot of responsibility. So, I challenge the students of this school to look up, look out and take 2018 by storm.
