Narratives of Resolution and Reflection: 2020 In Brief

by Jerry Bombane (Editor-in-Chief) and Lara Jane Macalindong (Managing Editor)

from Jerry

When we entered 2020 with all the hope a new year brings, no one was able to predict the reality that is to come. After a few months of New Years’ celebrations, we saw empty grocery store shelves and shortages of alcohol and hand sanitizer. We learned to meet with friends and share milestones through computer screens, and we put many of our plans on hold. And yet we found hope as we came together with our communities to care for one another.

We faced different challenges that some people give up just like that COVID-19 that kills a thousand people not only in our country but also in the whole world. Many people died and suffer because of this virus. This virus affects a lot of things just like the classes. The students attend their classes not in the classrooms but in their houses. The teachers and students communicate in front of the screen. Alongside the global pandemic are the typhoons and earthquakes that also ruined our 2020, claiming thousands of lives and millions worth of damages.

from Lara

2020 has been a tough year for a lot of people. It made us experienced and realized many things because of the different incidents and news we all had. Most notable of this is the COVID-19 pandemic that affected people in many different ways. To me and my family, it was troublesome because we haven’t got a chance to go outside together. Besides this pandemic, there were other things that we encountered throughout that year. There were devastating incidents such as celebrities dying from accidents and certain illnesses and calamities. There was also news about the changes in how Filipino students face the pandemic while studying. There were a lot of events and problems that many people faced last year. Personally, I was bothered more by what was happening or what the government was doing to solve the problems of our country. I was really stressed about what was happening last year so I avoided all social media or any platforms that may contain news about politics. I may seem to ignore them intentionally but that saved me from a lot of stress.

By 2021, I want to be more productive when it comes to doing my tasks as a student and also productive in helping my family financially. I want to focus more on my studies. I also wish for the whole world to be normal again. 2020 has been a rough and boring year for me, and I hope that this year will be a lot more different than last year. #