Hope for a new year: what a difference a year makes

#TeenEssay

A year ago, I wrote about the hopes I had in looking forward to the next year: the hopes that I had in the knowledge that the worst of the COVID pandemic was behind us. And even with the hopes I had for myself and for others around me, I was still amazed by all the great things that 2022 brought.

So many of my hopes were fulfilled.

It’s been great to get back to so many of the things I loved doing before the pandemic, and this is one of the reasons that 2022 was such a good year for me. It satisfied my hope that I would be able to move back to normal.

Now it is time to look forward to 2023.

I have hopes for 2023, too, but they look different for me this year than they did last year.

This year, I’m not thinking so much about transitioning out of quarantine as I am about some of the other goals that I have for myself around school, sports and other activities.

My hopes for this year, however, share an important quality with those of last year: they are not just about hoping for good things for myself, but for everyone in the community.

So, whether or not you set aside time to think about your hopes and wishes for the next twelve months, I hope for everyone that they will find happiness in everything around them this year and beyond.

Whether or not you’re an artist, I hope you find inspiration in your surroundings.

Wishing everyone a great 2023!

Anna Janowski is a teen volunteer at the Beaverton City Library (grade 12). Outside of school, she likes to read, write, play softball and the trumpet.