By: Erin Lowenadler ’21

The ball dropped New Years Eve and there we were, celebrating the new year and the endless opportunities 2020 would bring- or so we thought.

Of course, 2020 has been a year to remember. But what specifically has happened that made it so unique? COVID-19 has dominated the news for the majority of the year,leaving us forgetful of everything else.

January 

Shortly after the celebration of the new year, the world was punched in the face with devastating news, that Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash on Jan 26. This left fans, family and the whole population of the world essentially heartbroken.

President Trump was claimed to be “impeached” after abusing his power towards Congress. Leaving America torn, this was the start of a political disarray..

While the United States was processing everything that had happened so suddenly, the wildfires in Australia took action, destroying land for miles.

Also overseas, the U.S. military assassinated Iran’s military commander, Qasem Soleimani, leaving the people of Iran speechless with the urge to retaliate by attacking back. “WW3 had begun,” which was a great way to finish up the month of January.

February 

Luckily, not much occurred in February other than the Kansas Chiefs winning the superbowl on Feb 2. COVID-19 also started spreading throughout China.

March

COVID-19 made its way to America, destroying millions of lives, occupations and the economy. A loss of hope and pride overtook all Americans as our lives went into a nationwide lockdown. We were officially living in a global pandemic. “Tiger King” was popular on Netflix as teens made whipped coffee and learned new Tiktok dances from Charli D’amelio.

April

The world was in shock when numerous reports of the potential death of Kim Jong Un spread on the internet. His disappearance shocked the public and rumors spread rapidly. The rumors consisted mainly of theories that he had contracted COVID-19 recovering from heart surgery. It was shocking to see his absence at this particular time, as he missed many important events including his grandfather’s birthday. The rumors were deemed to be false and he was reported alive after all.

May

On May 25, George Floyd was assassinated by what some claim to be police brutality. This event cultivated a large movement known as “Black Lives Matter.” The movement encouraged protests nationwide promoting justice for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. In times of COVID-19, the protests and demonstrations had to abide by social distancing rules and protocols. Teens and adults participated in “Blackout Tuesday” where they silenced their social media by posting black squares to stand up against racial injustice. Younger generations started to speak up and were able to have their voices be heard.

June

BLM protests happened nationwide.  Unfortunately, many of the protests turned into riots where buildings were destroyed, flags were burned, statues were shattered and more lives were taken.

July

COVID-19 seemed to calm down in many states. Connecticut was the only green state where others looked towards us to learn from our procedures.

July 4 celebrations were cancelled for safety reasons. 

August

A shocking explosion echoed through the air on Aug 4 in Beirut, Lebanon. Over $15 billion in property damages, 200 deaths and many injuries were the result. There is no current knowledge as to what happened or why.

“Murder Hornets” made an apperance, striking even more fear into the hearts of Americans. 

September

USPS faces issues with missing packages.This was a problem especially with mail-in votes within upcoming months. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at age 87, from cancer. Trump brought in Amy Coney Barrett to fill in her seat.

October

The first Presidential Debate was a disgrace. Both candidates acted childish and got little out of the time they had to prove their points. They talked over each other while immaturely discussing serious topics. The following debates proceeded to only improve, but still left many Americans undecided as to who deserved their vote.

November

COVID-19 cases have been growing and it is highly recommended that the elderly stay home during Thanksgiving.

The results of the presidential election reveal that Joseph Biden will be the next President of the United States, however President Donald Trump claims potential voting fraud in several states throughout the country. How will this carry into December, and what does this mean for 2021? 

December

Starting off this month, the Presidential court case is still being discussed. A COVID-19 vaccine has been released and will be available soon. 2020 has been crazy, so take time and reflect on this year.