By DYLAN LATORE – Every year that goes by feels quicker than the one before it. While that statement is subjective, I personally feel that 2017 is no exception. So many things happened in 2017 that it is hard to really remember more than you can count on your fingers. So let’s recap, starting with January.
Starting the year on a high note, on January 1st, an unidentified man changed the Hollywood sign to read none other than Hollyweed. On January 20th, the 45th president of the United States was sworn into office. That president being none other than Donald Trump. Trump became the first non-political office holder to be elected the President of the United States…. And then the very next day, January 21st, millions of people worldwide joined in on a Woman’s March in direct response to the election.
In February, the first of the ‘North Korea Paranoia’ started, when North Korea prompted international condemnation by test-firing a ballistic missile across the Sea of Japan. This eventually led to one of Google’s highest searched terms, which was: How far can a North Korean missile go? Also in February, Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight won best picture at the Oscars.
In March, the UN warned that the world was facing the biggest humanitarian crisis since WWII. 19 days later, the United Kingdom started the Brexit negotiations to separate from the UN. Unrelated in March, SpaceX launched the world’s first re-flight of an orbital class rocket.
In April, the United States decided to launch 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at an air base in Syria. Russia was not happy about this and described the strike as an “aggression.”
In May, computers around the world were hit by a massive ransomware cyber attack, which went on to affect at least 150 countries. Also in May, a terrorist bombing occurred at an Ariana Grande Concert in Manchester, killing many people, and injuring more than 10 times that. May was not a great month for planet Earth, but it also was not the worst…
June was a jam-packed month of many worldwide events. But what is more important than Beyoncé giving birth to twins on June 13th? Not too much. On June 1st, the United States announced its decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement in due time. This was met with very controversial responses.
In July, Russia and China urged North Korea to stop launching missiles after North Korea’s first successful intercontinental missile launch. On July 7th, the Treaty of Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons was voted for by 122 of 193 UN members. Also in July, OJ Simpson was granted parole. So once again, the juice is loose.
What else can even be mentioned about August except for the nationwide phenomenon that was the Solar Eclipse? Hurricane Harvey, of course. The category 4 hurricane that brought record-breaking floods, as well as 4-5 friends which all hit one after another, devastating much of the East Coast, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Caribbean in the following weeks. Senior Tim Sexton’s view on the hurricanes is that they, “impacted the lives of many people, and the compassion and help that was provided to complete stranger by other is something that we as a species should strive to do every day.”
In September, Los Angeles and Paris were both granted the rights to host the 2024 Summer Olympics respectively. A few weeks after this, mother nature decided to beat up Mexico again, with a devastating Mw 7.1 earthquake. Also in September, Cassini–Huygens ended its 13-year mission by plunging into Saturn, becoming the first spacecraft to enter the planet’s atmosphere. Also in September, rapper Cardi B’s Bodak Yellow secured the #1 spot on the Billboard top 100. One month later, she broke the record for most weeks at the top of the charts by a solo female rapper.
In October, things got tragic much before they got festively spooky, when a man who should not be named, opened fire on a crowd in Las Vegas, killing 58 and injuring 546. In lighter news, the Syrian Civil War was declared fully liberated from Iraq. Also, Catalonia declared independence from Spain.
In November, A Leonardo da Vinci painting, Salvator Mundi, sold for $450 million at Christie’s in New York, a new record price for any work of art. Also in November, Nature published an article recognizing the high-velocity asteroid ʻOumuamua’ as originating from outside the Solar System i.e. the first known interstellar object. Unrelated in November, all of your favorite TV personalities were accused of sexual assault. Senior Liz Denver added that, “The most influential part of 2017 occurred in November. It was not political news either. It is when Kylie Jenner went missing. It shocked social media and still remains unsolved”.
Last but not least, in December, Russia was banned from the Winter Olympics for doping, Walt Disney Corporation bought out 21st Century Fox, and Bitcoin became close to obsolete.
2017 was a year full of advancement, but also full of more tragedy than we have seen as a species in a while. Hopefully, 2018 holds the same amount of technological and medical advancement as 2017, just with much, much less terrorist attacks. Not mentioned, 2017 was also an amazing year for the Arts & Entertainment. With top, mainstream artists appearing and blowing up in a period of weeks.
Things are only looking up in the entertainment industry for 2018. Senior Allison Ream added that she’s, “Glad 2017 is over because now we are in the year that we graduate in.” Also, a 2018 without fidget spinners is a 2018 I, and many others, welcome.
[Photo by Dylan Latore]
“A beautiful mashup of the biggest events of 2017”
