2 more days and we’ll officially bid 2017 a goodbye and welcome the new chapter of our lives. Another year to survive and live life but goodbyes are not complete without an official countdown! We have already reviewed the best movies and self-help books of this year, and it’s time to look at the bigger picture.

We’re going to talk about the highlights of 2017, from politics to show business with some good news and some just pure heartbreaking. But that’s just how life goes, with ups and downs, so it’s time to get popcorn and relive the things that made this year interesting.

The Inauguration of the New POTUS

The U.S. election was quite a whirlwind for the entire world. There was a great divide that happened and tension is greatly felt. But it concluded with Trump being the new president of the United States of America. He officially was sworn into office on January 20, 2017. His inauguration was badly received by the Democrats. Rallies are happening in the entire country, shouting disapproval of Trump’s succession. It’s also said to be attended by the way fewer people compared to the inauguration of the past POTUS, Barack Obama.

The Terrorist Attacks in Major Cities

Ariana Grande’s benefit concert for the victims and survivors of the Manchester bombing

If 2017 can be summed up, it would greatly highlight the number of deaths this year due to terrorist attacks. There is the Las Vegas shooting that killed 59 people and injuring more than 500. The Texas attack that took place in a church that took 26 parishioners, the bombing at Ariana Grande’s concert in Manchester, the attack in London and so much more. All of these took lives of hundreds of people. Some of the attacks that happened in the world are said to be ISIS-sponsored.

The Total Solar Eclipse

The First Family viewing the Total Solar Eclipse

Most of the Americans went out to witness the Total Solar Eclipse that crossed the U.S. since 1918. It was a highly anticipated event and new stations are reporting the dos and don’ts when viewing the sun. It was advised to look at the eclipse using a special glass and not view it with your eyes straight looking at it. But even the president of America disregarded that advisory.

The Rohingya Crisis

One of the most heartbreaking stories of this year is the great migration of the Rohingyas outside the borders of Myanmar. Looking from the outside, it’s evident that the country of Myanmar is trying to do an ethnic whitewashing. But this is denied repeatedly by the government. Almost thousands of Rohingyas were killed, raped, and being burned down by the authorities. Up until this day, this minority group is still being persecuted by the government, while the neighboring countries refuse to open their borders to them.

The War on Drugs

It’s highly unlikely for the country of Philippines to make it to international news on the regular basis, but that’s what is exactly happening right now. The country has been facing a lot of criticisms due to the administration’s bloody war on drugs. The number of deaths, either state-sponsored or vigilante, keep on rising as the day goes by. President Rodrigo Duterte has been criticized by the international media, United Nations, and world leaders, but this doesn’t stop him from carrying out his plans. He continues to be unapologetic by the deaths of drug personalities and shrugs off critics.

The Royal Engagement

The official engagement portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

One of the best news to close the year is the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement. After a year of dating, the Prince finally went down on one knee and asked his girlfriend’s hand in marriage. It was a glorious moment for both the romantics and the political since Markle is not the conventional candidate for the title. She will become the first biracial to marry into the Royal Family. This only shows that even the oldest monarchs are now promoting equality and breaking down the racial divide. The happily-in-love couples are set to have their wedding in May of next year.

There are a lot of difficult and heartbreaking stories that graced this year, but there is still more goodness happening in the world. All we have to do is to keep looking at the positive side of it.