People are not usually alone on New Year’s. But this year, many felt they were. The Coronavirus Pandemic did not end in 2020, contrary to what was thought, and the rate of new infections grew terribly. People want to re-start their daily “normal”, but we still have a long way to go to lower the number of new cases. 

This New Year was different for many people all over the world. Instead of spending the time with friends, people 

stayed home alone or with their families. They danced, celebrated, were cozy, and watched shows and movies. The people who stayed home with their families cherished the time shared with them. They appreciated every minute of  “re-discovered” happiness. Many people had hard times this year and they hoped for a new door to open for them. All hoped for the pandemic to end. The people who decided to see their friends were nervous, they didn’t want to be infected. The fear of the virus affects mentality, actions, and thoughts. 

In Time Square, where the celebration was louder in previous years, this year was more quiet with almost no participants. Usually, there are million people celebrating and cheering and nearly no room to move a finger. This year, there were only a few chosen groups of people in masks and they kept distancing guidelines. The rest of Time Square was empty. This emptiness makes people sad, but also united. Even if they are home alone or with a limited number of people they know, the pandemic affects all of us the same way: essentially,  it scares us the same way. Many also complained about the excessive use of ads on the countdown to New Year’s, namely the enormous Kia commercial - a true representation of the current near-bankrupt state of New York City. The struggle ahead in 2021 will be grim, but not impossible. 

New Year’s celebration for many people meant hope to bring an end to isolation, fear, and death. It brought hope in the form of the vaccines and data on how to deal more efficiently with the virus. The New Year gives us strength to keep fighting this virus and to help one another. 

Let’s make this year one to remember (positively). Hindsight is 20/20. Let’s use what we've learned.