Dec 31, 2020 6 min read

Traditionally, the last Ask Mary Jo column of each year consists of young people’s New Year’s resolutions.

This year, I decided to switch focus.

I asked young people, peer educators and peer educator alumni to answer the question: “What would you like to see happen in 2021?” The following responses were not edited for content.

Anonymous: I want to see more equity in education. Online education in my high school is a joke. I see friends in other districts with actual assignments and real learning. My teachers are phoning it in. Please don’t use my name because I don’t want people to know which district is mine. But I would really like a change.

Aujalae: I would like to see a vaccine in 2021, and people be treated with respect. A lot of stuff has happened this year. 2020’s been killing off so many great people. I am grateful that me, my family, my friends and their families made it through, and will be able to move into next year. A vaccine is the biggest thing I want. I’m really not thinking of anything else, but I just want this year to be better. 2020’s been really toxic, and I haven’t been a fan of that. It even put my mom in the hospital, my friend’s dog died, my other friend had something done to her that was flat out wrong, but everybody is OK now.

Sebastian B: Everyone get the vaccine.

LaShauna Carruthers: I would like to see happiness. Pure happiness in everyone.

Sophia Curry: I would like to see, rather than a return to “normal,” a more equitable, kind world. Also, more cats. Cats are always good.

Elizabeth Engle: In 2021, I want to see more people respecting and accepting people for who they are and not who other people want them to be. I would like to see people sharing more joy and inspiring others. Most importantly, I would want to see people getting and staying healthy, whether that is through a vaccine or self-care.

Alex Franco: In the coming year, let us ignore the desire to leave the past in the past, and, instead, use the painful memory of 2020 to commit ourselves in the coming year to the virtues that would have spared us so much suffering. Let us never again forget to be fiercely protective of our institutions, deeply reverent to the truth and abidingly humble in the face of what we do not know.

Jai Gough: There are a great many things I want to happen in 2021. Mainly, obviously, I want COVID-19 to just go away. But, if that’s not actually possible, I just want people to take the virus more seriously. It is completely disrupting most of our lives and will never get better if people keep dismissing it as a “hoax” or something that does not affect them. As well, I would like people to care about each other more. People are disregarding the virus because “it only affects the elderly,” but that is simply not true. We need to take care of this virus, not only for ourselves, but for everyone else we know as well. Although this seems like a great undertaking, it barely scratches the surface of the problems we need to address in not only our country, but the world. In conclusion these are definitely some lofty aspirations for 2021, but I am confident we can make it happen.

Lily Gough: I wish that this sickness would leave, and people would be smarter than they are, and we have a better year.

Daniel Gysi: Aside from the obvious things, like missing friends and concerts, I would like to see everyone – and I do mean everyone – be more receptive to other people and be more willing to acknowledge their own fallibility. I would also like to see more nuance in place of sensationalism. Above all, though, I want to see unconditional patience and care. That’s a lot to ask for, but we can at least get closer than we’ve been lately.

Kendle Haught: In 2021, I hope our country can become less divided and more united. Everyone should want to spread kindness and positivity to one another. Hatred and negativity need to stay in 2020.

Mia Levine: I would like to see the vaccine be established for both children and people with allergies. I would like to be able to go out into the world and do the things I miss, like going to school or even going to the mall, and lastly see my family and friends.

Brycen McAdoo: Less pandemic.

Angela Pinkerton: I would love to see more kindness in the world. It’s become very nasty and hateful during a time where love and kindness would go a long way.

Matthew Stroop: I want to see scientists and experts be trusted again, nothing more and nothing less. The virus has stretched on for way too long and anti-science is the reason why.

Abby W.: For 2021, I hope that I can see everybody and give them all hugs.

Anonymous: I’d like to see less people defending and normalizing the hatred that America has always opposed and triumphed over … and less symbols of that hatred. Vehement opposition to acts of oppression, sedition, treason and fascism should never be seen as partisan political views. It says something about the state of our community that I feel safer making this statement anonymously.

Author’s note: I am impressed with these voices. May 2021 be good to you.

Have a question? Send it to Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski’s email podmj@healthyteens.com.