By Farrah Morris
2018 has been such a crazy year it feels more like it’s been 5 years. Here’s a breakdown of major events that happened this year.
It is undeniable that 2018 has been an extremely intense and eventful year. So many things have happened it is almost hard to believe that they have occurred in just one year.
From tide pod eating to wildfires blazing across California to Tik Tok, there is a lot to cover.
So, let’s break down this year so far, with major events locally, nationally, and globally.
In January, the year starts off in America with a government shutdown that lasts two days, from January 20th to the 22nd. This is due to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and whether it should be abolished or kept in place.
It is still in place for those who need or want a renewal, but the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is currently not accepting new requests.
This is also when Logan Paul, a popular YouTuber, faces a whirlwind of controversy following his filming of a dead body in the infamous suicide forest in Japan.
The hit Marvel movie, Black Panther, is released on January 29th to critical acclaim, grossing $1.3 billion worldwide. This is also when Chadwick Boseman regrets ever saying, “Wakanda forever!”
In February the Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It was groundbreaking for North Korea participating and even entering with South Korea as one during opening ceremonies, showing unity.
Amid this, on February 14th at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida 17 people were killed and 17 more injured in the Parkland shooting.
In March, in an astounding event, President Donald Trump was invited by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un to meet in May to discuss denuclearization of North Korea, the first American president to ever meet with a North Korean leader.
This is also when the movement “March For Our Lives” began in hundreds of cities in response to the growing gun violence and mass shootings in America in order to encourage stronger gun control laws.
On April 27th leader Kim Jong-Un met with the South Korean president Moon Jae-In, meeting in the Demilitarized Zone for the first time since its creation in 1953.
In May, President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iranian Nuclear Agreement.
Then, a series of mini earthquakes hit the main island Hawai’i, causing the Kīlauea to erupt as fissures appeared. Lava poured from the volcano and fissures as lava fountains occurred, destroying 13.7 square miles of land and hundreds of houses.
This was also the start of when children were taken from their parents at Mexican-US borders, often being placed in detention camps as many parents were deported back to their home country.
Throughout California, Greece, Sweden, Norway, and Germany, summer was a dangerous time due to the intense heat and droughts.
Following a ruling in 2017, June 24th was the first date in which women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to drive.
July 5th was when the North American heat wave took place. Following that on July 6th, the US tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods went into effect, in which China officially declared a tariff war and placed down retaliatory tariffs.
The Holy Fire also broke out on August 6th, burning over 22,000 acres and destroying many cabins in Trabuco Canyon. While this is just one of many fires that broke out in California over the summer this one was local, having been visible all over Orange County.
September brings huge change as India decriminalizes gay intercourse on the 6th, allowing thousands to celebrate across India.
This is also when a new app, called Tik Tok, inexplicably became extremely popular as people also mocked those who used it. The now infamous “Johny Johny Yes Papa” video from Billion Surprise Toys also gained popularity, being used in many parody and meme videos.
In October, Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist for The Washington Post, is murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, supposedly for his views criticizing the Middle Eastern governments, sparking a diplomatic crisis.
This is also when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control released a report, warning global leaders to keep global warming below 1.5° C or face irreversible damage to the environment.
In November a mass shooting in a bar in Thousand Oaks occurred, leaving 13 dead as a survivor of the Las Vegas shooting also survived this event.
On November 8th the Camp Fire in Butte County, California began, marking the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, resulting in at least 83 deaths and destroying over 18,000 buildings.
Very soon after the Woolsey fire also began, starting in Simi Valley and spreading all the way over to Malibu, destroying many houses, including that of Caitlyn Jenner.
However, the midterm elections also occurred in which Democrats won the House of Representatives while Republicans still control the Senate.
Although this does not cover every event throughout 2018 and there is still a few weeks before 2019 comes with a new set of problems, this is the general overview of 2018!
Hopefully 2019 will be a bit more calm, but for now let’s just pray for calm holidays.
