Dec 29th 2020

101 great things about 2020 (although we’re so excited it’s nearly over)

Whilst 2020 has been one of the worst (if not, the worst) years and we all can’t wait for it to be over, there were also some silver linings. From the things you can get away with working from home to new innovations that kept us sane, here are 101 great things about 2020:

1. We didn’t spend all our money on below-average supermarket meal deals
2. We didn’t have to stand in someone’s armpit on the Central Line on the way to work
3. Captain Tom Moore became our national hero after raising £30 million for the NHS
4. No one stole our yoghurt from the office fridge
5. We have a very dedicated one-way relationship with that one squirrel/bird/fox that can be spotted daily outside our window
6. We could be hungover at work and no one would notice
7. NOT WEARING PANTS DURING WORK HOURS
8. No awkward silent rides in the office list with that coworker we don’t really know
9. Same-sex marriage was legalised in several countries, including Northern Ireland and Costa Rica 
10. We learned to never take grocery deliveries for granted 
11. A women turned herself into a potato on Zoom and went viral 
12. We all believed for a few hours that the government was building a GIANT LASAGNA at Wembley stadium
13. We could spend half our working day scrolling through Instagram 
14. Musicians took to social media and gave us intimate concerts from their homes
15. We no longer have to smell that one coworker’s leftover fish in the microwave
16. Being able to take a power nap whenever we want
17. Not having to stress out about how to get to work during tube strikes or delays 
18. We can buy anything we want online and actually be home for delivery
19. We don’t have to battle with the bipolar office air conditioning
20. Many restaurants shared their secret recipes so we could make them at home 
21. A lot of people got creative and brushed up on their sewing skills by to make their own masks 
22. A lot of people accepted the fact that they are not creative and definitely shouldn’t be making their own masks 
23. Tesco and Aldi committed to rewarding their workers with a 10% bonus this Christmas
24. Not spending all our money in the pub on rounds of tequilas
25. Not being hungover after having too many tequilas in the pub
26. Not dreading going back to work after coming onto Sandra from Sales after having too many tequilas in the pub
27. NASA sent a rover to Mars to find out if it was ever habitable (and whether it could be again, in case we all want to get out of here)
28. Working from bed 
29. Tiger King came into our lives and brought us all together 
30. EVERYTHING WAS CAKE
31. A 6 year old boy became a hero when he saved his younger sister from a dog attack – and received a lot of attention from his favourite actors 
32. We didn’t have to buy a whole new summer wardrobe 
33. England and Brazil announced that they will pay their women’s football teams the same as male teams
34. We learned a lot of new words and phrases – ‘R number’ anyone? 
35. We kind of blissfully forgot about Brexit for a little while
36. We started talking about ‘substantial meals’ a lot 
37. We all started to really crave Corona beer on a regular basis
38. Making and eating a whole lot of banana bread 
39. Joe Wicks kept the UK’s school children fit throughout lockdown with virtual PE lessons
40. 5-step commute from bed to work 
41. Giving into all our guilty pleasures because “it’s 2020”
42. Among Us went viral and gave us a reason to get up in the morning (and kept us awake at night)
43. Not getting a cold all year
44. Millions of people volunteered to help vulnerable people in their community 
45. Statues of racist figures made the news as some were pulled down or vandalised – but most importantly raised a conversation about what they represent 
46. Tiger King disappeared from our lives 
47. Restaurant meal delivery kits became a thing (goodbye boring takeaway!)
48. Board games and jigsaw puzzles made a long-awaited comeback 
49. Not having to leave the office at 5pm during winter months and be depressed about how dark it is
50. Crayola launched the first box of crayons with diverse skin colours for children to “accurately colour themselves into the world”
51. We didn’t have to suffer the coat on, coat off, coat on, coat off nightmare while commuting 
52. The great news that we don’t have to live with a sexist orange man pretending to rule a country for the next 4 years
53. All the trivial facts we learned from remote quizzes
54. We clapped for the NHS and got together with our neighbours without having to speak to them 
55. We learned to truly appreciate toilet paper 
56. We finally got to try out those restaurants we couldn’t afford during EOTHO
57. We can go make a cup of tea without having to offer making one for our colleagues
58. Grandparents became tech-savvy and embraced video calls 
59. We are all DIY experts now apparently 
60. The Himalayas became visible from parts of India for the first time in 30 years due to less air pollution 
61. We finally made time to read that one book we’ve been meaning to read for years
62. Healthcare workers, teachers and other essential workers are now our true heroes 
63. A Friends reunion was announced (although cancelled because of the pandemic, but you know, it got us excited there)
64. We could sleep in a bit longer on Mondays 
65. We learned to truly appreciate holidays abroad 
66. Going for walks became our new favourite pastime
67. Virtual dating became the only kind of dating and everyone embraced it 
68. Nigella Lawson taught us how to pronounce microwave correctly (FYI, it’s mee-cro-wavé)
69. Many museums went online so we could visit them from the comfort of our home
70. Being able to spend the work day with our pet 
71. People are going all in on the Christmas spirit with lots of decorations
72. Banksy resurfaced with a mask-themed piece of work on the tube
73. We finally gave TikTok a chance and now it’s our favourite pastime
74. Looking after our plants like they are actual babies 
75. We have a very dedicated one-way relationship with that one squirrel/bird/fox that can be spotted daily outside our window
76. Pet adoptions have skyrocketed
77. Less pollution around the world
78. This postman has been dressing up in hilarious costumes everyday to bring laughter to everyone quarantining 
79. A lot of people have started their own side hustles
80. The government launched a Kickstart Scheme to support young unemployed people in getting back into work 
81. Doing our chores during the day so we have more free time after work
82. Being able to eat to our heart’s content during Zoom meetings 
83. People have finally learnt the importance of personal hygiene
84. This Office Noise Simulator came into our lives so we didn’t have to go without printer noises and people tapping on the keyboard 
85. Drinking alcohol during the day without anyone realising
86. We could eat extremely weird lunches without anyone judging us 
87. No awkward nods in the office kitchen to the boss 
88. People are making a bigger effort to shop from small businesses
89. All the new innovations to help us stay connected such as Netflix Party and Houseparty
90. We learned to appreciate farmers more after attempting to grow our own vegetables
91. No queuing for the office toilet
92. Black Lives Matter shone an important light on issues that should have been tackled years ago 
93. We started appreciating sunsets more and took photos of pink skies like never before
94. Elon Musk and Grimes made us all go “????” when they announced the name of their newborn baby 
95. The UK became the first country to authorise a Covid-19 vaccine 
96. We have been able to experiment with alternative haircuts and facial hair without any major damage being done (or at least, not many people would see it)
97. We have managed to truly streamline how we work and adapt to remote working environments 
98. Drive-in movie theatres made a comeback
99. Footballer Marcus Rashford campaigned for free school meals for vulnerable children and succeeded in forcing the government to make a U-turn
100. This list
101. That the year is finally over