With the results of a controversial election and an abundance of tragedies, many on social media were quick to label 2016 as the worst year ever. Though some students on campus share that perspective, others found plenty to appreciate in their own sphere of influence.

“For me, 2016 was okay,” said Emily Alnwick. “It was a year of new beginnings. In the social and political world I think it was a really bad year.”

Alnwick, 19, is a psychology major who started her first semester in 2016. Like many on campus, Alnwick lamented the turn of events last year. The controversial presidential election and the numerous celebrity deaths have taken a toll on students. Yet despite this, some students found opportunities for personal growth.

“There were some hard parts about last year,” said Dominic Tanner, 18, who is an athlete and a finance major. “Starting college was pretty rough. It was hard getting used to the way it works around here.”

For Tanner, there were a few saving graces for last year. Some of his highlights included graduating high school, achieving academic honors, and getting a car. Others such as Eli Edward, a 19-year-old chemistry major, found success in athletics. After being inactive for two years, Edward and other team members managed reinstate the track team.

“It was a great year and the team did great,” Edward said. “The only thing I wish for was more training last year to be my best.”

Edward came in first in his conference for the 110-meter hurdle. In addition, Edward qualified for state and earned attention from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This capped off a successful year for both himself and his team.

Carly Balster, a 18-year-old business and graphic design major, said 2016 was a good year for her too. She graduated high school and survived her first semester at Moorpark College.

“It was a good learning experience for me,” Balster said. “I grew up a lot.”

She attributes her growth to her family and friends who had a major influence on her in her youth. Others like Mitchell Nagy, a 19-year-old film major, found inspiration in artists including the musician David Bowie, who died this past year.

“I was sad at the moment of David Bowie’s death,” Nagy said. “He was one of my favorite artist and was one of the most influential people of his time.”

There was a tragic abundance of celebrity deaths this past year from Alan Rickman who played Professor Snape in the Harry Potter franchise, to Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame. This torrent of death seemed to rob many of their heroes at a time when a significant amount of change was occurring on the political landscape.

“I’m concerned about Trump being president,” Eric Litwak 19, said. “It’s a scary year. There’s a lot of change coming.”

Despite the amount of change causing alarm in some, many on campus have found opportunities to improve or learn about themselves. As we continue into 2017, some like Arnel Ainza, who works at the Copy Center, are taking a more hopeful perspective.

“I would expect 2017 to be better than 2016,” said Ainza.

Now that’s something we can all get behind.

Members of the Student Voice Staff contributed to this article.