It’s December 15. One more day until the 2 wonderful weeks of rest and relaxation known as Winter Break.

In just one day, the rigor and tension of school will be put aside for holiday leisure. For some seniors however, the day before break is a day of apprehension: this year it is also the day that many colleges notify their early decision/early action applicants if they have been accepted, or not.

Not everyone applies early, but those who do tend to do so for their top-choice college/colleges. Thinking about whether the school of your dreams has found you worthy or has rejected you can be nerve-wracking. But, as many wise editors have repeated before me, rejection does not mean the end of the world. It just means that you would fit in and flourish better somewhere else. And that somewhere else will hopefully notify you in the spring.

While it’s still too early to ramble on about choosing the right college (let’s save that for March) it’s a good time to talk about “the end of the world.” With election results out, some foresee doom for America. On the other hand, some foresee a new start. In a way, it’s like getting your ED/EA notification: there are only two options (Hillary or Trump, accepted or not.) Results come out and seems like a triumph or a defeat. And once you know the results, it’s still too early to tell what the future is going to be like.

We don’t get into the college we want, and so we adapt and look for other options. If we can do that, then we can do the same in response to the election. Don’t think of it as the end of the world. Instead, find a way to adapt. Find a compromise. Find a way to stay together and not fall apart, both as an individual, and as a nation. Because staying together is essential if you and I and all of us want to have a sustainable future.

Many consider 2016 a flop, but 2017 can be different. Think about what you want to accomplish in 2017. What do you want to do as a class of 2021 college freshman, as a young job-seeking adult, as a 2017-2018 senior, as a sophomore who’s finally ascended from the bottom of the food chain, as a US citizen, as a nation? What’s past is past, what’s past is important, but what’s ahead is important too.

Let’s move on, look forward, and make 2017 great.