The clock has sprung forward, the days are getting warmer, and the rain is becoming a more frequent friend these days. I just can’t help but think of the many great things that are still to come for the remainder of 2023. From the annual excitement of new movies being released, to new environmental movements, here is a short list of things I (and many others) are looking forward to!
1. For the weather to start settling down…almost. With the weather slowly warming up, I remember the saying that “April showers bring May flowers”, which means we can see rain practically every other day already. But on days when I’m not working or rushing between classes (so rarely), I really treasure the mornings where I’m able to just be stuck in bed, with a warm cup of tea and my laptop, while enjoying the soft sounds of the pitter patter of rain on my window. Make sure to keep a jacket or umbrella on hand!
2. Upcoming fashion trends 2023. I’m the farthest away from being a fashionista, but I do love watching the seasonal fashion shows! After going through several articles from W Magazine, Refinery29, Elle, and InStyle, to name a few, I noticed quite a few trends seemed to overlap. It seems like the 90s are back! Low rise pants, sequins, maxi skirts, and denim-on-denim are coming back in full swing. Other trends include the coming back of sheer fabrics, fringes, and large and eye-catching bags are going to be making their way back into Spring fashion as well. For those looking to add more color to their wardrobes, consider adding some cobalt blue, candyfloss pink, or red.
3. Movies, movies, movies! This year, there are quite a few highly anticipated movies to be released. Starting off with “John Wick: Chapter 4,” having been released in theaters this past week, is the latest installment in the popular John Wick franchise. With the release of the Live-Action Little Mermaid movie starring Halle Bailey as Ariel and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, we can expect to see full seats upon the movie’s release in late-May this year (I know I’ll be there!). Then, in June is the release of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, ” which may be the last time Indiana Jones fans will be seeing Harrison Ford don his iconic hat and whip. November is the planned release for “Dune: Part Two,” the sequel to the 2021 film continuing the story of Paul Atreides as he fights to control the desert planet Arrakis. And lastly, the most highly anticipated movie, for me at least, is Barbie, starring Margot Robbie as Barbie in the iconic doll’s first ever live-action movie set to be in theaters late-July.
4. MUSIC LOVERS: Where Ya’ll At? We’ve already seen Rihanna make her big return to music with her Super Bowl halftime show back in February, and she did it with a baby bump even! Other major performers I’m looking forward to HOPEFULLY seeing (at least one) include Taylor Swift (Eras tour: March 17th to August 9th), Beyonce (Renaissance tour: July 8th to September 27th), Lizzo (Special 2our: April 21st to June 2nd), Janet Jackson (Together Again tour: April 14th to June 21st), Pentatonix (World tour: August 9th to September 14th), Arctic Monkeys (The Car tour: August 25th to October 1st), and even KISS (End Of The Road tour: October 29th to December 1st). And we cannot forget the return of singer and songwriter Kelela, who made her debut back in 2013 with her mixtape, Cut 4 Me, and is now back again on the road after a 5-year hiatus with her new album, Raven.
5. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. My cousins are big soccer fans, and the Women’s World Cup is taking place in New Zealand and Australia from July 20th to August 20th. Teams from Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America will be making their mark, especially as we see Team USA as the current defending champions, having earned four titles in the previous years.
6. Student Loans Pause. For those who were dreading the resumption of student-loan payments this year, there has been an extension, potentially until August! With the student-debt forgiveness plan still being mulled over, student borrowers like you and me, can one more (big) thing pushed back off our minds. Not sure who in their right mind would allow 18-year-olds to take out massive loans, but we’re gonna have a break for now.
7. Amazon comes back. I’m not talking about the multinational e-commerce company under Jeff Bezos, but more like the Amazon forest, aka the “Earth’s lungs.” For those intrigued by international politics, new leaders in Brazil and Columbia have promised to make big steps in protecting the rainforest in hope of saving the ecosystem from disappearing. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has replaced Jair Bolsonaro, who previously unleashed a wave of forest burning and river poisoning during his years in office. Now, with environment minister Marina Silver and Lula back in office, the iconic duo are back again to punish deforestations protesters, drive out mining camps, and bring the Amazon rainforest back to its former glory.
