By, JORDAN GREEN, Editor-in-Chief

It’s safe to say that most folks are glad 2020 is over. But we’ll never forget some of the defining moments that made the year one of the most shocking years in our history as a nation —and as a university.

From the coronavirus pandemic to the presidential election and civil unrest, the year gave us new challenges. Yet it also gave us the opportunity to learn more about ourselves and those around us. We learned how to grow close with one another — while staying six feet apart, of course.

We’ll never forget 2020. And these are the pictures we will always remember.

— Jordan Green, editor-in-chief

Above: Yosbelli Lora poses for a portrait on Sept. 17. Lora overcame a weekslong battle with the coronavirus. She was one of dozens of students at Northwestern who contracted the virus.

Above: The hallway to the university bookstore was dark and quiet on March 20 after the university shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Students switched to virtual learning formats and completed the spring semester online.

Above: Justin Meyer and Madison Wilson share a kiss during a performance of “Almost, Maine” in February. The Northwestern theater program hosted the performance, which was the last show before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Above: Members of the Northwestern women’s cross country team wear masks while running around the university football field during a Sept. 15 practice. University athletes were required to wear masks and practice social distancing after returning to campus.

Above: The Northwestern Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Karsten Longhurst, rehearses outdoors by the library on Sept. 23. To allow for social distancing, various classes were moved to larger spaces.

Above: A voting booth is shown at the Woods County Fairgrounds on Nov. 3. Voters across the nation took to the polls to elect a new president. Democrat Joe Biden beat Donald Trump, who was elected in 2016. Dr. James Bell’s introduction to films class met in a socially-distanced room in Carter Hall in October.