As 2022 prepares to take its exit, chances are this year could be summed up in a couple of words, one of them being “eventful”. From laws being passed, to never-would-have-guessed cheating scandals, to being accused of human trafficking and well, Kanye West? It’s been an interesting and at some points shocking batch of months. The year started off quietly then it just.. Happened. Let’s take it from February with this genuine “in my lifetime I never thought” moment, the still ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
FEBRUARY 2022
1. Russia invaded Ukraine – Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, announced an invasion into Ukraine. Minutes after this announcement was made, missiles and airstrikes struck the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv and a number of other cities. As it stands, it is currently more than 310 days since the Russia-Ukraine war started. On December 29th, Ukraine received the largest missile attack since the war started as Russia launched missiles at them. That same day, the United States and fellow nations in agreement made the decision to cut off Russia’s access to the world.
2. Tom Brady announced his NFL retirement.
MARCH
1. SlapGate: Will Smith vs Chris Rock at The Oscars
At this year’s Oscars, Will Smith struck comedian and host Chris Rock across the face. The world. Stopped.
Chris Rock, while in the middle of presenting the award for Best Documentary was in his element being a comedian. While clowning on people he directed his attention to Jada saying “Jada, I love you, G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it.” This was a nod to Jada’s bald look. Smith, who picked up on his wife’s eye-roll, went to the stage and struck Chris Rock across the face. This left the audience and onlookers via television confused, shocked and a bit uncomfortable and very much doubtful. Many questioned the authenticity of the instantly viral moment. Turns out it was very real.
2. Tom Brady announced he’s returning to the NFL.
APRIL
1. Twitter for Sale
Business magnate and investor Elon Musk acquired the deal to buy Twitter. The platform accepted his bid of $44 billion.
MAY
1. The Uvalde School Shooting
By the time May came around, school shootings weren’t a new thing. In fact on May 24, the 27th school shooting of the year took place and it was named deadliest since the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. The shooter, Salvador Ramos, shot his grandmother then texted his plans (“Ima go shoot up a(n) elementary school rn (right now)” to a Germany-based teenager he recently met online, and the fact that he just shot his grandmother (“I just shot my grandma in her head.”). Salvador, 18, made his way to Robb Elementary School with guns and ended the lives of two adults and nineteen children. He spent just over an hour in the school before he was shot dead by law enforcement. This shooting in particular drew attention immediately and a question that plagued many people’s mind’s was “how did he manage to stay in the school for one hour?”
JUNE
The Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that established the constitutional right to abortion. Roe since 1973 had permitted abortions during the first two trimesters of pregnancy in the United States.
SEPTEMBER
The former Queen was Britain’s longest-serving monarch and died at 96 after seven decades on the throne; her son Charles became king.
2. Adam Levine cheating scandal
Levine, 40, was revealed to have allegedly cheated on his Victoria Secret Model wife, Behati Prinsloo, with an Instagram Model, Sumner Stroh. It was reported that he asked Stroh via Instagram Direct Messages if he can use her name to name his soon-to-be-born child.
OCTOBER
1. Twitter – SOLD: Elon Musk acquires Twitter
2. Kanye West – Lost billionaire status, temporarily banned from Twitter and Instagram, received tons of backlash for White Lives Matter shirt debut, made antisemtic comments, said that George Floyd died from drug abuse, dropped by agents, banks and many big brands.
3. Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen announce divorce
NOVEMBER
1. Shanquella Brenada Robinson (January 9, 1997 – October 29, 2022) was an American businesswoman, founder of a women’s fashion clothing line, hairstylist and social media personality from North Carolina, United States. Shanquella, while on vacation with friends in Mexico, was killed. She died on October 29, 2022. Her death is still being investigated.
2. Ye For President
Kanye announced he’s running for 2024 President
3. Crypto Collapse
Cryptocurrency platform FTX filed for bankruptcy protection
4. The End of KimYe
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian settle their divorce. Kanye is to pay Kim $200, 000 per month in child support
DECEMBER
1. Brittney Griner Is Freed
Two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women’s national basketball team and a six-time WNBA All-Star, Britney Griner was freed. After getting caught with marijuana in Russia in February, Britney was facing 9 years in a Russian prison. However, Griner was released on December 8th via a prisoner swap. America got Griner and Russia, Viktor Anatolyevich Bout, an arms dealer known as The Merchant of Death.
2. FTX Founder, CEO Sam Bankman-Fried Is Charged with fraud and conspiracy.
3. Indonesia passed a criminal code banning sex outside of marriage.
4. Protection for Same-Sex Marriages and Interracial Marriages signed. This allows states to give federal recognition to same-sex and interracial marriages that took place in US states where they are legal.
5. Football Frenzy – Argentina Wins the World Cup
6. Kanye West reported missing
7. Bill Cosby announces Tour – He’s looking at a comedy comeback tour in 2023 after his release from prison. Cosby was convicted of sexual assault and served nearly three years in prison before it was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2021.
8. Andrew Tate arrested in Romania under human trafficking and drug charges
9. A legend dies
All-time football GOAT, Pelé, dies at the age of 82. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was named “the greatest” by FIFA, having scored 77 goals in 92 games for his country and team, Brazil, leading them to 3 World Cup victories. At the club level, Pelé was the top goal-scorer for Santos FC, scoring a whopping 643 goals over 659 games.
What a series of months. And talk about going out with a bang! Let’s see what this fresh batch of twelve we’re about to receive just might turn out to be.
Cheers to 2023!
