Welcome to Current Events Conversation, where each week we round up some of our favorite responses to one of our student writing prompts.
For many, the New Year is a hopeful time — a chance to look forward and start fresh. But in America, where cynicism is on the rise, that hopeful feeling can be harder to come by.
In “Hope in a Time of Cynicism,” Lauren Jackson interviews experts who tell her that while trust is down and anxiety is up, cultivating the belief in a better future can be an antidote.
We asked teenagers: What gives you hope in 2026?
They told us about the personal goals and milestones that were keeping them moving forward, including graduating from high school, getting a driver’s license, trying new hobbies, and building stronger bonds with their families and friends.
But they also reflected on the wider world. While many agreed that America has become a “country of cynics,” and others worried about the economy, climate change and political instability, the overwhelming majority refused to give in to despair. They found hope in technological advances, seeing people care for one another, watching their generation work to create a better society and even “The Great Meme Reset,” an online movement to abandon the era of brain rot. As one student put it, “I don’t have much faith left in the adults to fix this mess, but I do have hope for us.”
Thank you to those who joined the conversation this week, including students from Thomas A. Edison CTE High School in Queens, N.Y., and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Please note: Comments have been edited and condensed.
Many students viewed the New Year as an opportunity for a fresh start.
What gives me hope in 2026 is the idea of new beginnings and new opportunities. A new year feels like a chance to learn from the past and try again. I am looking forward to the new year because it gives me hope that things can improve and that good things are still possible.
To me, the new year is almost like a fresh start. I can leave unnecessary drama behind and think about what’s happening in the future, not the past. In this “fresh start” I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and friends more, being consistent with my grades, and focusing on sports. By the end of the year, I want to feel fulfilled and not regretful of any decisions I have made.
— Tessa, J. R. Masterman, Philadelphia, PA
Sometimes you just have to start over and get your life together after a hard year. I would say I’m looking forward to the new year because you never know what the future may bring.
— Daniella, Thomas A. Edison CTE HS
Some said they found hope in the opportunity to better themselves and achieve their goals.
One thing that gives me hope for 2026 is the opportunity to become a better person. This year I plan to focus more on school and my education so that I can be career ready. I am looking forward to being a hard worker. One hobby I am looking forward to improving is welding. I have been welding for a couple months now and I continue to get better at it, so I hope that by the end of this year I will be able to create projects for people. Each year is just another opportunity to become someone I’m proud of, one day at a time.
— Alejandro, Montclair High School
In 2026 the biggest thing that gives me hope is the start of a new chapter for me which is graduating high school and moving on to college. I know that the college that I’m going to will be the best possible environment for me to grow, which is why every day I wake up and look forward to the campus life.
— Jose, Thomas A. Edison CTE HS
What gives me hope is knowing that I’ll finally be able to be more free. I’ll get my permit and finally be able to drive. I’ll be old enough to get a job and make my own money and not have to rely on my parents all the time. And then right before school starts up again, I’ll have my license. And I’m starting to finally have enough courage to ask for help in school so I don’t fall behind and fail. And with the new year I want to try new things and get back into reading.
This may seem a bit vanilla, but my biggest hope for 2026 is that I could at least learn how to keep my mental health in check. Last year was quite rough, but this year I’d like to improve on some things like coping skills and just make myself a mentally healthier person for not just me, but my peers and family as well.
In 2026, something that gives me hope are the people I chose to surround myself with. For the longest while I’ve struggled with meeting new people and making friends. I’ve changed who I am in order to fit in numerous times, and I’ve regretted it so much. It’s hard to constantly pretend to be someone I’m not. Toward the end of 2025, I’ve learned that there are people out there who like me for who I am and not for the person I pretend to be. I have people in my life now who cheer me on during my darkest time and who constantly show me that there’s always light in every tunnel. I’ve taught myself how to keep the people who have faith and believe in me and to stop keeping those who don’t.
— Sarah, Thomas A. Edison CTE HS
Others were buoyed by the social, cultural and technological changes taking place.
Something that gives me hope for 2026 is the technical advancements and improvement in artificial intelligence. Last year we were able to create a fully thinking robot that can do his own form and have his own thoughts. Now this year maybe they’ll create robots in real life for cleaning or personal care. There’s also been talk of future space missions during this year that could revolutionize rockets. I also hope there are inventions of different objects or materials that could help disabled people with their disability.
Something that gives me hope in 2026 is The Great Meme Reset. I’m happy that this is happening because now I will hear less people say 67 whenever 6 or 7 is mentioned. I am looking forward to no more brainrot too.
— Susan, Julia R. Masterman, Philadelphia, PA
What gives me hope in 2026 is watching young people such as myself actively push back against misinformation and speak up for the truth. Growing up in one of the world’s most diverse communities means I am constantly exposed to meaningful stories, from immigrant experiences to local activism. Journalism motivates me because it transforms my curiosity into responsible storytelling and accountability. I feel hopeful seeing a stronger emphasis on media literacy, which teaches students how to report carefully and ethically in a digital-first world.
What gives me hope in 2026 is the quiet, ordinary evidence that people haven’t given up on one another. For all the data about rising cynicism, I keep noticing small counter-currents like teenagers organizing mutual-aid drivers, neighbors trading homemade food after long workdays, students choosing collaboration over competition. These aren’t headline moments, but they ready like early signals of a culture trying to rebuild itself.
— Manisha, Thomas A. Edison CTE HS
After everything that’s happened the past few years, I’m starting to see people care more about the planet, about mental health, about each other. That gives me hope. I see my friends pushing themselves, trying new things, and actually talking about what matters. Even though the world still has problems, I feel like our generation isn’t afraid to face them.
Several students, though, found little reason to believe in the future, reflecting the view of a majority of Americans.
Eighty percent of Americans don’t think that the next generation will have a better life than their parents; as a member of that “next generation,” I don’t agree nor disagree. I think it is easy to believe so because the world is becoming harder and harder to live in as the average person. Inflation and futuristic technology is a completely different aspect of life that the “next generation” has grown up with, while the previous generation didn’t. Our parents may have had better lives because they didn’t have to deal with all the societal demands and changes that technology has. Additionally, it was simply easier to live when the cost of living was cheaper. However, it is hard to completely agree because the future is so unpredictable. Maybe because of the development of technology, life will be more enjoyable as it becomes easier to do things. The enjoyment of life may just be different as the world changes.
2025 was a terrible year. I do agree with lots said in this article. And while it is powerfully said that “hope is the belief ‘that we have the power to make it so,’” I still have no hope for 2026. 2025 was filled with hatred, violence, and a polarized government that I don’t see getting any better in 2026. Daily, horrific events occur that expose that we are trending in a direction that is the opposite of what America is said to be. The land of the free has never been more constricted. The land of opportunity has never deported more people. 2026 is going to be a lot worse.
I tend to feel pessimistic about the general state of the world because there are many negative things happening, such as A.I.’s effect on people’s jobs and the environment, global warming, the marginalization of many minorities, and more.
The media and news are so full with hate now that you have to just get used to it. From people arguing online to feel something, to political figures trying to beat around the bush and distract us, and to the economy rapidly spiraling and spiraling, you can’t really avoid the negativity. And I wish I could be hopeful about the future, but the reasons I wish I could are outnumbered by the reasons I can’t.
— Hao, Thomas A Edison CTE HS NYC
However, many others said they see hope not as a mood, but as an action — a choice to believe that a better future is possible.
I’m heading into 2026 with a sense of hope because every new year opens the door to change, even when the world feels uncertain. The mood in America has indeed grown more cynical, but I try to hold on to a grounded kind of optimism. I’ve seen how small choices and everyday actions can create real shifts. And while many people believe the next generation is destined for a harder life, I’m not entirely convinced. Our future may not look like the past, but we have the creativity and resilience to shape it into something better.
With a growing amount of education, the power of having a better society is in the hands of the people. I, myself, want to become a lawyer so I can do good for the world and I know that so many other kids feel the same. If you look at things through a better mind-set and optimism, you’ll start noticing the beauty and hope in life.
— Tanvir, Thomas A. Edison CTE HS
As we go into 2026, I think the thing that gives me the most hope is the potential for change. This past year has been a whirlwind, and in my opinion, a shift into a very dark and uncertain time both for the U.S. and for the world. It’s fair to say that in 2025 there was a lot of bad. It was a year filled with hate, unjust violence, and a scary amount of ignorance from people we are supposed to trust and respect.
That being said, if anything came from the fear and anger, it was a resolve to change, especially among young people. While this year was absolutely a rough one, it also built community and inspired what could be a generation of hope and a goal to make things better. I really hope that 2025 was enough of a wake up call for meaningful change in 2026, because while hope is good, it’s nothing without action. It’s one thing to hope for things to get better, it’s another to work toward that. Hope needs to be the catalyst, not the end all be all.
In this unprecedented and authoritarian era of the U.S., I really hope that things like art and community will resurface for the better. The best art is made in the darkest times because it’s made to bring people togetherness and comfort, and so I hope we see more creation and action as we enter into this next year, especially from younger generations. I don’t have much faith left in the adults to fix this mess, but I do have hope for us.
As we grow tired it can become difficult to think beyond our current struggles, but it is imperative we find the energy. Believing in a future, a world where the next day can be different, will inspire present action. The future can be a place where we all live, free from misery and violence. Maybe that future is closer than we think.
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The post Teenagers on What Gives Them Hope in 2026 appeared first on New York Times.
