We are officially done with one-third of 2026. I have no idea where the time has gone. It seems like yesterday I was celebrating the new year with my family and braving blizzards. The past few months were filled with canceled plans and a brutal winter I had not experienced in ages. And then just like that, trees began to show signs of new life, tulips began to pop up, and life was in bloom again. The Mayor successfully completed his 100-day hurdle and the country is attempting to live a normal life in the shadow of an unexplained war.
A lot has happened this first third of the year and I am trying to take it all in stride. I have been treating myself to some great theater, both on and off Broadway. I have been making time to see friends and really connect in an almost pre-Covid way. However, I, like many others, feel the weight of work and busy schedules.
I like to look at an entire calendar year as a series of new beginnings. Not only is each day or each hour an opportunity for a new beginning, but each month can bring forth an entirely new reset. Sometimes I think about a reset at the new moon, or sometimes I think of a reset on the first day of the month.
If I do a quick lookback on the first four months of 2026, I went to 11 Knicks games, 10 plays, two musical events, but only one museum. I only read one book for pleasure and am starting to think I need to follow my sister’s lead and switch to audiobooks so I can enjoy novels and memoirs on my commute each day. I must also be more intentional about enjoying the amazing museums in NYC. I love the Tenement Museum, but it’s been ages since I explored the Museum of the City of NY, Museo del Barrio, The Met, or MOMA.
For those who read the column regularly, you are aware of my love of birding and tree-hugging. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Prospect Park, and Central Park are the ideal places for a nature fix and a nice stroll. As the weather continues to get better, I am trying to see more of my city. I always enjoy a long walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or a good meal in Chinatown.
We still have eight months to make the most of 2026. We must begin to prepare for the June elections in NYC and come up with a plan for new adventures for the remaining two-thirds of the year. So, what’s on your 2026 wish list? Make a list and be intentional about enjoying this year.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.