OPINION - February Recap

Thirty days have September, April, June, and November. All the rest have thirty-one, except for February, which has twenty-eight (except in a leap year when it has twenty-nine). That simple rhyme has helped me keep months straight for, well, as long as I can remember. So much so that every time the next year rolls around, as it inevitably does, I revisit my handy tune to discern the precise amount of time we will be spending in each month. The longer months, the shorter months, and … the outlier: February. Something about it is unique – it’s a reprieve from the smack in the face that is January and a bridge into the solid ‘yearness’ of March, if you know what I mean. February is also blissfully, enthusiastically, gleefully short. A break, so to speak. Though time may be an illusion (I’m looking at you, Kant), we have somehow managed to survive the first two full months of 2026! Though I don’t quite know how, I think we deserve a pat on the back. 

By far the shortest month of the year, February has been a whirlwind of news, music, pop culture in general, and sports. In less than twenty-eight days, we’ve experienced the Olympics, the Superbowl, the Grammys, and, unfortunately, a stomach turning amount of governmental corruption. There have been highs, lows, and everything in between. My personal favorite event was the fortnight of international acrobatics, worldly wonders, and athletic achievements commonly known as the Winter Olympics. This year, they were held in Milan and Cortina, two picturesque Italian cities perfect for snowy sports and icy endeavors. For the past two weeks, my house has been filled with the excited chatter of commentators, both in the form of professionals and my dad. But seriously, the Olympics are truly a treat. 

2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics: February 6 - February 22

The Milan Cortina Olympics were the first time in Olympic history that the role of host city has been shared. With some sports held in the city of Milan and the others taking place in the ski village of Cortina, Italy will go down in history as the first dual location Olympics. Despite the pressure to perform, Italy executed it wonderfully, and this year’s Olympics passed without a hitch. My personal favorite sport to watch has always been figure skating. I skated for a brief stint in elementary school, but quit after spraining my wrist. Deciding to leave it to the professionals, I still tune in to gasp at their breathtaking spins, jumps, and twirls. Let me tell you, this year’s figure skating was full of surprises. The gold medalist was California’s own Alysa Liu. Her exuberance and pure joy for her art is infectious, and, as I think we can all agree, it’s impossible to watch her perform without cracking a smile. With a smiley piercing and halo hair, the gen z champion skated to victory and into our hearts. 

Alysa Liu’s Gold Medal Winning Olympic Performance. Photo via Getty Images

The competition was fierce. Out of the twenty-four women skaters in the finals, three call the United States home: Isabeau Levito (18), Alysa Liu (20), and Amber Glenn (26) – aka the Blade Angels. Among others, they faced Japan's incredibly strong team. Kaori Sakamoto (25 – silver), the reigning champion, and the teenage prodigy Ami Nakai (17 – bronze) both skated their hearts out and displayed the very best of what their country had to offer. The Russian skater competing under the neutral flag, Adeliia Petrosian (18), was also a medal contender, but placed too low after falling during an attempted quad in her free skate.  

Adeliia Petrosian. Photo via Manesh Kumar, AP Photos

As for heartbreaks, there were many. For the women, it took shape in the form of Amber Glenn. Her career has not been easy. As the first openly queer woman in figure skating, Glenn has faced prejudice, and just missed the Olympic qualification for the past few cycles. At 26, she made her Olympic debut, and, unfortunately, a devastating mistake for all the world to see. During her short program, she missed a turn in the air, costing her seven points and putting her into 13th place leading up to the free skate. Still, it’s not all bad. Glenn’s free skate was extraordinary, and she finished fifth overall. 

Amber Glenn’s Free Skate. Photo via Reuters

The men had their fair share of disappointments as well. Ilia Malinin (21), the heavy favorite for the gold, succumbed to the pressure during his individual free skate. The self proclaimed ‘quad god’ explained later in an interview that he learned a lot at these Olympics, and, though he didn’t win an individual medal, he would dedicate the rest of his career to making his audience happy and, similarly to Alysa Liu, revel in the art form that is figure skating. 

However disastrous his free skate was, Malinin made it up in the figure skating gala. His poignant routine examined the nature of fear and pressure on the world’s stage. Malinin even brought back his now signature backflip, a previously outlawed technique first introduced by Surya Bonaly in 1998. Combined with Amber Glenn’s joyous program set to Lady Gaga, Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ sentimental ice dancing (which won them a silver in pairs figure skating), and Liu’s modern Pink Panthress routine, the gala was truly a treat. With 16 sports and over 100 medal events, there is plenty for everyone to enjoy. The US managed to take home 33 medals, breaking their previous record by a landslide. In fact, the US took home the second most medals overall, being surpassed only by Norway. Johannes Klæbo, a Norwegian cross-country skier, won gold in all six of his events. All in all, the 2026 Olympics were a wonderful spectacle, showcasing diplomacy and resilience alike. 

Ilia Malinin Performing a Backflip. Photo via Getty Images. 

The Grammys and the Superbowl

February also hosted two of the largest pinnacle events of the year: the start of award season and Superbowl LX. On February 1st, comedian and writer Trevor Noah stepped onto the stage once more to host his last Grammys, ending a six-year run. I have to admit – I’ll miss him. Noah never shied away from political commentary, but still managed to keep the Grammys a fun, joyful celebration of music and the artists that create it. The Grammys are quite possibly the award show I enjoy the most. Be it the stellar live performances or just feeling like you’re a part of something untouched by human evil, I love just sitting down and watching the best concert in the world. Everybody from Chappell Roan to Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar to Bad Bunny, and Doechii to Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter were there. Of course, the list goes on and on – one such group in attendance was New York’s favorite family band Lawrence (a brother and sister duo) – but, unfortunately, only the most popular categories are aired on television. 

Grammy nominated artists for Album of the Year. Photo via The Grammys

The show was full of life, and, if you didn’t catch it, I recommend you take an hour or two just watching the recorded performances on the official Grammy website. I promise, you won’t regret it. Even though they were all incredible, there’s one man that stood out for the whole of February, and he didn’t even perform at the Grammys! I’m talking about the one, the only, Bad Bunny. His album DTMF secured album of the year, and, the very next weekend, he delivered an absolutely outstanding Superbowl halftime show. Bad Bunny has been extremely vocal about MAGA and Donald Trump’s campaign of terror against immigrants, and his touching acceptance speech was both poignant and eloquent. We are all human, he reminds us, regardless of where we come from. 

Bad Bunny’s Superbowl Halftime Show. Photo via The New Yorker

Similarly, the Superbowl halftime show put forth a message of love and tolerance, all while celebrating the beautifully vibrant cultures of Latin America. Perhaps my favorite part of the performance was at the very end, where Bad Bunny announced “God Bless America” and proceeded to show the flags of all American countries, north and south. Though I couldn’t understand the lyrics of most of his songs (my Spanish is pitiful at best), everything from the costuming and choreography to the singing itself was flawless. It was, to put it simply, exuberant! In such dark times, a little bit of joy is very needed. 

Politics

I’m not going to spend long on this because, well, we’ve all been swamped with information for the past month…year…since September 2024. Take that however you will, but it is undeniable that this is a tumultuous period in history. In the past two months, the current administration has created a secret police that has kidnapped hundreds of people, murdered two US citizens in broad daylight, and started a war with Iran. Not to mention that the 45th and 47th president of the United States’ name appeared in the Epstein files over 38,000 times. So, has anyone been arrested? Well, let me clarify. Has anyone who actually did something wrong been arrested? Did we stop the death and destruction? Have we ended eight wars? Dare I say – are we great yet? 

Whatever your political affiliation, please, educate yourself. I’ve made it clear where I stand, but I’m not going to tell you what to think. Instead, I urge you to read banned books. Learn history and enlighten yourself about the rise of fascist governments. Read impartial news sources and ask yourself, is this what I really wanted? Is this what I voted for – or supported, if you’re a minor. I can’t force you to think, nor can I impose my morals upon you. But if you’ve gotten this far, then please, don’t close your eyes. Stay safe out there.