Don’t take things for granted

I just returned to Cambridge after a two and a half week Eurotrip. And I don't have class again until next week.

Instead of a one-week spring break, British universities have a three-week Easter break. I was jealous. With three weeks, you have more time to travel or relax.

And when I got back, I wanted to see my friends. There was only one problem— they were doing homework. They had deadlines for assignments during the break. There was no class, but they still had to turn in papers.

The same is true of their Christmas break. They finish their normal class schedules, take a few weeks off for the holidays, and return to take their exams. The break allows for study time, but who wants to study during Christmas?

In the Netherlands, I stayed in a hostel and shared a room with people from various countries. When I mentioned I was taking a trip for the break, a Brazilian guy looked puzzled.

"What is spring break?" he asked. So I explained it was a week-long holiday from school.
He said in Brazil, students don't get breaks and go to school year-round.

I was shocked. Here I was, moaning about a one-week spring break being too short, and this guy didn't even get that much. Our break might be shorter than England's, but at least we don't have assignments during the break. And at least we get a break. And a whole three months of summer. How lucky we are.

Appreciate what you have. Not everyone has the same opportunities. There is always someone out there less fortunate, and not just because of the length of their breaks. Some people don't even get the opportunity to have an education. We take a lot of things for granted.

 I would say every time you envy someone else, think about what it would be like to have nothing. But the truth is, I don't think we, with all our luxuries, can really contemplate what it is like to have nothing. Just like it never occurred to me someone might not have a break, it doesn't occur to us on a daily basis that people are living with nothing at all.

 So before you complain about something in your life, think about saying it in front of someone who has it worse than you. Think about the envious look that person would give you how ashamed you would feel to be so ungrateful. Because to complain about your life just undermines all the good in it. And, chances are, there is someone out there who would do anything to have your life just as it is.

Shea Anderson can be contacted at anderson84@marshall.edu.