We don’t have to, we get to. Stop thinking that every aspect of your life is mandatory because it isn’t.

Start acting like all of things in life are a privilege, because they are.

Myself, along with many other Americans, take almost 99% of our daily lives for granted. The air we breathe, the friends and family we see every day, our Dunkin Donuts coffee, our showers and microwaves, cars and iPhones. How many times a day do you look down and think, “Wow, I am so thankful for my cellphone.” Probably not since the day you got it.

My all-time favorite taken-for-granted privilege, is higher education. Walking around my small, private college campus, heading to my 8:00am class, surrounded by people with Nike sneakers, Michael Kors bags, iPhones and MacBook’s and all I can hear is morning groans and complaints. To walk into a class room, to find unprepared students on their cellphones, miserable at the fact they are in a classroom is something that breaks my heart. I am not quite sure why I, as a twenty year old college student, feel so passionate about this topic but, HELLO?! I am sorry, but where is the disconnect when it comes to the understanding that no one is forcing you to do this, and there are people on this planet who do not even have the option to go to grade school?!

It is such a disgrace to see people taking education for granted. Education, especially college, is not a choice everyone has. Never mind in the world, but in America alone. Instead of complaining about your wifi not connecting, you not having cellphone service, the fact you have to get up to go to work or school, no matter if it is your idea of a perfect day or not, be thankful. Be thankful you have an opportunity, material item or privilege that millions do not. One of my favorite sayings is that “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone” because it is so accurate. Keep complaining about finals and 8:00ams. Okay, so how far will you get in this country without them?

We get to wake up everyday. We get to breathe oxygen. We get to pick up the phone and call our family. We get to leave our country whenever we want. We are all so privilege. Appreciate the little things. Your education, your job, your health, because if those don't matter, then what does?