Taking the time to be grateful

November is a time of great stress for students, especially for seniors. It is crunch time for the 12th-graders who have to finish the last of their college applications.

With winter sports and the second marking period having started, the school is bustling. The theater department just put on its first show of the year, “Mamma Mia,” and all of the clubs are starting to plan their events and fundraisers. With all of this craziness, students tend to lose focus of what is truly important. 

During this time, stress levels peak for students. My yoga and wellness teacher at Hewlett High School taught my class one of the most important lessons I received in my education thus far: the impact of gratitude.

If each day when you wake up, she told us, you think of one thing that you are grateful for, then you will start off your day in a great mood. It could be something small, or it could be something monumental. If you think about all of the things that you are grateful for rather than all of the things that you wish you had, you will live a much more fulfilling life.  

As I think about all of the things I have to be grateful for, it is impossible not to acknowledge all of the opportunities that I have the ability to take advantage of in Hewlett-Woodmere. I feel incredibly lucky to be a student in a school district with so much support offered to students. With teachers often coming into school early, giving up their own lunch, or voluntarily staying past their last period at the end of the day to meet with students for extra help, there is clearly no lack of support for students.

I am appreciative of the fact that administrators are willing to listen to student’s concerns about everything from a lack of school spirit to the desire to change the date of prom. I am excited about all of the opportunities that we have at Hewlett High, ranging from the Pre-Med Club to the fencing team. And, I am thankful that there is a solid support system for any student who seeks it out; between guidance counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and teachers, students are able to get support whenever they need it. 

While preparing for the impending changes in the future, being my graduation from high school and ultimate continuation of my education in college, I find it hard to believe that not every student is exposed to the same opportunities that I am.

So, I urge all students that the next time they think about all of the things they might dislike about school, take a deep breath and try to change your mindset. Rather than think about all of the things you dislike, look at everything that you could possibly be grateful for. The way that your perspective changes will definitely surprise you.