It's Easy to Take Things for Granted

Recognize what you have and appreciate it.

Originally published on August 1, 2016

It’s easy to take things for granted.

I felt like this is the right time of year to write an article like this. Summer is starting to close up, thoughts are turning to school beginning, and ideas of new beginnings and a fresh start are starting to creep up. This time of year is when high school students are looking at colleges, first-time college students are preparing for their transition, and current college students are gearing up for another year of learning and fun. Everyone is at a different place in their life, with different circumstances surrounding it.

But the thing all these students have in common is they are on the cusp of becoming adults. There are many changes going on in their lives, and I know I’m not alone when I say I am realizing all the things I have taken for granted.

There are many things first-time college students will notice right away. The main thing is you are completely in charge of yourself. The fact that your parents would do laundry or buy groceries and things like soap or drive you somewhere is no longer the case. Most of the people who read this article will be in college so they’ve already experienced this, but to those who are just starting out: enjoy the little things your parents do for you. College life is one without complete relaxation. In a way, it’s the transitionary period between childhood and adulthood and you are thrown enough changes to make yourself realize there is much you took for granted.

Another new thing in my life is the fact I have a job now, so my first month of summer and my second month of summer were completely different. For my first month, I basically did nothing. Sure, I cleaned my entire room and reintegrated myself into my house. I had free time to just relax and forget about schoolwork. Then a job opportunity fell into my lap, and within a few hours I had applied, was interviewed, and was hired. And while I am grateful for that job and what I have learned through it (an article on that later), I also realized I took my free time at the beginning of summer for granted. It was almost like I was quickly flipped from child to adult. Now, I work five days a week for over forty hours and in my free time I have to choose carefully what I do. Like while I was in school, I rarely see my family and don’t always realize what’s going on in their lives. So now I enjoy the little things like family dinners (I get to enjoy one as I finish writing this, because I had today off) more than usual, and, yes, try not to take them for granted.

It’s easy to take things for granted. The trick is to recognize these things and enjoy them while we can while at the same time appreciating them.