“The school lunch is gross today. I wouldn’t eat it, but I’m starving.”
“My parents are so lame. They bought a new car and made me drive the old one.”
“I hate my teacher. If he gives us one more test, I’m just going to drop out.”

Statements similar to those above illustrate the ignorance exhibited by privileged young adults. Members of suburban communities like our own seldom recognize and appreciate the privileges we have been allocated.

Inequality in any society is inevitable; if anyone is to have more, others must accept less. However, important issues like poverty, homelessness and hunger can be lost among the more superficial ones we often fixate on. When someone complains about the quality of the food on her plate, a student a few seats away will go home to an empty table. While stressed students rage about their heavy workloads, another adolescent sits without access to education. We tend to forget how lucky we are to have the resources, the safety, and the opportunities granted to us in this community.

We’re all guilty of it; we get comfortable with what we have, and we take it for granted. But when we don’t appreciate the societal advantages we have from living in such a great community and going to such an affluent school indicate when we need to check our privilege.

This in no way means that all students in the Northborough-Southborough district are wealthy and have been given every societal advantage, nor does it mean that all students take their advantages for granted. But the opportunities offered here at Algonquin surpass those that many other teens have access to. Not only do all of us have access to a high-quality education in a school that is safe, but many of us are able to drive to school in our own cars, have adequate sustenance, and a home to return to. Many of us even take for granted that we will go to college, while for many teenagers it is only an idol dream.

Instead of complaining about our used cars, or grumbling about the college we get accepted to, we should catch ourselves and take a moment to be thankful for our opportunities. Then, maybe we can take the next step to help others who don’t have the little things we may take for granted.

The unsigned editorial reflects the views of The Editorial Board.