Yes, it is that time again; it is the time to give to others, appreciate all that you have, and not take anything for granted. However, the problem is that not everyone acknowledges what he or she has.

“I know for a fact that I take so much for granted, and I really wish I didn’t,” Sarah Holcombe,  junior, said.

Most would say that they are thankful to have clothes and a place to come home to after a long day at school, sports, or work. However, many Etowah students do not have this luxury. What many people do not realize is that some people do not have a cozy house to relax in. Etowah has students who are homeless. Heritage Presbyterian Church partners with Etowah to provide those students with weekend food bags.

“I didn’t know that students at Etowah were homeless. If I knew, I think I would have helped them out,” Aidan Cumby, freshman, said.

Students who think their lives are over because they do not have the new iPhone or gaming console, should rethink their situation and put themselves in someone else’s shoes. They do not need fancy things to be happy in life, just be thankful because there is someone living in worse conditions than they are.

“One Christmas, I did not get the phone I really wanted. I was so mad, but then I realized that I was so lucky for getting anything,” Jack Porbiansky, junior, said.

Many students this year are showing how thankful they are by giving back to their community. Students from Etowah are donating to homeless shelters and volunteering at soup kitchens. Students who may not get exactly what they want this year need to realize that what they have is plenty and to be thankful and appreciative.