Good food, good people, and good vibes are just three of the things to describe Thanksgiving. It’s a wonderful holiday that serves as a great reminder to stop focusing on what we don’t have and be thankful for what we do have. There are a number of things to be grateful for at West Ottawa. Taking a minute to be thankful for the little things in school that most of us take for granted is important.
Walking in between buildings: WO students are fortunate to be able to stretch their legs and enjoy the fresh air in between classes. This may not be very appreciated during the winter months, but being able to walk outside with friends and watch the leaves change during autumn, or watch the flowers bloom in spring is a true gift. “I love walking in between buildings and I know that a lot of kids complain about that. But, it’s so nice after being stuck in a classroom for almost an hour. It’s nice because you get to talk to friends and you have a little free time to just look at nature and get fresh air,” Jr. Leah Heidema said.
The library: Students have a chance to read as many of books as they please and for FREE. 40,194 books are available in both buildings for every student. The average book costs around 18 dollars, but no worries for the students at WO because of the incredible libraries. “The libraries in the high school are a nice way to read as many books as you want and you don’t even have to buy them here. Books are expensive and I’m an avid reader. I always run down to the library really quick if I want a book and I don’t even think about the fact that some schools don’t have libraries. And, we have two, one in each building, which is really nice,” Sr. Alexis Bron said.
The school’s wifi: Some students complain that the wifi is “too slow”. Although it may not be the quickest, it sure gets the job done. Students get to check their grades often, complete assignments through Google Classroom, and check social media in between classes. Another benefit of the wifi provided is that we get to have the amazing West Ottawan website to present the school news. “The wifi is really useful so we don’t have to use up data on our phones. Data is expensive and I wouldn’t want to use it up for school projects,” Soph. Madison Senesaynho said.
Transportation: Most parents are freed of the burden to take take time off work in order to bring their kids to school and back home every day thanks to school buses. “I’ve heard people who ride the bus complain that their parents can’t take them to school, but that is what the buses are for. I think that transportation is easily taken for granted because there are some people have to walk to school,” Soph. Jayla Vanmaurick said. Over time, people forget to be thankful for the buses and the bus drivers. The next time your bus driver picks you up or drops you off, say thank you to let them know you appreciate the transportation.
While at times it seems that life is chaotic, or someone always has it better, we all know that there are countless of things to be thankful for.
