Thanksgiving is just a few days away and a lot of generous and kind fundraising efforts have been made to help the less fortunate during the holidays.

I know that CAP (Community Acton Project) is working especially hard to raise money for the overflow shelter in New Haven. If money isn’t raised the shelter will shut down in February due to a lack of funding-this will leave many out on the street during the cold winter.

I encourage all of you to drop your spare change at their table in the Student Center this week. The 75 cents in your pocket may not mean much to you right now but a little can go a long way in a fundraiser.

As I listen to all of the positive and helpful steps that CAP is taking to help those who are not as fortunate as many Quinnipiac students, I’ve been thinking about the things that really matter in my life. I thought about doing one of those hand-traced turkeys that I use to make in elementary school where I would write one thing I was thankful for on each finger-but I opted against that idea and instead I thought I’d put it down on paper.

First and foremost, I am incredibly grateful for my friends and family. I’m sure that many of you would say the same, and as trite of an answer it may be, they are the most important people in my life. My family has helped me grow into the person I am and they got me to where I am today. I am fortunate to have a great relationship with my parents and they mean more to me than they will ever know. My friends teach me new things everyday and are by my side no matter what. Their guidance and advice is helping me develop into my own as I travel through these four crazy years that we call college.
Secondly, I am thankful for my education. I know that Quinnipiac University is a great institution and it is a privilege for me to be here, not a right. I thank my parents all the time for letting me go to a school that is ridiculously expensive; however, I know that having a degree from QU will be worth every penny after graduation.

Third, I am happy, proud and grateful that Barack Obama is going to be leading our country. I strongly believe that he is capable of changing the United States for the better and I can’t wait to watch the next four years to see all of the wonderful things he will do for us. I realize not everyone will agree with my opinion, but there is no arguing that it is an unbelievable and amazing accomplishment that our country has elected an African-American as our next president.

I’m thankful that I’m alive to take part in this monumental change in our nation, and I know that some people are not ready for it but hopefully they will come around soon. I think that some students at Quinnipiac should take note of this change as well and stop the hate that has been happening on our campus. I do not know the exact details or the people directly involved in the hate crimes, but as a whole our school should recognize that we now have an African-American as the president of the United States. That statement alone should speak for itself.

Fourth, I’m thankful for technology and the way that it has enhanced our way of life. Do you think you could go a day without your cell phone, iPod or laptop? Or even just one of the three? What about those of you who have the iPhone – all three of the gadgets in one. Could you get rid of it? I know I couldn’t go without my cell phone. The advancements and changes that our culture has made in technology between our parents’ generation and ours is incredible. The internet alone is amazing. There is no stopping the growth and changes that the Internet will do to our society. Soon there will no longer be print newspapers, banking will be only online and a college education can be earned online. Maybe the Internet will hurt occupations in the long run, but for now I think the way it helps our everyday life is incredible.

Finally, as strange as it may sound, I am so grateful for humor. I truly believe that laughter is one of the best medicines and it is generally associated with good times with friends and family. Comedy lightens up a tense mood and if I’m having a down day nothing brightens it up more than a good laugh. I realize that laughter is not on the same level as education or the next president of the United States, but it is on my list of things I’m grateful for and I wouldn’t be able to get by without it.

The list could go on but I wanted to mention the first five that came to my mind. As the holiday season approaches I ask all of you to take a few minutes to think about what you’re thankful for. It might open your eyes to the bigger picture of life and take a little stress off the problems you might be worrying about right now. Any sort of drama or problems you’re going through will probably seem a lot less troublesome once you get the more important things in life on your mind. Happy Holidays!