As students attending a prestigious private school in a nice city in the United States of America, we here at STA sure do complain a lot. Whether it’s Bistro Kids, teachers, the weather or the iPhone update making your phone a few seconds slower while loading Instagram, you can walk across the quad during passing period and hear girls complaining about anything and everything, no matter how big or small.

First of all, I want to make clear that I am not trying to point fingers; I too complain about things about which we really shouldn’t complain – like the weather. We get it, the weather in Kansas City is ridiculous: it’s warm and sunny one day, then cold and gloomy the next. Guess what? There is nothing we can do about it. There is literally not one thing that can be done to change the weather situation. So why do we complain about it every chance we get?

I’m not saying that we should all quit complaining cold turkey, because then we would all complain about the lack of complaining in our society. I’m just saying that we should all try to wake up each morning and think of three things we are grateful for. You, reading this, do it right now. Think of three things you are grateful for. For me it’s my best friends, my family and the fact that summer is less than a semester away.

When you think of something that just really grinds your gears, it annoys you to no end and all you want to do in the world is complain about it. Don’t. Don’t let one negative thing come out of your mouth. Instead try to think of the bright side. For example, when Bistro Kids runs out of food and you are stuck with nothing to eat and all you want to do is complain about how this happens to you “literally every week,” think of how all your friends were willing to give up part of their lunches for you. Maybe it wasn’t the Bistro Kids Mac and Cheese that you were dying for since you woke up this morning, but I’m sure your friend’s mom’s homemade brownies are at least something that will make your day a little brighter.

So next time you want to whine, just think of how fortunate you are to attend STA with great students and try to avoid spewing out complaints about the small things in life and start focusing on the positive.