By Allison Hamburger

At the start of every school year we tell ourselves to get the Community Service requirement out of the way early on or to join the Social Committee because we secretly want to but have never allowed ourselves the time.
Somehow, more pressing things always seem to preoccupy us and we are swept up in the unavoidable tumult of term papers and physics labs and the latest happenings in the quad.

We veer from our August resolutions, but the looming threat of failure to complete the requirement gives us the strength to carelessly “Heal the Bay” or detachedly plant trees, oblivious to exactly what it is we are doing and only truly concerned with the fact that it is being done.

The pressure to have extracurriculars on our college applications prompts us to half-heartedly show up to a single meeting of a random club.

Lately it seems that the pressure of being a Harvard-Westlake student distracts us too much to truly appreciate the institution that brings us together.

Recently, a friend of mine drew my attention to the newly yellow leaves of the trees in the quad. After noticing these, I noticed the full selection of magazines and DVDs in the library and the posters advertising all sorts of clubs coating the walls everywhere on campus.

For five days a week we all get the privilege of going to a place where we are supported. Our teachers and deans want our success and there are endless clubs waiting for our indulgence. From our lab equipment to our theatre productions, our resources here are basically unending and do not deserve to be wasted away.

Let’s make that choice to use our resources and allow ourselves the treat of utilizing them all because it is not too late.

We walk with tunnel vision, plowing along from math test to in-class essay, and only occasionally do we venture to our peripheral vision to stop and look at the golden leaves on the trees and the themed holiday decorations in the cafeteria.

Too often we don’t realize what we have until it’s gone. Let’s open our eyes because what we have at this school is pretty great.