As we move into the second half of this quarter, let’s take a moment to look beyond the vast expanse of the things we lack and focus instead on those things we do still have.

By no means are we advocating laying down arms and accepting our fate as students and staff shortchanged by our deplorable budget situation – civic engagement is a vital part of our role as members of the college community. But being a community member means recognizing what we do have as well, and keeping it alive.

Protesting and petitioning for a better deal in the budget is only part of our responsibility to our own education and those who make it possible. We are here taking advantage of something that may not be perfect, but will be the key to many of our future educations and careers. If it is flawed, we need to do our best to make it better, or at least not to make it worse.

Being a part of this community requires a certain degree of respect. Disrespect in terms of antiestablishment is something we can only afford in a small amount, because in higher dosages we will make ourselves look unappreciative of the privileges and opportunities we are afforded – which is to say, we will look immature. We will be immature.

There will only be so much capacity for the luxury of immaturity and carelessness in the future, until it disappears entirely alongside our education. Classrooms, bathrooms, technology, printers, online services, counseling, trash removal, recycling, food services and P.E. equipment might remain in the condition you leave them in, and for many of us (evident to anyone who visits campus bathrooms), that would be bad news. The same goes for classes themselves, unavailable to waitlisted students at the beginning of the quarter working toward transferable units, who then return to that same classroom five weeks later to find it half empty. The effort to reduce our waste is also part of our responsibility, and a service that improves our futures.

Nobody likes providing for someone who doesn’t show gratitude. We can’t ask government or taxpayers to provide funding for us if we squander it. The allocation of those funds might be outside of the jurisdiction of the general student body, but what we do with what we are granted makes a difference, if not in how the community sees us, then at least in how we see ourselves.

Let’s not bite the hand that feeds us. Our goal as students should be to find a balance between appreciation of the opportunities and facilities we do have and diplomatic efforts to improve.