Have you ever seen those memes about cafeteria food? The slice of bread frosted with buttercream frosting and sprinkles meant to pass as “cake”?  While such fare is relatable to many, I’ve been going to Parker my entire life, so those memes are not at all #soml (story of my life).

No, the #soml is seeing someone with a raspberry and lemonade smoothie, and then racing downstairs to the cafeteria to get my own. I love those smoothies: the perfect tang of the lemonade combined with the sweetness of the raspberry makes for a great start to the morning. There is nothing more soul-crushing than watching a third grader snatch the last smoothie.

There might be something a little more soul-crushing: the fact that in my 12 years at Parker having gourmet food at the cafeteria has been completely normal. And the food really is top-notch–from the crispy chicken tenders to the perfectly greasy grilled cheese. Nonetheless, it is not normal.

Even selective enrollment public schools do not enjoy the same food that we do. I asked one of my friends at Lane Tech about their cafeteria food, and with little thought she responded, “Ugh.  It’s nasty.” When I asked her what she meant, she went on to tell me about how it looked “unnatural and processed,” and how most of the kids at her school purchase and eat their lunches elsewhere. While a lot of kids eat out at Parker, the point remains: the food at other schools does not, generally speaking, match the quality of ours.

Yet we are not alone in this, Parker. Take our rival, Latin. They have a sandwich bar, a salad bar, hot lunches every day, and pretty much all the snacks you can think of.  Even seaweed. Their cafeteria is pretty much the equivalent of Food Life.

Coming back to Parker, the simple way we interact with our teachers is a luxury in itself. Class sizes at Parker are incredibly small, especially in comparison to 30-student classrooms in other schools, and this allows for a one-on-one experience with your teacher that you wouldn’t get at a lot of other places. Not only that, a lot of teachers—please note that I am not saying all–will really advocate for you. They want you to ask questions.  They don’t expect you to. So good luck in college when you actually have to advocate for yourself.

Speaking of college, our college counseling staff is one of the biggest advantages we have. My parents literally chose Parker out of other schools because of college counseling’s reputation. Not only are the opportunities far and wide, but the entire process is personalized.

If you are not in class or in the cafeteria, you may be outside on our fancy turf field. Its vibrant green and perfect length make it the ideal place for field hockey, soccer and/or whatever recreational games you can think of. While many other schools, particularly ones in the suburbs, have large turf fields, they are not quite of the standard of ours. At most schools the turf is short, and the beads of the turf roll about, making it a difficult terrain to play on.

The privileges of Parker extend outside of the campus — and even outside the country. Let’s talk about the choir trip to Italy—the students got to visit San Leo, Italy and view old architecture, on top of engaging in other excursions while exploring the area. My mom went to a public school in Norridge, IL, and where did she go to for her choir trip? Colorado, which is pretty much the equivalent of the yearly 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C.

We all went to D.C. if we were here during 8th grade, and we all come from different backgrounds. No home life is the same at Parker, but we all share the same privileges once we enter into the Parker confines. There is something so simple about the way I feel about our privilege at Parker. I’m never missing supplies or resources, and I have no shame in asking for them. And that worried me for a long time.

These feelings are daunting but important. You need to recognize your privilege, and instead of feeling guilty for having it, be thankful. Instead of leaving your half-eaten pasta bolognese in the library, make the effort to throw it away.

And please, I beg of you, acknowledge the custodial staff, the food service employees, security, and the rest of the staff. Every single day many of us see them and ignore them. Imagine what a quick nod or smile could mean to them. Do not waste your opportunities. Spend time and take full advantage of them because there are people out there that have no access to them.