-by Caroline McGillivray, Emma Pan, and Isabelle Bastian- It’s almost that time of the year again, when the leaves are turning from green to gold, and our hearts take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the world around us. Soon, the leaves will mature to orange, reds, and browns, and descend to blanket the Earth. As the leaves accumulate so, too, does our appreciation, culminating in the holiday we call Thanksgiving. The importance of giving thanks is recognized in many cultures, around the world; from the Moon Festival in China to the Ancient Roman harvest festival called Cerelia, all of these cultures have found a way to celebrate their thankfulness. Despite the geography and time separating these celebrations, they all share the same essence of family, love, and expressing gratitude. So what are people thankful for in the little all-girls prep school in the middle of Boston? Here are some of the responses we got from the students and teachers of that school, the Winsor School, when asked this very question.

We are grateful for the essentials of life:

“I am thankful for food on my table, good health, clothes on my body, a roof over my head and a bright future ahead.” – Rani Balakrishna ‘21

“My cat, my college counselor, Netflix, Boloco, and my bed!” Katherine Hintlian, ‘15

We realize that it is important to live in the present:

“Since I’m in junior year now, I’m starting to realize that the time I have left is slipping away quickly. Realizing that has made me really grateful for having [the friends I’ve made] right now.” -Michelle Walsh ‘16

“I am thankful for all the differences I see each and every day!!” -Ms. Coren

We are appreciate things that might differ from the norm:

“[I am thankful for] theatre geek friends who I can obsess [with] about theatre.”-Gloria Ho ‘18

“I’m thankful that it’s socially acceptable to wear pajamas to school” – Anonymous

“I am really grateful for the new online archives of both the Oxford and Vatican City libraries. They tell us so much about our history, and now all of these sources are available easily and freely to historians all over the world.”- Ciara Downey ‘15

We also are thankful for all the opportunities we have:

“I’m thankful for the wonderful student performances–plays and concerts–we get to enjoy.”- Ms. Schultz

“I’m thankful for the new building and all that it will offer us in sports, arts, and other extracurriculars.” -Anonymous

We students love our teachers:

“I am thankful for the wonderful teachers and wonderful students at Winsor who have supported me and encouraged me through the years, shaping me into the person I am today.” -Pallavi Krishnamurthy ‘16

“I’m thankful for my teachers who show their faith in my ability to do whatever I set my mind to as a student and person.” – Audrey Bloom ‘17

And, most importantly, we are all thankful for each other:

“I am always thankful for my friends, who always cheer me up when I am down.” – Betsy Kim ‘17

“I am thankful for having the opportunity to teach such motivated students. This challenges me as a teacher every day, which in turn motivates me. Thank you!” Ms. Baudis

“I am thankful for a job I love to come to every day.” – Ms. Parsley