For the first eighteen years of my life I celebrated Labor Day, a holiday where the majority of Americans don’t work. Sure I had parades to march in, but in all it was a very relaxing day. How everything would change once I started college.

In the fall of my freshman year at Valpo, within the first two weeks of classes we learned we don’t get Labor Day off. At first, I thought my professors were joking. ‘Surely they don’t mean it? Perhaps they have an odd sense of humor?’ I told myself.

I was wrong. The Labor Day Monday of that year I was subjected to my usual schedule as a college student. For the first time, I had school on a Monday. And to tell you the truth, as someone who hadn’t worked a job of any kind up until that point, it was the weirdest feeling ever. I listened to my friends back at home making plans, and I knew I couldn’t join them because of classes. I knew that for at least another three years, I’d have to go in and do work on Labor Day. That year my fellow freshman Crusaders and I complained about it every chance we got. To my knowledge, we’re one of few institutions to have school on this holiday.

Now, two years later, the weird feeling still persists. However, the reason for it has significantly changed. The concept of Labor Day to me now exists as foreign. It’s almost as if it’s a festival or an occasion you’d like to attend but don’t have the ability to. It’s like sitting in a doorless room looking out of a window. You spot Labor Day looking at you with wide eyes that beckon you to join them outside. You want to but alas, you find yourself imprisoned and perhaps burdened with responsibilities.

But is it an issue? At first, it was. But now I must confess it’s not a big deal to me at all. In fact, I have actually learned an important life lesson from this. Ever since I had ‘this holiday being taken away from me’, I appreciate my marked off vacations and weekends more.

But what is the most important thing I have learned is that I was a very blessed and naïve child. I used to believe that everyone got days off at their work on holidays. I believed that everyone got to go home, be with their families, and have a great time. I guess my childhood self never thought about who ran certain stores or institutions on Christmas and other holidays. Now when I see people working on holidays, I admire their work ethic to preserve. They have families and friends too with plans of their own. They may have not been able to take part of it due to their work schedule to help make our days.

In short, the next time you see someone working on a holiday of any kind, tell them you appreciate them. Tell them you value their job, no matter what it is. And most importantly, thank them. In short, make them feel like what they do matters. Make them feel like working holidays, whatever reason they may have, is worth it.