“I have to go all the way upstairs to charge my phone!”

“They said my name wrong at Starbucks!”

“I hate it when I have to constantly update my computer!”

“I can’t believe I had to pay extra for the guac!”

Those are classic examples of first world problems, which seem much more minuscule than problems others are facing, daily.

I have decided to participate in the 30 Hour Famine, in which participants fast for 30 hours, to experience what its like to not know when your next meal is going to be.

I started on Feb. 22 at noon, and ended at 6 a.m. the next day. It was definitely hard to only have water and bread, because from what I hear, bread only increases hunger. It was a challenge but with plenty of distractions around me, I was able to get through it.

I would be lying if I said it was an easy experience, there was temptation around me, the smells and the sight of food almost triggered me, but I quickly distracted myself and beat those temptations.

United Students of All Cultures (USAC), which I am a member of, held a mini event for the 30 Hour Famine. We played videos of little kids that were malnourished because they live in some of the poorest parts of the world. They were played in the Jobe Lounge, in hopes that people who were in the lounge surrounded by their food would actually watch the video. However, most of them were in their own world.

One of the videos that was shown introduced this notion of first world problems, and then showed a child struggling to walk because he was so malnourished. That video, alone, was the most heart-aching to me, I wished to have some control or power to help those poor babies; it really shows how good you actually have it.

I know sometimes people have other things going on in their lives but sometimes a little bit of perspective goes a long way. Sometimes putting yourself in someone else shoes is the only way to know what they are going through.