When you walk down the halls, nine times out of 10, a conversation about Hillsborough is less than complimentary. People are always finding something about the town to complain about.

Yet, Hillsborough often places on Money’s annual list of the best places to live in America. Such a large inconsistency calls into question why many students choose not to see how amazing of a place Hillsborough really is.

This year, among “small towns” with populations between 10,000 and 50,000, Hillsborough was ranked 30 on Money’s Best Places to Live list. The rank was determined based on various criteria including community spirit, culture, diversity, education, health, outdoor activities, parks, quality of life and safety.

It should be noted that Hillsborough was the only town in New Jersey to make the top 50 list. While students could have celebrated Hillsborough for practically being voted the best town in New Jersey, instead, the majority chose to continue to focus on what they perceive to be Hillsborough’s flaws.

For example, students constantly complain about school, yet the Hillsborough Public School System was highly praised by Money. It was especially complimented for providing all students in grades five through 12 with a Chromebook. Next time you want to complain about your Chromebook, consider the fact that many students do not have this luxury.

In addition, many students fail to recognize the very aspects of Hillsborough that Money praises, such as the 4,000-acre Sourland Mountains Preserve and 2,700-acre Duke Farms.

Hillsborough residents may not even know that laws have protected one-third of town land from development, which is why we have these beautiful natural places at our disposal.

It is unfortunate that many people do not take advantage of these beautiful areas that are practically in our backyards. The Sourland Mountains are perfect for hiking, off-road biking, or even horseback riding and bouldering- rock-climbing without ropes or harnesses. Duke Farms is a great place to hike, bike, bird watch, or even cross-country ski in the winter.

If you haven’t already taken advantage of these places, try going on a hike with friends at the Sourlands or a bike ride at Duke Farms while it’s not too cold outside.

Also, consider trying to appreciate other aspects of Hillsborough that make it so great, such as its closeness to both Philadelphia and New York City, both of which provide Hillsborough residents with endless adventures and activities to explore.

Many people dream of visiting New York, and may only visit once in their life, but we are so close that it is crazy not to try to get into the city as often as possible. Similarly, Philadelphia is full of iconic American places and artifacts that we learn about in US History, so why not take the trip to experience them in real life?

Additionally, Hillsborough is minutes away from Princeton which houses fun shopping, restaurants, and did I mention one of the best colleges in the country?

While it is easy to complain, we should all make an effort to appreciate Hillsborough for all of the reasons why Money ranked it one of the top 30 places to live in the US. The first step? Speaking more positively about the place we call home, and that starts right here in the HHS halls.