Opinions on Underrated things

I think everyone takes everything for granted. I'm no exception. In our busy chaotic schedules we often forget about the little treasures in life and focus on the larger, "more important" aspects. However, if we take a moment to consider, it is the little things that we often can't live without. The "bigger" things in life however, could be done without easily. Well, not exactly, but achieving it won't make anything more or less bearable. Like a scholarship. To most people it is a "big" thing in life but not getting it would not make life completely unbearable to live. Am I right?

There are just too many things being overrated and I find it annoying. I guess it is time I share with everyone what I think needs to be appreciated more than what people give credit to. It was hard to even come up with a list because like I said, I am guilty of it too but this really got me thinking.

So here is a list of things I find underrated.

1. Iced water - Imagine a tiring day. You come home. All you want is to kick back with an ice cold drink to soothe your throat and ease your mind. Honestly, I LOVE iced water. I know not many older folks appreciate it but it is still one of the most relaxing things in the world. Just the cool water trickling down your throat after caressing your tongue with it's gentle coolness, the cold shiver of relaxation pulsing gently through every nerve and vein. THAT is what I look forward to. Could you ever imagine taking a run and not cooling yourself with a quick cold splash? I don't know about you, but I can't. Cold water just makes everything so much more refreshing.
2.  Photographs - I don't mean something you post on facebook or store on your computers. I mean't real, actual photos. Developed and kept in an album. They are the kind of memories that would last for a lifetime. Stuck across the wall of my bedroom and sprawled across my desk are pictures of my life. People I've met, play dates with my cousins, class photos, a picture with the president and more. I have always feared losing my memory and these photographs could never be destroyed by a mere computer virus or "too many files". These memories would last forever
3. Hugs - In school, I study Psychology. Well, it is one of my subjects. It isn't my favorite. In fact, I hate it but that is not the point. In psychology, we study Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The physiological need (food and hugs) is the most basic need followed by safety, love and belonging, esteem and lastly, self-actualization. People always seek to meet the needs of the last 3 least important categories but in the search of meeting that need they forget about the most basic need. I'm not really into cliches as they seem really impersonal but they are cliches for a reason. A hug goes a long way. That's all I can say. It warms a person up and cheers them easily. In fairy tales, especially Disney's, sometimes the protagonist would give the antagonist a tight loving hug and amazingly, everything becomes wonderful and perfect again. I guess I have always believed it to be true.
4. Salt - Yes, this is a weird "underrated thing". Don't judge me for mentioning salt as something underrated. It is true! How often do you actually wonder how bland most of your meals would taste without salt? A dash of salt makes a VAST difference. In fact, condiments as well. Do you know how  horribly bland your steak would taste it it was never seasoned? VERY horrible. You see why I think it is underrated? People take it for granted because these things are usually readily available and pretty cheap. However without it, I probably would not have loved food as much as I do now.
5. Real games - With the rise of "apps" (applications) and an increasing number of people owning iPhones and Androids, "real" games are slowly becoming a thing of the past. When I was in kindergarten my cousin and I loved to shoot marbles and when we win, we could posses our opponent's marbles and showing off your marble collection was a huge childhood pride. A few days ago, I saw an app called "marble shooting". I never found it fun or that it had the same kick as it did when I was 5 playing with actual marbles. My favorite game was always "Ice-and-freeze" and now its "let's play multiplayer apps. Where is the fun in running around in that. The classic game of Pictionary during the draggiest classes have succumbed to an app called "Draw Something". See why I think real games are underrated? In real games you have the fun of playing with your friends and laugh along but in apps all you do is sit and wave your finger across a screen. Ending it shortly, I still love board games, passing notes, playing with actual marbles and UNO cards rather than the apps.

Well, these are just 5. I scribbled them while I was on the bus home and during that 45 minute bus ride I could only think of this many. If you have anymore you'd like to share you could post a comment. I would really love to read about it. 

I think it is really important that we appreciate the little "redundant" parts of life. I guess that is what makes a happy person happy. They know how to appreciate everything. Every little detail is a gem in their eyes.