Yet another year has passed and once again Veterans Day has gone unobserved for the most part at Binghamton University. As someone who has had many relatives, including both grandfathers, serve in the military, I can’t even begin to describe my disappointment and disgust with the University.

I also recognize, however, that even if we were to have the day off, far too many of my peers would view it as just that — a day off. If we were actually to be given the day to honor the service of our fighting men and women, I can already predict how the majority of students here would pay “tribute.” They’d flock to the bars the night before as if beer had just been discovered and treat the actual holiday as another chance to put off their reading, delay that paper or procrastinate that lab report.

Most students would use a holiday meant to commend the courage of those who have shouldered the heaviest of burdens as a chance to shirk their own responsibilities.

It’s the same shameful scene the nation is forced to witness every Memorial Day. In offices around the country, millions of Americans stare longingly at the clock (while playing Tetris/Solitaire), thinking of the barbecues they’ll attend, the beaches they’ll relax on, the sitcoms they’ve TiVo-ed. Sadly, Veterans Day and Memorial Day have become holidays for slackers, not soldiers.

Given this choice between two extremes — not marking the day or giving a day off to people who least deserve it — a fair compromise can be reached for future years. Classes should recess at 1 p.m. and some sort of tasteful ceremony should be held to commemorate the day, with attendance being optional.

It is important we recognize the service of our veterans. Their bloodshed and sacrifices are the currency with which our freedom is paid — the very same freedom we too often take for granted.

While our debt to them is beyond measure, it is a debt we should try to repay, or at least take the time to remember.