Random Acts of Kindness
In honor of Valentine’s Day, students can benefit from looking out for one another. Valentines isn’t only about romance; it’s about coming together, even in the smallest ways.
Sebastian Junger, author of Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, said it best: “When you throw trash on the ground, you apparently don't see yourself as truly belonging to the world that you're walking in.” As a powerful metaphor, this quote embodies the “every man for himself” mentality so many can get swept up in day-to-day. Rather than adding to this litter, let’s look into different ways students can take out the trash together.
These random acts of kindness don’t have to be anything grand. They can happen in a spur of the moment; thoughtless, fleeting things as simple as:
- Holding the door open for a stranger
- Helping an elder unload groceries into their car
- Quite literally picking up litter on the usual walk
- Sending a “thinking of you” text
- Leaving positive notes lying around
Some acts can come from more planning. Rather than brief few seconds, there are always opportunities to inspire happy chemicals in others, like:
- Visiting a senior home to talk or bring flowers
- Donating old clothes, toys, or books (bonus points: this can also be part of Spring cleaning!)
- Cooking a meal for friends or loved ones
- Volunteering as a peer tutor
Students all across campus, and students clocking in remotely, can benefit from these small moments of joy, whether it’s to better their mental health or inspire love in others. And if they desire to do more? There is always the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation looking to tend to the gardens of people’s minds.
