“I’m too busy.”
“I don’t have enough money.”
“I don’t even know what I’d do.”
These are some of the many reasons countless people, particularly students, choose not to participate in today’s inspiring celebration: Random Acts of Kindness Day.
As students, we are always busy, low on money, and unable to come up with solutions to satisfy both of those demands. Random Acts of Kindness Day also falls right in the middle of midterm season, and many students focus on studying during this time, as expected.
However, Random Acts of Kindness Day is not intended to take up all your time, empty your wallet, or confuse you.
This day can and should be celebrated by everyone around the world, including busy students!
Below are a list of 15 random acts of kindness that even students can participate in.
- Hold the door for a stranger
- Buy the next person’s coffee
- Pick up litter on your walk to school, work, the store – anywhere!
- Leave a kind note on a stranger’s car
- Pay a stranger’s library fees
- Donate blood, if you are able to
- Take a photo for a group awkwardly trying to take a selfie of ten people in front of a landmark
- Do your roommate’s dishes or laundry
- Donate items you are not using
- Help someone pay for groceries or simply carry them to their car
- Let someone go in front of you in line
- Tell someone you love them, or at least appreciate them
- Shovel your neighbour’s driveway
- Put a quarter, or more, if you can, in an expired parking meter
- Surprise your roommates with sweets, such as baked goods
Random Acts of Kindness Day is intended to promote just that – random acts of kindness. The smile you produce on someone else’s face can often result in a smile consuming your face as well, leading to increased levels of happiness for both of you. Your acts of kindness can make others’ days, and can promote a chain reaction leading to positive acts of kindness spreading around the world on February 17th.
The event, however, was never intended to stop at 11:59:59 pm on February 17th. Random acts of kindness can, and should, be incorporated into our everyday lives.
This is how we change the lives of those around us.
This is how we change the world.