As the semester wraps up, our lives become busier and busier. It’s hard to fit anything into our already packed schedules, but by taking a few seconds out of our day, we can make someone else’s a little bit better! Here are six acts of kindness you should do before the semester ends.
1. Compliment someone on their character rather than their physical appearance.
It’s great to receive a compliment such as “I love your hair today” or “Those shoes are so cute!” However, what will really brighten someone’s day is if you compliment them on something they’ve been working very hard on recently. Putting a twist on your compliments focuses on a person’s character, which is much more rewarding to be praised for than their physical appearance.
Photo by Amy Nelson ’20
2. Say hi to people even when you may feel uncomfortable.
Most of us have a hard time going out of our way to make conversation with strangers on campus. However, I think we can all agree that when someone we don’t know says hi or wishes us a good day, we feel great! By going out of our own comfort zones, we can start conversations with people we likely wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Photo by Amy Nelson ’20
3. Hold the door for someone when it is inconvenient for you.
It’s easy to hold the door for someone behind you when you’re early for class. When you’re late or stressed out, however, it’s much harder to have the patience to hold the door open. If you do this act of kindness when it’s inconvenient for you, though, it means all the more to a person who may be having a bad day themselves!
4. Pay for a friend’s meal at Kryzsko Commons.
As the end of the year starts to come closer, you might have some extra meal swipes or Kryzsko Kash on your Warrior ID. Call up a friend and treat them after a long day of studying or pay for the person behind you! Whether or not they’re someone you know, they’re guaranteed to appreciate this gesture.
Photo by Kelsa Katzfey ’21
5. Let someone cut in front of you in line if they’re running late.
As college students, we all have busy lives. Sometimes it’s difficult to fit everything into the short 24 hours we get each day. If you notice someone is in a hurry, be empathetic and let them cut in front of you in line at Caribou Coffee in the library or at Zane’s.
Photo by Kelsa Katzfey ’21
6. Offer a classmate your notes if they miss class.
Sometimes life gets in the way of us making it to every single class period. If you know that a friend missed class because of another responsibility they had, offer them your notes or fill them in on what they missed. Hopefully if you ever need it, they’ll do the same for you!
Photo by Brooke Powell ’21
Implementing a few of these acts of kindness into your days before this semester ends will allow you to leave this school year and continue into summer on a good note. Write them down on Post-Its and stick them to your mirror to serve as a daily reminder, or perhaps schedule them randomly on your calendar. Either way, look for ways to improve people’s days as often as possible because you never know when you will want someone to do the same for you.
Hi Carly,
I was at Target two weeks ago and a very sweet lady named Karen who works at the checkout area explained to me that Target has a sign to hire new people and they are paying them $14 per hour, she explained that she has worked there for 4-years and doesn’t make $14 per hour. Anyone who goes to Target would know Karen, because she is the KINDEST person, willing to help everyone, has a smile on her face and provides to most Customer Service and even loads your cart for you. She explained that the District Managers were stand a few feet from me, so why she was checking me out, I stepped over to them, introduced myself, explained that I shop in Target, once a week and for a number of years. Expressed that I surely hope you keep Target open, because we can’t afford to lose another store in Winona and explained about Shopko closing (which most people know) expressed that I wished for a Target Superstore, they mentioned that they were planning on re-molding our Winona Target Store, because we are doing so well and my last request was mentioning Karen, explaining her friendliness,customer service and kindness she offers everyone at the Winona Target Store and expressed that they should consider giving her a raise. One week later I was in the Winona Target Store again, going through Karen’s line and she whispered to me, today was my review and I got a nice raise and I think this is because of you, Sue… She Thanked me and I was so HAPPY to hear this news. This made me feel wonderful that the Target Management listened. Karen works hard and I am very happy that because I spoke up as a long time Target Customer that she received a raise in pay. As I was walking out one of the Target Store Manager, stopped me and said Thanks so much for doing this for Karen. I personally think we can all make a difference in someone’s life to make it better and sometimes we just have to speak up…!!! Kindness Matters, Sue