20 kind things you can do on National Do Something Nice Day

Maya Shen/File

With harrowing stories dominating the news these days, it’s easy for your faith in humanity to start shaking. Today is National Do Something Nice Day, which means it’s our chance to bring out the best in ourselves, in hopes that doing so will encourage others to do the same. Here are small acts of kindness that even us busy, broke college students can do to remind ourselves that there really is good in the world.

  1. Buy coffee for the person behind you in line
  2. Write a good-luck note to someone studying in the library
  3. Send a thoughtful text to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while
  4. Do the dishes, even if they aren’t yours
  5. Give an old sweatshirt to someone in need on the street
  6. Actually take a flier from someone on Sproul
  7. Wish your professor or GSI a happy weekend
  8. Bring home flowers for your roommates
  9. Call your parents, grandparents or other relatives
  10. Smile at people you pass on the street
  11. Offer your classmate a piece of gum
  12. Print out a photo with a friend and give it to them in secret
  13. Leave a nice comment on someone’s Facebook profile picture
  14. Smile and say, “Go Bears!” to a group of high school students on a tour
  15. Bake cookies for your neighbors
  16. Let someone cut you in line for the bathroom
  17. Write a nice postcard and leave it in a stranger’s mailbox
  18. Thank your boss or co-workers for good work they’ve done recently
  19. Buy something small from the many fundraisers on Sproul
  20. Tell your friends and family that you’re glad to have them in your life

Little things can go a long way — you never know how much of an impact a smile or a kind word can have on someone else. On Do Something Nice Day, try to break out of the self-focused patterns we often find ourselves wrapped up in, and do something for someone else. Peace, love, Clog.

Contact Hannah Nguyen at [email protected].