Living in today’s day and age, hate is more prevalent than ever. Every time one turns on the television, news reports of terrorist attacks and inexcusable, violent behavior streams in. Our nation is divided in all aspects of life, never truly reaching unity. It’s easy to seclude ourselves into a bubble, pretend like the issue is not happening around us everyday, yet these actions and cruel behaviors happen within the very halls of our own school. Some days, it seems as though I should give up on the dream of achieving a community where compassion is expressed and not seen as a surprise.  However, I have faith in the people around me to change the world. I believe that kindness, even though it is rare, has underestimated power and strength. The ability to make someone smile is one of the greatest accomplishments and by spreading this love, our society will change for the better.

As with most notions, there are often protests about the magnitude of influence one singular person can have, especially being just a teenager. I challenge this pessimistic attitude in an effort to prove once and for all, that we have the ability to change our community for the better and make this world an accepting and positive one for everyone.

I set out on a mission to explore the true effect of friendliness and generosity in a school setting and in the outside world. I set a goal to do four days straight of random acts of kindness, determined to see a positive change by the end of my experiment.

Day 1: December 11th, 2017

For my first day of this challenge, I decided to start off relatively easy. I bought candy canes and on each one I put a gift tag that said, “Thank you for being so sweet.” I decided to hand these out solely to students who have truly made a positive impact in my life. There is a lot of stress and anxiety in school and to relieve just a tiny amount of it makes this action even more rewarding. More importantly, however, I think people underestimate how influential friendship and companionship are in everyday life. Without the help and company of others, high school would be miserable.

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With each candy cane I gave out, I made sure to state the reason why I was giving this piece of candy to them. Whether they always help me in math or make me laugh at corny jokes, their effort in improving my life does not go unnoticed. I did not want this day to be wasted by me just handing out candy canes to people I did not know, rather I wanted it to be a meaningful way to start off the week.

I immediately noticed a positive effect when I handed the first candy cane out. Overcome with surprise and gratitude, I was hugged and later told how it made their day. This routine seemed to be common and a lot of people truly seemed grateful. As the day came to an end, more people found out that I was passing out the candy canes and were even more appreciative of the gesture.

I think the reason people were so thankful for receiving this treat was because they were being recognized individually. Their own personal actions were acknowledged and for that they felt special.

Reflection: Although small, this gesture truly made people’s day. When I came home from school, my messages were flooded with thanks and appreciation. I hope everyone who received a candy cane from me realizes that they truly are important. Their significance in my life is realized and in turn they should realize how valuable they truly are to the world around them. I hope that they take time out of their day to thank and appreciate those who are influential in their life and that this starts a chain reaction.

Day 2: December 12th, 2017

Tuesday’s act of kindness was dedicated to the people who truly impact me on a daily basis: my teachers. Throughout high school, I have been blessed with amazing teachers and advisors who put their utmost effort into everything they do. I am truly grateful for everything they have done for me and because of that I believe they should be recognized.

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I sat down Monday night and wrote out letters to just a mere fraction of the teachers who truly have impacted me throughout the years. I thanked them for believing in me, writing college essays, and much more. My gratitude to all my teachers for all my different grades extends far beyond words on a page.

My inspiration for this day came from built up frustration at the way some students consistently treated teachers. While I understand that not every teacher can be liked by 100% of their students, they deserve respect. They strive for us to do great, to be successful, and to thrive. They are the ones responsible for molding our futures and exciting our passion for learning.

When I gave out these cards, I was met with a reaction of overjoy. Smiles spread across my teachers’ faces and I could tell that they were genuinely surprised. Most of them told me it made their day, and that in turn made mine. By the end of the day, I couldn’t be happier with the results.

Reflection: I think we take for granted the people that try and help us. Our teachers want nothing more than for each and every student to succeed. The ones who go above and beyond and bring excitement into the classroom deserve more recognition than they receive. I wish I could give them something more than just a letter. As I move on from high school, I will hold the life lessons they gave me in my heart and that in itself is priceless. I wish more people realized the impact these teachers have on our life and gave them the acknowledgement they deserved. A simple “thank you” would suffice in recognizing their effort.

Day 3: December 13th, 2017

On Wednesday, I wanted to branch out of school with my acts of kindness. I knew that around the holiday times, all people become stressed. Whether due to holiday travel plans or deadlines at work, everyone deserves a break every once in awhile, which is why I wanted to make a stranger’s day just a little bit better.

I decided to go to Dunkin Donuts and pay for the customer behind me in the drive thru (as well as my friends’ hot chocolate). Since I knew this act was extremely small and merely a couple of dollars, I expected nothing more than a friendly wave as the driver left the parking lot. I was nowhere near prepared for what was about to happen next.

I wanted to see the customer’s reaction before driving away, so I had my friend pull into a spot on the side where the drive thru window was visible. As the lady pulled up, she looked genuinely confused. She peered into our car and tried to see if she recognized us, but we were just strangers. Instead of just taking her order and leaving the parking lot in a hurry, she pulled out her wallet and paid for the woman behind her. She gave not only a small wave to us, but a wave to the driver behind her.

My friends and I were planning on leaving the parking lot after the first driver, but we found ourselves watching the scene we had created unfold in front of us. Each car continued to pay for the person behind them without hesitation. As each driver sped away, a smile crept across their lips, and I knew I had some sort of impact on them.

Reflection: This day I thought was going to be the worst and most lame one yet, but surprisingly turned out to be my favorite. I started a chain reaction of paying it forward and was able to see the effect in front of my eyes. I saw the true colors of human beings and how compassionate they truly can be. I think it’s necessary to do these small deeds because you never know what is going on in someone’s life. A person could be having a rough day and showing mere compassion can make it infinitely better.

Day 4: December 14th, 2017

No one protects our town more than the local police department, and for my fourth and final day of kindness, I wanted to show how much I appreciate their bravery. Their constant assurance of our community’s safety is no easy feat. If I could offer them the world, I would, but a small act would have to do.

For this day, I scoured Pinterest for the perfect way to recognize their dangerous and selfless livelihood. I combined a couple of ideas and ended up with a unique way to show my gratitude. I decorate a blue bin with letters that spelled “A Treat Before You Hit the Street” and filled it with all different types of candy and a handwritten letter.

I was actually pretty nervous to go into the police station. I thought, at that point, that what I was doing was pretty stupid, and that it would seem so minute to the monstrous responsibilities the law enforcement officers have. However, I kept pushing forward and walked in with my gift in hand.

The receptionist at the police station was floored, she couldn’t believe that someone, especially a teenager, would take time out of their day to support the police officers. I thought this moment was going to be the end of the experience by just handing over the bin and going on with my life, but instead she sent out a police officer to personally thank me for the candy. It was in this moment that I realized that these people were just that: people. They put their lives on the line everyday for no other reason than to keep us out of danger, and for that they deserve way more than a bucket of candy.

Reflection: I realize now more than ever that being a police officer is one of the most selfless jobs one can have. They take a week of kindness to another level by having a life of compassion. I can’t even begin to put into words how much respect I have for their bravery. I wish more people would see that the police officers of our town, our state, and our nation want nothing more than to protect each citizen and shield us from the cruel world. Their courage isn’t surface level, it’s apparent in their heart. I wish to one day be half as brave as them.

Day 5: December 15th, 2017 ~Reflection Day~

This week changed my perspective on the human race. I was pretty pessimistic about how people treated others and realized soon that most people value kindness over most other things. I am truly appreciative of everyone who participated in this week with me and recognized the power of what I was doing.

The best part of this week was by far seeing my act of compassion be passed onto others. Seeing other people pay for the person behind them in line made me see how one simple deed can start a chain reaction.

Every person has the potential to be a good quality human being, and after this week, I hope more people choose this way of life. You never truly know what is going on in someone’s life and a small act can truly alter the way they view the world.

I am a firm believer after trying to be the kindest and most positive human for a short period of time that if everyone demonstrated generosity, our world would be changed for the better. So I challenge everyone reading this to do just one random act of kindness a day and see what a difference one person can make!