Let’s be real — between classes, part-time jobs, club meetings and more, college life can feel super overwhelming at times. When things get hectic in your personal and professional life, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. We might miss out on giving someone a genuine compliment that brightens their day, or a volunteer opportunity that does an immense amount of good in our community.
That’s why this Fall, we’re stopping and smelling the ~figurative~ roses. We’re pledging to do some good in our lives and the lives of those around us, because TBH, we could all use some more good vibes. To get you some inspo, here are 10 feel-good activities you can easily take part in, even with a totally busy schedule and, for the most part, even totally at home!
- Buy a stranger coffee
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If you’re in the mood to do something good on a whim, offer to buy coffee for the person behind you next time you’re at Starbucks. This can easily put someone in a good mood, especially if they’re having a bad day.
- Marie Kondo your closet, then give it away
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IYCMI, we’re clearing our closets and completely reorganizing our homes, thanks to the wonderous woman that is Marie Kondo. If you’re planning on doing some Spring cleaning, try giving away your clothes, shoes or accessories to a local donation center.
- Support a local cause you care about
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We at Her Campus support HAIRraising every year, benefiting the Boston Children’s Hospital’s Heart Center. Unfortunately their annual HAIRraising event has been postponed, as have many other charities’. Getting involved in raising money for the Boston Children’s Hospital’s Heart Center, or another cause that’s close to your own heart, is so easy and rewarding, especially now, whether you’re able to donate your money or your time to raise awareness.
- Bake desserts for your roommates
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This small act of kindness can completely boost someone’s day. Nothing is better than coming home to a surprise plate of freshly baked cookies, TBH.
- Buy locally
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Support your local farmer’s market or mom and pop’s store every once in a while. To work towards making it a habit, vow to visit the farmer’s market every Saturday morning or a new local art store every Sunday.
- Buy from women-run companies
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Nothing’s better than women supporting women — make it a priority in your day-to-day routine to buy from women-led brands when you can.
- Write a letter to an old friend
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Opening a surprise letter from a friend you haven’t spoken to in years is a super special feeling. Take 5 minutes of your day to give them an update about yourself and ask what’s new in their lives.
- Make a playlist for your BFF or S/O
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Something as easy as making a playlist of your all-time favorite bops for someone you care about can be such a thoughtful act.
- Spend an afternoon cleaning up the beach or local park
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It’s never a bad idea to start small in doing good for the environment — just spending a few hours collecting trash at your local beach or park can do so much for your community and our planet.
- Never skip on a compliment
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If a friend, roommate, family member or co-worker did a great job on something, tell them! Never miss out on an opportunity to acknowledge the good someone does. A little compliment goes a long way.
While it seems like there’s never ever have enough time to even breathe in college, it’s important to stop and think about the impact you can have in someone else’s life. Only positivity can come out of doing feel-good things in your community, so give it a try!