In honour of Random Acts of Kindness Day, on behalf of HerCampus I interviewed some lovely volunteers who shared their views on kindness and showed how far just one little generous act can go to make someone’s day.
HerCampus invites you to share your moments of kindness and embrace doing good for other people!
Zsa, 3rd year, Economics
1. What is the kindest thing someone has done for you?
I just think the kindest person in the world is my grandad. I was upset at midnight the other day and he stayed on the phone with me for an hour and I know if I was stuck on the other side of the world he would always find a solution and help me out without any judgement.
2. What would you want to say to that person?
You are one of the positive parts of my life, thank you so much for being you, we all love you.
3. Do you think we have become out of touch with kindness? Should it be a part of everyday life rather than a random act?
I think with social media sometimes kindness can get a bit blurred. I think though that everyday kindness is the same as random acts of kindness, even sending someone a hilarious post on Facebook can show that you are thinking about them which can mean a lot to someone.
4. Does being kind have a positive impact on your life?
What you put out to others is reflected back onto you; it makes you feel good to do kind things for others and see their happiness. So definitely, being kind can go a long way.
Megan, 3rd year, Biology and Mathematics
1. What is the kindest thing someone has done for you?
During exams when I was struggling (as everyone does) my friend always insisted on picking me up from the library and driving me home to try and help me out.
2. What would you want to say to that person?
It was such a sweet gesture to go out of her way to help me even when I know everyone else was struggling, so thank you!
3. Do you think we have become out of touch with kindness? Should it be a part of everyday life rather than a random act?
I don’t think we’re out of touch with kindness but I do think it should be part of our everyday lives. The more kindness in the world, the more happiness.
4. Does being kind have a positive impact on your life?
Definitely, it does make you a better person. It makes you feel better in yourself and hopefully we can spread even more kindness in society.
May, 3rd year, French & German (Year Abroad)
1. What is the kindest thing someone has done for you?
In Munich, a friend and I really wanted to see a play at the theatre but the tickets were sold out, so we went on the day to see if there were any spare seats. It wasn’t looking likely, particularly since we wanted two together, and we were a gutted. Five minutes before then curtain went up two women approached us, seeing we were looking a bit despondent and offered to let us buy two tickets off them. It turned out they were teachers who had two students not show up and they would rather us have them than them go to waste. We ended up sat in the middle of a load of German 17 year olds on a school trip, but the performance was incredible.
2. What would you want to say to that person?
Just thank you, because they were in the middle of trying to corral about fifty teenagers into their seats and didn’t need to bother with us, so letting us have the tickets really made our day.
3. Do you think we have become out of touch with kindness? Should it be a part of everyday life rather than a random act?
I think random kindness requires someone to stop and think for a second about someone else and their life. Our lives today are so busy, what with working, commuting, studying, getting by, etc that it’s so easy to forget to make time to be kind. So in that way I guess we are out of touch.
I think being kind should definitely be part of everyday life and it’s quite sad that one of the main reasons we are so touched by “random acts of kindness” is because we don’t expect it. It would be so lovely if these random acts were a part of everyday life and that people chose to be kind to each other just because it is nice to be kind.
4. Does being kind have a positive impact on your life?
Yes, because there are very few things that make you feel as good as knowing you’ve done something that has made a difference to someone else. Knowing that you’ve bought a present that your friend will really love, or that you made that person’s day just a little bit easier, or that you really helped someone out of a tricky situation, is incredible.
Jess, 3rd Year, History
1. What is the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?
I’m lucky to have lots of kind people in my life who go out of their way to help me and do nice things for me. But what sticks out in my mind is when I was so, so nervous to take an exam in July last year. I don’t think I’d ever been so nervous for anything before! Before I left the house my Mum and Dad gave me the loveliest card to say good luck and it made me feel a hundred times better. It’s the little things!
2. What would you want to say to that person?
I’ve already told my parents how much I appreciated the card and the lovely things they wrote – but if either of you are reading this, thanks again!
3. Do you think we have become out of touch with kindness?
I feel like in today’s society a lot of people are running round at a hundred miles an hour. When under pressure sometimes we have to be a tiny bit selfish and do things like cancel plans so you have time to finish that essay. But overall, I think everyone (including me) would benefit from remembering to stop and think how I could be kinder to other people and myself.
4. Does being kind have a positive impact on your life?
I’m a big believer in doing little things to make the people I care about happy. When my best friend, Mollie brings me back free sweets from the salon she goes to I know how happy I feel! I’d like to imagine that I have and will continue to make people feel that happy too.
Charlie, 4th Year, History and French
1. What’s the kindest thing someone has ever done for you?
Last May, I was in a difficult position during my year abroad. I had to move out of my flat there as I had a nasty roommate! I was doing an internship at the time, and my boss was so supportive. She found me a new place to live and helped me out of a situation that could have been very stressful if I’d had to cope with it on my own.
2. What would you want to say to that person?
I said thank you about a million times! I also wrote her a card at the end of the internship saying how grateful I was.
3. Do you think we have become out of touch with kindness?
I think that social media and technology has made some things in life a bit impersonal, but at the same time social media has its positive moments with movements like the Ice Bucket challenge to raise money for charity.
4. Does being kind have a positive impact on your life?
I always aim to treat people how I like to be treated, and I do always try to make people happy if I can!