Small Acts of Kindness Sunday
Updated: Sep 27, 2021
Hellooo Smith Community! The Service committee is bringing to you our first SUSA Service Sundays! This week, 9/19- 9/24th, is Small Acts of Kindness <3
Why do something kind? What does service affect?
“Witnessing acts of kindness produces oxytocin, occasionally referred to as the ‘love hormone’ which aids in lowering blood pressure and improving our overall heart-health. Oxytocin also increases our self-esteem and optimism, which is extra helpful when we’re anxious or shy in a social situation,” (NY Times, Angier).
“People who volunteer tend to be happier overall, feel stronger and more energetic, less depressed, and experience fewer aches and pains, (UC Berkeley and Harvard).
When you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high,” according to research from Emory University
Here are some acts that will cheer up others:
Sit with someone who is alone/invite someone to sit with you
Leave kind post-it notes in unexpected places
Paying it forward (doesn’t have to be something expensive)
Send a letter/message to a friend about a time they made you smile
Bake cookies for your neighbors/people in your residence hall
Leave quarters on the laundry machine for the next person
Give advice/directions to someone who seems lost
Donate clothes/items that take up too much space and you don’t need anymore
SUSA wants you to bring these tips to reality ~~
It is so important for all of us to come together. The pandemic has separated almost all forms of interactions as we were confined to only our computer screens. Not only could we not give to one another, but I’m sure we were all going through a tough and challenging time by ourselves too. You never know what bad news someone just received, their internal battles, or anything going on in their lives.
The Smith community is full of diverse students from all backgrounds, cultures, and majors. Kindness is a chain reaction: once you give, it’s more likely for the person to also start giving. We all understand that warm feeling when someone does something nice for us, why not pass that forward?
SUSA wants to challenge YOU to do one of the acts of kindness listed above or individually thought of and tag SUSA on Instagram! We would love to show you off! Click the link below and fill out the form where it will enter you into our raffle! The raffle that will be announced on Friday (9/24) for some SMITH MERCH! There will be 5 winners!
SUSA Small Acts of Kindness: https://forms.gle/wRWepqRLb6w3NaxTA
Direct Link: https://app.suitable.co/#/getcredit/114172/YSXtYPAJ98qDEj9u
Stay tuned for what’s up next!