I’ve been in a really good mood this week. The weather has finally turned around — knock on wood — and it seems I may be able to put my winter jacket away for good. Seeing the sun has been wonderful, but initiatives by individual University students and organizations have done more to impress me and keep my spirits up.
This week, I’ve witnessed everything from encouraging Post-it notes around my dorm to loving posters hung on lampposts and columns. I’ve seen a podium set up outside of Clark Hall encouraging passers-by to “Say Something Nice,” and the entire Amphitheatre transformed into a petting zoo.
At a university as large as ours, students can often feel lost, ignored or discouraged. And as trivial as they may seem, I think efforts such as the ones mentioned above can greatly enrich the lives of students by contributing to a caring and optimistic environment around Grounds.
The University has a variety of resources to help students who are struggling academically or socially. Numerous clubs such as To Write Love On Her Arms and Active Minds, as well as institutions like CAPS, succeed at addressing and attempting to solve mental-health issues. But for students who are simply stressed by midterms or overwhelmed by their commitments, small efforts can make a significant difference. It improves my mood when I’m walking down McCormick and a sign on a lamp post reminds me to “Smile. It’s a good day.” Seeing “You are beautiful” on a bathroom mirror makes me pause and remind myself that it’s true. At an academically rigorous, demanding university, the student population can quickly become downtrodden and discouraged, especially during high-anxiety times such as midterms or finals. The signs I’ve been seeing around Grounds contribute to our University community in a tangible way. They remind us how lucky we are to be here, how blessed we are to be ourselves, and how proud we should be of what we’ve already accomplished.
Not only do such efforts lift our spirits, they can also make our large campus seem a lot smaller. I feel closer to my peers when I realize that some of them have taken the time to try to make my — and everyone’s — day brighter.
The students who set up in front of Clark on Tuesday afternoon and ran the “Say Something Nice” campaign fostered friendliness and positivity and likely made the receivers of the compliments feel loved and noticed at a University that could easily overlook them. The association councils of many of the first-year dorms recently adorned the doors and walls with “compliment murals” where dorm residents are encouraged to anonymously write something kind about their friends. Seeing your name on one of the murals can make you feel appreciated, important and valued. Taking the time to reflect on your hallmates’ positive traits and your relationships with them can help you feel connected to the people with whom you live.
College is about learning and studying for tests, but it is also about building meaningful relationships and having fun. UPC’s petting zoo last Wednesday drew large crowds of University students from all years and a variety of social groups; no matter who you are, you probably love tiny, cuddly animals. Such events allow us to take a break from our strenuous academic schedules and enjoy ourselves, and they remind us that we’re all similar in some ways. We are all the same student body.
The University needs to continue to live up to its “work hard, play hard” reputation, and initiatives such as the ones I’ve mentioned should be lauded. While going to a large university can have its benefits, it can also have downfalls, and finding ways to connect to each other can help us combat the feeling that any student is “only a number.” University students should compliment each other and look out for each other just because it’s the right thing to do, but we should also consider that socially satisfied students are also likely to be more academically successful and engaged. Taking small steps such as decorating with positive Post-its or flyering or shouting something kind through a megaphone can have surprisingly large ramifications on the University culture as a whole.
Ashley Spinks is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. Her column appears Mondays.
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