February brings up the importance of small, kind actions that do not take a lot of time and effort but might have a big impact on one’s life. SEMO students can participate by taking part in a daily challenge or leaving a note with a kind word on a desk on the third floor of the UC.

The challenge suggests students complete small tasks that are renewed every day. These tasks include complementing a groupmate, showing appreciation of professors’ work, etc. The initiative was brought to SEMO by Campus Life.

Emma Newell, SEMO graduate assistant for the Student Government Association, was inspired by a former staff member of SEMO who had done a similar project.

“It is good to look at the little things in life. There is a lot of negativity in the world, and taking time to look at the positives in life and be grateful to people around us is really important,” Newell said. “I thought challenges would be a really good way to bring people out of our shells and see benefits of stepping out of a comfort zone.”

Showing appreciation and support for each other is one of the aims of Random Acts of Kindness Month.

Junior cybersecurity major Ryan Croak thinks that small acts of kindness can help people go through hard moments in life.

“A lot of us do not know what each other are going through. I think random acts of kindness can sometimes not only inspire people, but also pick back up from those hard times,” Croak said.

Random Acts of Kindness Month also celebrates the importance of expressing love to each other.

Graduate business administration major Ashton Lane said that small acts of kindness show people they are loved.

“You are not going to show kindness to someone for something you are not grateful for. It gives people a chance to know that they are welcome here, that they are valued,” Lane said.

Senior biology major Paige Newlin thinks that even small actions can have a big impact.

“If a person does not hear kind words often, it [desk on the third floor of the UC] would be a confidence boost to them. A chain reaction of them going and doing acts of kindness to other people might appear,” Newlin said.

Freshman communication disorders major Sara Scheuermann thinks that small acts of kindness can lead to friendship.

“Doing something small for someone else might spark a conversation that might create a friendship. It just might help people to get to know each other better,” Scheuermann said.

The random acts of kindness challenge aims to create a friendly atmosphere in SEMO.

Senior writing major Louis Konakci thinks that participants of the challenge can discover something new for themselves in life.

“It would definitely create a more positive atmosphere at the university. People who are participating in the challenge would see a new way of looking at life that maybe they have not seen before February started,” Konakci said.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation shares stories of people whose lives changed after they were shown even small acts of kindness. February is a perfect time to develop a habit of being more attentive to each other and make everyday life more enjoyable for everyone during each month of the year.