Acts of Positivity

I found this cute message from Alpha Phi Omega sitting on a water fountain in Hill Hall.

One thing that I’ll miss about McDaniel when I graduate in May is that the Hill is generally a really friendly place. I’m always likely to be greeted with a warm and familiar smile on my way to wherever I go, and some people on campus make it a point to spread positivity to whoever they can.

One of my favorite groups that promotes positivity is the McDaniel Compliments Facebook page. Using Facebook’s messaging feature, students can anonymously submit compliments and other kind messages addressed to other students and groups on campus. These messages are reviewed by an anonymous group of students who oversee the page. I make it a point to submit compliments to McDaniel Compliments at least every so often, and it’s rewarding to see the spotlight on the person receiving the compliment, not the person giving it. However, the people giving compliments aren’t unrewarded — the McDaniel Compliments admins make sure that they respond to every message received with a Facebook sticker.

Recently, McDaniel’s co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega also did their part to spread some joy. They wrote out encouraging messages on pretty paper and sprinkled them around Hill Hall for everyone to enjoy — and I certainly enjoyed them!

Other positive groups on campus include the Happiness Club, which was recently formed by some of my friends. They do all sorts of activities, which have included creating encouraging messages and fun drawings all over Red Square with sidewalk chalk and volunteering at a local cat sanctuary. And on Halloween, lots of Happiness Club members dressed up and handed out candy in Red Square — which was happy and delicious!

Sometimes, I like to engage in random acts of positivity of my own. Recently, I’ve developed the habit on writing encouraging messages on whatever chalkboard or whiteboard is near me when I’m doing work in the library. This way, I have a message remind myself to stay upbeat, and I leave some positivity behind for the next person to find and appreciate. I should really start doing this more — maybe it will catch on!