February 21, 2017
Daryn Vlad
You don’t have to plan a grand gesture to be nice. Sometimes, being kind is as simple as a free cup of coffee.
Last week, the Dean of Students partnered with the Office of Student Activities to help students spread kindness around campus during the Random Acts of Kindness Week, which took place Feb. 13-17.
Ray Fisco, prevention and outreach coordinator for the Dean of Students, promoted the week’s events in the University Center and encouraged students to participate.
Students bought one another coffee on Random Acts of Coffee Kindness Day, which took place on Feb. 13. Fisco said that this day was his favorite day of the week.
Happy Hearts Day, which took place on Valentine’s Day, gave students a chance to spread even more love on the holiday. Students could stop by and pick up a heartshaped stress ball with an inspirational quote.
Students took the stress balls to the Student Life and Leadership Office where they could donate blood and earn more Valentine-themed goodies.
On Feb. 15, students participated in a Post-It Note activity in the Student Life and Leadership Office to remind each other that everybody is able to make a difference.
Thankful Thursday, on Feb. 16, allowed students to write and decorate thank you cards to pass out to anyone who they felt thankful for. Fisco was there with stickers and candy for students to pass on.
Students enjoyed the event and thought that it helped people be more appreciative of each other, according to UCCS alumnus Randy Rosco.
“You see a lot of kindness around campus at UCCS. On the shuttle, people sit on the far (side) of the shuttle so others can sit next to them without feeling cramped,” he said.
“People hold doors open for others and say hi to each other.”
Feb. 17 was National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Participating students could do something friendly for a stranger on campus if they felt the need to show extra compassion. Showing kindness shouldn’t just be limited to one week, according to Frisco.
“It’s important that people are kind every single week. It’s not hard to do something kind every day, like hold the door open or compliment somebody,” he said