Texas Tech Students Spread Kindness with Simple Tasks

Students rushing across Texas Tech's campus on Tuesday found something unexpected waiting for them: a chance to pause and spread a little kindness.

The Student Activities Board set up shop at Red Raider Plaza with a simple idea. Students could grab a checklist of small acts, complete one task, and collect a sweet treat as a thank you.

The tasks took just minutes. Call a friend or family member. Pick up some litter. Hold a door open for someone. Eat lunch with a new person. Give someone a genuine compliment.

"Today we are purely focused on brightening the students' day," said Lola Gomez, SAB president and fourth-year mechanical engineering major. She explained the event came at a perfect time when students often feel overwhelmed by academic pressures.

Julia Schultz, a second-year biology major from Midland, jumped at the chance to participate. She checked off multiple items including complimenting a stranger and calling a close friend.

What surprised Schultz most wasn't completing the tasks herself. She watched other students actively picking up trash and finishing their checklists with genuine enthusiasm.

"It made me feel really good to see other people doing it," Schultz said. The energy was contagious as students realized how simple acts could shift their entire mindset.

The Ripple Effect

For Olivia Corbo, a second-year supply chain major, the event aligned perfectly with her daily habits. She already picks up litter regularly but seeing others join in created something bigger.

The checklist format worked because it removed barriers. No major time commitment. No complicated instructions. Just quick, doable actions that created immediate positive feelings.

Schultz noticed how the simple acts shifted her focus outward. "When I'm able to help someone, it's not just focusing on myself anymore," she said. "I'm putting my energy into focusing on the other person."

Gomez believes these small moments matter more than ever. Even without campus stress or world events, she emphasized that choosing kindness should happen every day.

The beauty of Random Acts of Kindness lies in its accessibility. Anyone can hold a door or pick up trash, and those tiny gestures create momentum that spreads across campus and beyond.