By Dominic DiIorio

Staff Writer

We live in a vast world that is constantly moving and forever changing. The majority of individuals on this changing planet mirrors its altering qualities. We are all drawn to our own unique goals, deadlines, problems, and a place with Wi-Fi so we can confide in our phones and get lost in the world of social media.

Such things take place for us within a vast sea of others, with only a small number of those individuals being in our social circle, whether friends, family, or close confidants. However, when is the last time we have taken a step out of this circle for a stranger? The answer is most of us don’t.

We are constantly focused on ourselves and our problems, which is indeed a justification, but we hardly realize that others are going through the same. Kindness has become a rarity, a miracle many of us stumble upon rather than an innate gesture that should be a habit for all of us.

There is so much talk today of progress for our societies, with the two titans being technological and political. However, the truest sign of a thriving civilization is when we can look past the faster technology and the politics of a person and get to know them on a deeper level, rather than meeting them with judgmental criticism.

This is heavily echoed in the famous, though often miscredited, quote: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” It is a profound insight that not only compels us to have kind exchanges but forces us to look beyond surface-level interactions and piece together a shared human fragility.

Be kind, be curious, and treat others with decency and warmth. Whether it’s passing by someone in school you’ve never met, shopping for food and choosing a cashier instead of self-checkout, or simply smiling at someone who seems as though they have forgotten how to.

All these forms of kindness can save the world if we choose them.

These things may seem small, but they are proof of strength rather than weakness. They are the very social interactions and conversations that can not only save lives but bind us together, reminding us that we are all human. All anybody really wants is to be met with kindness, no matter what mask you wear or background you come from. We all need help.

The wisdom of this forgotten message is apparent when we consider figures who taught and lived by these truths. One of these figures is Fred Rogers, “Mister Rogers,” who created and hosted the show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” He taught generations of children how to tackle life’s challenges using empathy, kindness, and self-evaluation.

He stated, “All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors—in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.”

It is truly what keeps our empathic selves alive in a place that is losing it. This is even more true when we consider our darkest moments and our most proud. Times like these are when kindness can heal our wounds.

For college students like me, kindness isn’t just important; it’s a noble act. It’s necessary. We all roam the halls, focused on our own majors and degrees, but we all share contradictions. We are all walking paradoxes—exhausted but still choosing to seek things beyond us with grand ambition.

There are days on my journey to becoming a marketing major when I wish to be independent, but some days I am homesick. I embody confidence, but I may secretly be fearful of the future. The academic pursuit is a stressful battle, but it’s a battle we all share, and a kind gesture reminds us of that.

Kindness begs to be partaken in, and once we choose to, it can create ripples that reach anyone. Grades, classes, internships, resumes, and recommendations all matter, but character matters more. It enhances everything.

The world doesn’t remember your GPA, but it does remember how you made others feel.

We overlook the true need individuals have for receiving warmth in a world that can feel cold and barren. So please, say hello, offer a seat, compliment, learn, or even text someone just as a reminder of how much you love them.

Allow kindness to be the new quiet revolution that overcomes an age that revels in indifference. Be that change. Because when all the tests are graded, the classes end, and you are left once again in a sea of people staring at the sky with your graduation cap thrown high, remember this: Those same people won’t remember you for academic endeavors, but they will remember the day you made life, even briefly, feel a little more gentle.

I don’t know about you, but to me that feels more worthwhile than a diploma.