Studies show that depression rates from high schoolers in the 2000’s have increased from 11% to 42% due to COVID-19 and other reasons such as academic pressure and bullying. Bullying in this generation can cause lots of insecurities within young minds. People are bullying one another to try to make themselves feel better. 

It doesn’t take much to show kindness. Small, simple gestures can change someone’s bad thoughts to happy ones, even if those small gestures didn’t mean anything to you. 

Kindness also has the ability to improve mental health significantly. Studies prove that doing kind things for others can boost our overall mental well-being. Not only that, if you show kindness and do those small gestures, it gives people the motivation to do the same to others around them. You gain confidence from making others smile, and overall you gain a great sense of self in general. 

It’s vital to keep in mind that kindness just does not have to be anything huge or expensive. When we take the time out of our day to be kind, we not only create a more compassionate society but also make every individual feel valued, taking away from those inner insecurities. 

Even in Fuquay-Varina High School kindness is always encouraged. 

Junior Kiya Holland said, “Kindness makes me feel seen, and one act of kindness can make my whole day better.”

Some days it’s hard to be in a good mood with people, and that’s okay. Though, that is not an excuse to be rude to those around you, it’s understandable. How you say things, whether it be nicely or rudely, could really impact someone’s day from bad to worse or from good to better.

 Even if those around you are not being the nicest, you can still counter that and start with kindness yourself to make that difference.