Random Act of Kindness

Personal Application Essay #5 – Random Act of Kindness

Instructions:

Write an essay that answers each question in the following prompt. The prompt will encourage you to engage with the current chapter material on a personal level. Make sure you read the grading rubric for the assignment and make revisions as you see necessary. Proof read your essay! The essay should be written cohesively and flow logically. The writing and language should be clear. The essay should not have spelling and/or grammatical errors. In case, read a textbook: https://ipfs.io/ipfs/bafykbzacecskgbr7gnz5x4qyqvyx2pp6u7mdpzi5gvnyonoriwswsi2mpnaxs?filename=Laura%20A.%20King%20-%20Experience%20Psychology-McGraw-Hill%20Education%20%282018%29.pdf

Prompt:

In the chapter on social psychology (and health psychology) you learned about how doing things for others can reduce stress and increase happiness.

· For this essay, perform a random act of kindness for a stranger or acquaintance (someone you don’t know well). Although it is great to do nice things and be helpful for people we know, doing acts of kindness for our friends and family usually means we benefit in someway because we can expect our kindness to be repaid in the future.

· A true act of altruism means that you do not expect the favor to be repaid in the future. So for this assignment you want to do something for someone you don’t know. You should also be doing you random act of kindness specifically for this assignment during the current module, not simply reflecting on an act of kindness from your past. It is wonderful if you have done acts of kindness in the past, but for this assignment it is important that you can adequately reflect on your experience. I would also encourage you to try something you have not done before. See below for suggestions.

· Write 4-5 paragraphs about what you did, and how it made you feel afterwards. What impact do you think this act had on your stress, happiness, and mental health?

Here are several suggestions:

· Pay it Backward: buy coffee for the person behind you in line.

· Compliment the first three people you talk to today.

· Post inspirational sticky notes around your neighborhood, office, school, etc.

· Tell someone they dropped a dollar (even though they didn’t). Then give them a dollar.

· Donate old towels or blankets to an animal shelter.

· Surprise a neighbor with freshly baked cookies or treats!

· Let someone go in front of you in line who only has a few items.

· Leave a gas gift card at a gas pump.

· Leave quarters at the laundromat.

· Encounter someone in customer service who is especially kind? Take an extra five minutes to tell their manager.

· Place a positive body image notes in jean pockets at a department store.

· Send a gratitude email to a coworker who deserves more recognition.

· Return shopping carts for people at the grocery store.

· While you’re out, compliment a parent on how well-behaved their child is.

· Leave a kind server the biggest tip you can afford.

· When you’re throwing something away on the street, pick up any litter around you and put that in the trash too.

· Pay the toll for the person behind you.

· Purchase extra dog or cat food and bring it to an animal shelter.

· Find opportunities to give compliments. It costs nothing, takes no time, and could make someone’s entire day. Don’t just think it. Say it.

· Send a ‘Thank you’ card or note to the officers at your local police or fire station.

· Email or write to a former teacher who made a difference in your life.

· Tape a dollar or two to the vending machine.

· Strike up a conversation with a classmate who seems left out.

· Buy a meal for a homeless person.

· Play board games with senior citizens at a nursing home. Sixty percent of them will never have a visitor during their stay.

Format Requirements and Grading Criteria:

· Your essay must be typed directly into the provided text editor. However, it is recommended that you first type your responses in Word, or a similar writing program, to edit and save a copy of your work.

· Your essay should be 4-5 paragraphs in length.

· You do not need an overall paper format like APA or MLA. Your essay format is simple: it should have a title, be 12-pt font, and a minimum of 500 words.

· No heading or title page should be on the top/front of the paper. Your name is automatically attached to your submission through Canvas.

· The entire essay should be written in your own words. Direct quotes should not be used from the textbook or another internet source. There will be a point deduction for direct quotes. Everything should be paraphrased, aka written in your own words.

· Formal reference citations are not needed, but you should refer to the text when necessary to demonstrate where you received the information. For example you might say According to CH 2 (pg 200) in the text … or at the end of a statement you can simply provide a page number in parentheses and I will assume you are referencing the text. No other references should be needed.

· See the attached grading rubric for a comprehensive understanding of what your grade will be based on.