What is 22 Before 22?

As a preface, I love birthdays. For other people, I enjoy making them feel loved and special because, even though I appreciate them every other day of the year, it’s important to show them some extra TLC on their day. As for me, it’s the one day I allow myself to be the slightest bit vain and soak in all the love from my friends and family.

However, back to the matter at hand, a few months ago I was bored and scrolling through Pinterest looking for ideas for something to do on my 22nd birthday. As I was searching, I came across a picture of a girl holding a long list titled “Hillary’s 22 Random Acts of Kindness for Her 22nd Birthday“. Hillary spent her birthday giving back to make other people’s day better, rather than just celebrating herself and I became inspired to do the same. So as the weeks drew closer to November 11th (my birthday), I came up with my own list of 22 Random Acts of Kindness that I could accomplish before turning 22 (#22before22). Some were big and some were small, but nonetheless they all had the ability to have the same great impact.

Now before I share how the week went, I want to say that I was not or am not looking to receive thanks or praise for completing any of the items on my list. I chose 22 things that I thought I could complete in a week and that each of them had the ability to make at least one person happier than they were before. My mission for 22 Before 22 is to inspire other people to go out and put good energy into the world. So no matter what age you are now or are about to turn, I’m inviting you to take initiative, do a few good deeds, and make the world a more kind place than it was before.

 

Day 1 – November 5, 2017

While I really should have been spending my Sunday night finishing homework, I decided that getting started on my Random Acts of Kindness list was a better use of my time. So while dressed head to toe in my finest pajamas, I sat on my living room couch and wrote out thank you notes to my sorority’s nine executive board members. Their final days of leading our chapter are quickly approaching and I wanted to take the time to be able to thank them for a year full of hard work. One of my best friends is our chapter President, so I was able to give her all the notes to them so they would be able to open them at their board meeting. Being in their shoes a year ago, hearing that you’re doing a good job is a blessing and I hoped that it would let them know that everything they do is appreciated!

(Completed 1/2 Task)

Day 2 – November 6, 2017

If I’m being honest, I adore Mondays. While they may seem dreadful because it’s the day everyone gets back to work, Monday is a fresh start and has the possibility to bring new opportunities. To start my morning off on a good note, I began writing out a thank you note to each of my fellow chair women in my sorority. There are 21 of us, so I knew that I had to start cracking down on them if I wanted to be able to pass them out at our weekly chapter meeting. Being able to sit and reminisce about each of their accomplishments and letting them know that they are amazing leaders, as well as assets to the chapter, was such an amazing feeling because it allowed me to have a deepen the love I have sorority sisters.

Also on Mondays, my apartment complex has the maintenance workers come collect trash at everyone’s door. Now, being that it was a chilly, late fall morning (and that I wouldn’t see them until after I turned 22) I took a break from writing my other thank you notes to write them a little something to let them know their work is appreciated! To do this, I wrote them a little thank you on a piece of paper, folded it in half, shoved four hot chocolate packets inside, and taped it to the side of my house for them to grab when they stopped by.

Then before I left to go to campus for the day, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to put together a card for my brother, since I was already in the writing mood. For those of you who don’t know, my younger brother goes to college in another state so I rarely get to see him. So, I wrote him a letter letting him know that I am beyond excited to see him over Thanksgiving break and gave him ten dollars so he could treat himself to some Chick-fil-a on me in the meantime!

After sliding the letter to my brother into the outgoing mail slot, I cruised on over to campus because I had a 12pm appointment to donate blood. Just to note, I am not the type to donate blood regularly (mainly because getting stabbed with a needle is painful), however, my sorority was hosting a blood drive and with all the natural disasters happening lately, I thought it would be a good idea to spread some O+ity (I like to think I’m funny, so just roll with it). Lucky for me, my blood donation process went by fast and I didn’t have to get poked with a needle more than once!

As the day went on, I continued writing the thank you notes to my fellow chair women and finished right before my chapter meeting started that night. Since I had finished the executive board ones the night before and had them delivered, those women in the chapter were coming up to me and letting me know that they really appreciated my kind words. While I wasn’t expecting anything in return from anyone, it warmed my heart knowing that I was able to contribute to helping their week start off on a happy note!

(Completed 3 1/2 Tasks)

Day 3 – November 7, 2017

Tuesday’s are normally a slower day for me, however, I felt like this day was crazy! I started my day preparing for another Random Act of Kindness, but ended up going to campus to check in with my favorite professor, John Stipe. Professor Stipe was my first Advertising and Public Relations professor that I had when I changed my major and has inspired me to keep on believing in myself. Even though this was a very simple task, I enjoyed taking 40(ish) minutes to catch up with him.

But to get back to the list, I headed to Target to get a few non perishible items for my college’s on campus food pantry.  I’ve known about this resource since my sophomore year and it’s where any student can go if they don’t have food, but all they ask in return is that one day you donate something to replace what you took. Hopefully my donation can help at least one student be able to eat, so that they can focus on their studies rather than worry about what they don’t have in their fridge.

(Completed 2 Tasks)

Day 4 – November 8, 2017

Happy Hump Day!! Wednesdays always seem to drag on for me, but on this particular day I had so many things to look forward to. For example, I had been collecting all my pennies, as well as some from my roommate, to scatter around campus. In my opinion, you’re lucky if you find money and it shouldn’t matter if it’s heads up or not. However, I know this is a very big debate and most people think it’s lucky if pennies are heads up, so as I walked to my class I made sure to plop them all around!

Then before my classes started, I couldn’t decide which professor I should write a thank you note to, so I wrote one for all three! In my Ethics in Professional Life class, my professor had been talking about how he wasn’t sure if he was a good teacher or not. So it was slightly ironic that I was giving him a card thanking him for being such a fun and great professor that day, but I took it as a good sign!

To end my night, I had promised my roommates I would make them cups of hot chocolate on the coldest night of the week. Additionally, it was the coldest night in our apartment as well because we cannot for the life of us figure out our thermostat! Thankfully though, they appreciated the steaming cup of goodness so they wouldn’t freeze to death!!

(Completed 3 Tasks)

Day 5 – November 9, 2017

On Thursday I started and ended my day working on a group projects, so in between I took a little time to relax. However, I couldn’t go the day without completing a couple tasks. So, the first thing I did was buy my roommate, Cori, a large Diet Coke from McDonalds because she was having a rough day. Then I had to stop on campus real quick to drop something off, so I popped some quarters into a couple of parking meters in the library lot! Even though these were two of the simplest tasks, I know that a Diet Coke and free parking are literally a slice of heaven.

(Completed 2 Tasks)

Day 6 – November 10, 2017

Friday was basically crunch time! I had all the last little tasks to complete and not all the time in the world to do them. First things first, I had to zoom on over to Tim Hortons to grab Timbits for my independent study group. We were scheduled to have a longer class period and needed all the brain power we could get, so naturally doughnut holes were the best option!

Then, earlier in the week I had decided who I wanted to bake a batch of (my very famous) cake cookies for and, unfortunately, they were not on campus. However, they had told me that they would be on campus today and were ready for the surprise. Happily, I gave them the batch of cookies (that I may or may not have snuck into) and hopefully they enjoy(ed) them!

When I came home from campus, I finished a few simple tasks like the following: I stuck positive notes on my roommate’s mirrors, stuck more positive notes to cars in my apartment complex (fun fact: sticky notes stay attached even when you’re driving 40mph in 23 degree windy weather!!!), called my Grandma, sent my two littles $5 Starbucks gift cards, and complimented my last person of the week. I slightly felt like I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but I had to do what I had to do.

After a fun early birthday dinner with my best friends, I had three tasks left to complete and 2 hours to do them. Remembering that there is a vending machine in the clubhouse at my apartment complex, I attempted to get inside. Unfortunately, they locked any and all doors leading inside, which left my roommate, Ashley, and I thinking of where the closest vending machine was on campus. After a quick Taylor Swift jam session in the car, I ran inside one of the main buildings and searched frantically for a dang machine. After a little more running around, I found a vending machine, stuck a piece of tape to a dollar bill, and slapped it up on the front of it.

The last three tasks that I got to complete were probably my favorites. First, I sent my first friend I made in college, Danielle, a text message letting her know I am so thankful for her and that she is truly one of my role models. She has yet to respond, so hopefully it makes her smile when she opens it in the morning. Then, five minutes before I turned 22, I sat my three best friends down and told them all of the reasons I love them and thanked them for being so amazing. Lastly, I prayed for the final person on my prayer list and hit the snooze button on a long, but great day!

(Completed 10 Tasks)

Day 7 – November 11, 2017

Sitting here looking at my completed list has me feeling overwhelmingly happy! First, in myself for committing my week to making other people happy because making others feel good is my biggest passion. But also in the fact that I’ve had people tell me that they want to make their own lists. To be honest, knowing that after this week the world is just the tiniest bit more full of love and that I accomplished my goal of inspiring one other person to do good is the best birthday present I could ever ask for.

Here’s to my 22nd year on Earth and I cannot wait to see what’s in store.

xoxo,

Marissa