There is no doubt this has been a tough semester for all of us. It’s important now more than ever to take care of each other and ourselves.
We asked fellow Buffs how they plan to show gratitude to the people they love this season.
Express your gratitude with words
It may sound silly or maybe even a little uncomfortable to express gratitude or share your feelings with friends and family but it can go a long way.
- Tell them straight up you appreciate them. Words can be powerful and when you’re honest about why you appreciate someone, it can make a big difference in their life or their day. You can try calling them on the phone and telling them why you are grateful for them.
- A simple check-in goes a long way. Think about how you would want your friends to appreciate you. Perhaps checking in and asking how things in their life are going can be enough to show someone you care. You might text a friend something like "I know your dad had surgery last week and it's hard to be away from him right now. I'm here to talk."
- Give them a little bit of motivation. Sometimes, we all need a little encouragement to get through the day. You can try sending them a note or text that is personal to them like "Good luck on your job interview today, you're going to crush it!!" or “You got this!”
- Start a "Grateful for you" group text with your friends. Once a week one person in the text gets showered with gratitude memes, gifs or notes. Go through all of the people in the group to make sure everyone gets some love.
- Send a gratitude video. If you’re far away from your loved ones, why not send them a quick video about why you are thankful for them. You can also try singing or playing an instrument for them!
Focus on the simple things
- Send a postcard. Probably one of the cheapest ways to show someone you care. You can pick up already designed postcards from the Rec Center or make a postcard yourself, add a stamp and send to a loved one.
- Exchange pictures with friends. Send pictures to your friends of memories you have together. Try sending each other three pictures every month that capture unique moments in your relationship.
- Gift card from their favorite store. Whether it’s Starbucks, Cinnabon or Amazon, getting a friend a gift card for their favorite store is a great way to show them you care.
Get creative
Let your creativity shine by using arts and crafts projects to show your gratitude. Here are some creative ideas you can try.
- Write a poem! Write a poem that specifically describes your gratitude to a specific person and share it with them.
- Make a playlist. Put together a list of songs that remind you of that person and share it with them. Some music streaming platforms offer collaborative playlists so both of you could add songs.
- Draw a picture or a painting. Whether you’re painting a masterpiece or a happy sun on a piece of paper, creating a piece of art and sending it can brighten someone’s day and their space!
- Handmade gifts. Anything from sugar scrubs, soup in a jar, hot chocolate in a mug, etc. A handmade gift is always a nice gesture of appreciation.
- Thank you cards. A new spin on holiday cards. Instead of holiday cards, why not send them a thank you card. It’s unexpected and a nice way to show them you are thinking about them.
Acts of appreciation
- Deliver food or coffee. Everyone needs food so how about making a friend or loved one some cookies or brownies to leave at their door? If cooking or baking aren’t your thing, try having their favorite coffee, meal or snack delivered to their home.
- Do the unexpected. Cleaning the apartment, buying a bouquet of flowers, raking your neighbor’s leaves can show your appreciation, especially when they are not expecting it.
- Prepare and send a self-care package. Consider putting together a self-care package. It could include things like sanitizer, tissues, instant hot chocolate or tea and a handwritten note.
For more tips and resources visit the Student Affairs website.