The other day I experienced what seemed to be a mini crisis. It happened because I had some time to kill before my next class and found myself sitting in Wells Hall, just watching people pass by. I wasn’t really paying attention to anything specific, just listening to music and relaxing.

Do you ever have a moment where you feel like you’re falling? Something just clicks, and for a split second everything feels so clear. Then, as quickly as it showed up, it’s gone.

I had a moment like that. It hit me how big the world is, and how everybody is so wrapped up in their own stuff that they hardly notice the people around them. There are all these people, with their own lives and problems.

Yet, the little things we do can make such a huge impact on the people around us. Something as simple as holding the door open for someone, or giving up your seat on the bus can make a huge difference.

For all you know, that person could have been having a horrible day, or a terrible week, but that small act of kindness might have made things just a little brighter for them. Even if you never know about it, you’ve made a difference.

There are times when I feel as though my faith in humanity is completely lost. Sure, some people are capable of terrible things, but not everybody. There are some people who really care, who are kind and understanding. It’s those people that help make the world a better place.

I recently heard a story from a girl who shall remain anonymous. Her freshman year she went out to a party, and ended up drinking too much.

That is a very vulnerable state, especially for a young woman who is alone. You hardly hear stories like this that don’t end in disaster.

However, she managed to get home safely because a man who she had never met before made sure that she got back to her place with no problems. He gave her his jacket and walked her back to her dorm.

Too often we hear about situations that end in tragedy. Every once in a while, it’s important to seek out stories that have happy endings ­— stories that can reassure us that the world isn’t a terrible place. People, as a whole, aren’t as bad as some of us make them out to be.

I used to find myself assuming the worst of people. These days, I try my best to see the good instead of the bad, and I think it makes the world a little more bearable to live in.

We have to try to look at the positive qualities of people. Try to do them for other people. Wait a few extra seconds in the cold to hold the door open for the person behind you. The smallest acts of kindness can make the biggest difference.