Kindness campaigned across America

Sorry to anyone who thought I was creepy on Tuesday night while walking across campus in the dark with an enormous smile spanning the dimensions of my face.

You know those moments when you walk away from something and feel like you can change the world? Ok maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but I walked away from the "Finding Kind" documentary with that feeling and my heart beaming, which apparently spilled over onto my face.

Thank you Kappa Kappa Gamma and Delta Gamma for bringing this program to our school on Tuesday night, and thank you Lauren Parsekian and Molly Thompson, the founders of the Kind Campaign, for taking a stand against your personal struggles with female bullying and deciding to spread your positive message.

Parsekian and Thompson are both graduates of Pepperdine University who started this internationally recognized movement, the Kind Campaign, based on the belief that kindness can bring awareness and healing for the lasting effects of "girl-against-girl crime."

The documentary followed them as they traveled around the U.S interviewing women and men of all ages. Their goal was to uncover the reason girls typically use such harsh emotional violence and the present and long-term effects of this violence on its victims Along with shared reflections and advice from professionals, the cofounders had some of their participants write apology cards to those that they've hurt.

As the infamous scene from "Mean Girls" goes, girls are quick to raise their hands when acknowledging that they've been personally hurt by others, but are usually cautious to keep their hands raised when asked if they're guilty of the reverse. We've all gotten caught up in the drama of "girl world," and I can almost guarantee, even those who saw the documentary will get caught up in it again.

But if we can take this moment to step back and analyze ourselves, maybe we can make the small changes that will make huge differences.

You can be the person who makes eye contact and smiles at a stranger while passing through the Commons or the library instead of averting your eyes or reaching for your cellphone.

You can be the person who consciously stops yourself from thinking negatively about someone when they walk into a room. You can be the person who knows everyone has his or her own story and that giving someone the benefit of doubt is always worthwhile.

We will never get along with everyone, but if we can hold onto the message of the Kindness Campaign we can deter any past malice from continuing into our futures. I encourage everyone to write your own Kind Campaign apologies, or better yet, find anyone you've possibly hurt and apologize in person. It's never too late; I'll be starting now.

So go ahead, watch "Mean Girls" and laugh hysterically. How can you not love a movie with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler? But then also check out the Kind Campaign at www.kindcampaign.com, and remember that kindness doesn't cost a thing.