Sparking a storm of kinetic kindness

Katie Park is a History student and Dal News writer.

From the quad to the SUB, Dalhousie’s Random Acts of Kindness Society has been taking campus by storm.

Last month, I hung out with the society for a day to help execute its latest random act: “High Fives for Good Vibes.” Things got underway when I met with RAK president Dana Lipnicki on the bench outside the Dalhousie Bike Centre on Studley campus, the regular meeting place of the society, mid-afternoon. Lipnicki and I discussed how the society came to be and what its main purpose is.

“It’s really about spreading good feelings around campus and making people smile,” she said, adding that while she’s president in official title, “We don’t really have a president, and we all contribute and come up with stuff together.”

The rest of the society arrived shortly after 3 p.m. and the sense of community was evident. Everyone was happy to see each other and get started on their latest random act of kindness: high fives for good vibes.

When everyone had assembled, the group took off toward the Student Union Building with a big sign reading “Kindness” and little signs that said “High Fives for Good Vibes.” The little signs, said Lipnicki, “are so that people know who we are, that we're not just some random people.”

Every high five that the group gave was met with smiles and laughter from recipients. Some even got creative with low fives, "behind the back" high fives and even jumping high fives. It seemed the more energy put out by the group, the more enthusiasm they were met with.

The group covered campus from the quad to the Killam Library, from the SUB to the McCain Building, and every crosswalk in between. Some people were repeat high fivers after seeing the group on different parts of campus. Students, professors, facilities management staff, faculty and many others received high fives — even a local bike tour that was passing through campus!

The Random Acts of Kindness society meets every Friday. Each week they come up with new ideas and initiatives for making campus a happier place. Everyone is welcome to join, and after spending the day with them, the good vibes are contagious. I went home feeling very happy — even though my hand was pretty sore.  

Look for the society around campus on Friday afternoons, connect with them on Facebook, and be sure to pick up on some of their kindness vibes, or start some yourself.

Want to learn more about Dal student societies? Visit tigersociety.dsu.ca and get involved!