Before school one morning, I walked away from the parking lot and trekked toward the door with seven bags (thank you journalism and tennis) and a hot cup of coffee in hand. Obviously struggling just to walk with all of my things, I fully expected the junior boy walking in front of me to at least hold the door, but instead got a closed door in my face.

Now, was this an end-of-the-world kind of situation? No. Did it put me in a bitter mood for a little while? I grudgingly admit that yes, it did.

Instead, picture this: a world where everyone always holds the door, a world where care comes before cost, a world where people go out of their way just to help someone else. What if — just what if — everyone was just a little more kind? Call me crazy, but kindness has to be the end-all, be-all most influential and wisdomous superpower any human can have. Kindness changes mankind; it pushes us forward.

Just the smallest gestures can make or break someone’s day. So, if you have the opportunity to make someone’s day better, even if it’s just a friendly smile to a stranger, do it. Always, always do it.

I have a lot of hope for our class and our generation — hope that if we always hold open the door, then just maybe we can change the world.