Quite Thought Full

You’re sitting in class, waiting for the professor to begin his or her lecture. Everyone is chatting and catching up on the latest activities. In the midst of a conversation, you realize that your breath absolutely reeks from your stinky lunch, so you dip into your bag for your pack of gum.  

“Can I have a piece?” asks the person next to you.

Do you give them a piece? Or do you lie and tell them it’s your last piece and move on?

We’ve all been there. You may not know it, but your reaction to the question you hear in those moments may reveal more about you than you were expecting to show in the first week of the new semester.

In college, not many people tend to think about sharing as anything more than the lesson you were taught as a preschool tyke back in the day. Most college students think of sharing as the annoying favor you are obliged to return when your roommate shares the last of his or her Oreos.

Not many think of the simple task of sharing a piece of gum.

That person asking for gum may be your closest friend since you were in diapers. That person may be the kid who happened to sit next to you in class the first day and now you’re stuck next to them. That person is challenging you to show that you listened to the lesson on sharing.

Sharing can signify to someone that you are open to offering a simple act of kindness. This simple act can lead someone to believe that you are someone nice to sit with in class or can signify that you are a bit stingy and will certainly not be offering an exchange of notes come finals time.

While we might have been taught to share by our parents or our teachers when we were younger, society isn’t one to directly encourage sharing as we get older.

Many argue that young adults these days are materialistic to the point that they only see what can be called “mine.” We need the latest iPhone, the hottest pair of jeans and enough money to have good times on the weekends. Sharing things with others, besides sharing complaints and air, doesn’t seem to fit well with many of us these days.

There was a blood drive on the first day of school. Whether you walked directly by the signs pointing towards the Union ballroom or you saw them and rushed past, some of you missed an amazing opportunity to share. Blood banks always advertise that by donating to them, you are giving the gift of life. Earlier this summer the Red Cross issued an Emergency Appeal for blood donations because of a 15-year low in their blood and platelets supply. If you took heed of the signs and shared a little bit to help someone in need, somewhere your preschool teacher is quite proud.

The next time you reach into your bag for a piece of gum, you have a decision to make. When asked to share, will you willingly do so with a smile? Or will you offer a piece to the person next to you before they even ask?

Sharing is caring. Show someone you care today.

Katie Walsh is a senior English and philosophy major and can be reached at walshk2@duq.edu.