With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s a great time to express your gratitude. Whether you are grateful for your roommate, your loved ones, your community, or any other aspect of your life, it’s nice to find ways to show it and to give back. And in the same way it benefits other people, it often comes with positive benefits for your mental health.

Practicing gratitude can be a fun roommate activity, and there are many different ways you can do it, from messages to journal entries to volunteer opportunities and more. Keep reading to learn about some of these activities that you can practice during your time as a college student in BYU-I housing.

Notes and Messages 

Leaving notes for your roommate is a very simple task, but the gesture can make their whole day. You can write compliments, words of encouragement, or things that you appreciate about them on sticky notes and spread them around your apartment. If you prefer conversations over notes, make an effort to tell them things you are grateful for. 

Even if your loved ones live far away, you can remind them that you are thankful for them as well with messages, whether that be a written letter or a text message. Just a few short sentences can mean a lot to your friends and family and might be just what they needed that week.

You and your roommate can work together on this if that’s something that interests you, setting aside time for letter-writing sessions or brainstorming unique ways to show the people in your life how important they are to you.

Journaling

Journaling is another way to practice gratitude, and it lets you reflect on things you feel thankful for. Sometimes, writing things down can help you explore those feelings on a deeper level and come to new realizations, too. 

You can journal on your own, or you can do it with your roommate. Try working through some prompts together and sharing your answers with each other.

If you need some inspiration, an easy place to start with gratitude is taking it back to basics. Often, the simplest things that get taken for granted are the biggest blessings, such as your health, your family, your apartment, etc. You can start small and work your way to bigger things.

Weekly Activities

If you want to make gratitude more of a habit, try to include it in your weekly routine in your affordable BYU-I housing apartment. This could look like:

  • A gratitude jar: Grab a jar and decorate it with stickers, ribbon, or a label. Every day, you and your roommate can take a moment to write down something you are grateful for on a note and drop it in the jar. When a hard day hits, you can go through and read these as reminders of all the good things in your lives.
  • A gratitude wall: Some people enjoy expressing things visually, and a gratitude wall is a great place to do that. You and your roommate can choose a shared wall and cover it with notes, messages, and any other expressions of things you are thankful for.
  • A gratitude walk: Walking serves as a nice study break, and it is beneficial to your mental health. While you’re walking, focus on the present and think of things around you that you appreciate. 
  • Gratitude conversations: Another intentional weekly habit is vocalizing your gratitude. At a shared meal, you and your roommate can each share several things you are thankful for from that week. It can be an academic win, a new friend made, or anything else positive that has happened. 

Giving Back

Paying it forward lets you express your feelings of thankfulness in a tangible way that benefits others. There are a wide range of volunteer opportunities out there and plenty of needs that need to be met. 

You and your roommate can: 

  • Make donations: You can donate clothes, shoes, hygiene products, select food items, household goods, books, and more. You might be surprised by what you are able to put together for others just by doing a quick sweep of things you no longer need.
  • Hand out meals: Serving others food is the perfect way to share the spirit of thanksgiving with other people. You can volunteer at a place like a soup kitchen, or you can create your own care packages and hand them out.
  • Serve at an animal shelter: You can show your love and appreciation for animals by volunteering at local shelters. The best part is, you get to help out animals while receiving an array of mental health and community benefits at the same time.
  • Spend time at senior centers: Another way to give back is by spending some time at senior centers. This can make a positive difference in someone else’s life and lead to rewarding conversations for you and the people you are visiting.

Why Choose Hillcrest?

Hillcrest Townhouses offers affordable BYU-I housing right by campus. Our townhouses come with shared and private room options, with amenities like Optix high-speed internet, free laundry on-site, a park-like setting, a private gym, and more. Apartments come fully furnished, and we also have cozy communal spaces, like our study lounge and our theater room. 

When you’re ready to choose Hillcrest, we can walk you through your housing options and answer any questions that you might have. Reach out today to find out more about our townhomes or to schedule a tour.