Smiling Can Change the World by Brenna

Smiling Can Change the World by Brenna - November 2019 Scholarship Essay

One way that I have positively influenced my high school is by always wearing a smile.

I try to smile at everyone I can and have a positive attitude as I walk through the hallways of my crowded school. It all started when I made I goal for myself to smile more sophomore year. At first, I just wanted to make myself feel more confident and happier. It worked, smiling made me feel like a new, better version of myself. Throughout the year, more and more people started smiling in the hallways. It became an epidemic. People were looking each other in the eyes and genuinely appreciating each other. Every time I got a return smile from someone, it brightened my day and made me feel like I belonged. That little rush of dopamine could mean the difference between a good day and a bad one.

I can’t help but feel that this small action influenced my peers. Smiling at another person can be mood shifting. Just one look can make a kid that feels rejected feel loved and wanted. Because of the smiling epidemic, I believe that many of my fellow students now recognize smiling as the universal language of kindness.