With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many begin to think more about what they are grateful for, and it is only natural for us to contemplate the big parts of our lives that bring us joy this time of year. However, what would serve many people, especially busy students, is practicing gratitude and noticing the little things, not just during turkey season, but all year round. 

Once we choose to notice the things around us, mindfulness can lead us to discover more about ourselves and what is going on in our minds. 

Looking outward not only helps us notice the beauty of the world, but it also allows us to look inside ourselves in a meaningful way. Rebecca Wee, professor of poetry, shared a thought she had after writing a specific line in one of her poems some time back.

“There’s a line in there that says, ‘Learn to notice what you notice,’” Wee said. “That’s what you are doing when you’re trying to kind of assemble what’s going on out there in the world, what’s going on inside of you, what’s going on with somebody else.”

Gratitude is a form of appreciating what is outside to see inward, which can be an incredibly important tool for college students going through major life changes.

It is a skill that, if learned now, will help students analyze and appreciate what surrounds them for years to come. Wee gave her wisdom regarding the mindset in relation to business.

“I think observation is critical for everything, probably, and the speed that we do everything with doesn’t really give us room for focused observation … there’s too much to do in a day, whether it’s sports or jobs or classes or relationships, but that doesn’t really get easier out of college,” Wee said.

While many students lead busy lives, even small acts of appreciation can make a huge difference. Junior Gaia Splendore said she practices gratitude by making a list of things in her life for which she is grateful.

“You don’t have to hit a low point to then try to encourage yourself to be happier, you can always just kind of practice gratitude and acknowledge that happiness,” Splendore said. 

A key part of knowing how to appreciate what is around you is simply carving out time for it if the hustle and bustle of life gets too extreme, Splendore said. Stress can certainly hinder your ability to observe, but by deliberately taking time for peace, you can clear your mind and prepare to notice again. 

Professor of English Sarah McDowell said she has been able to get through tough times in her life by forcing herself to separate herself from the stress.

“The small thing that I had to do was say, ‘You know what, for my own mental health, absolutely, I can take fifteen minutes away from whatever else is going on,’” McDowell said. “And if that space is either outside or near a window, all the better.”

Mindfulness can change the way we react to situations for the better, changing our mindset to one that mirrors positivity. McDowell said an example of this is when she spilled tomato sauce all over her kitchen floor, and instead of getting worked up, she said she took a step back and acknowledged how silly the situation really was.

“I looked down and I looked at the mess, and I just started laughing, because I thought, ‘You know what? Eventually, this is going to be really funny,’” McDowell said. “That is kind of part of practicing a kind of gratitude.”

When we get caught up in the rush of life, little things fall to the wayside. We can get too stuck inside ourselves and our minds, neglecting to notice the bits of brilliance that surround us, even during something as simple as a walk down the Slough.

We must make time for appreciation, for looking inward, for gratefulness as much as we can. The little things go a long way.