As we buckle down into our midterms, attempt to stay afloat in our classes and prepare for registration for next semester, it’s all too easy to get lost in ourselves. We’re constantly finding our hands reaching out for caffeine, ignoring the people around us.

In an effort to combat this, NMU’s Make a Difference Day comes exactly at the best time of the semester.

For those unfamiliar, Make a Difference Day is an annual event held on Oct. 22, 2016 in which volunteers across the nation team up to help improve their local community. For NMU, this means Wildcat volunteers participate by heading out into the community and extending a hand to those in need by raking leaves or performing other yard work.

Across the nation this event is one of the largest annual single days of service and has one goal in mind: To improve the lives of others.

Where do we fit into all these big morale-boosting ideas when we’re very much ingrained into our routines? When we’re struggling to pay bills, get enough sleep, or reach that degree that we’ve invested so much of our money in? There’s no doubt that this process of getting out of a self-involved mindset can be difficult, and that’s what makes this particular event incredibly important.

We’re human beings, and we do get caught up in ourselves. Make A Difference Day serves as a reminder of the importance of the outside world and to be mindful of our neighbors. It serves as a temporary release from the dull schedule of class, homework, sleep, repeat. In other words, it’s an opportunity to forget stress and at the same time do something to benefit those around you.

By reaching out to those in need, we are selfless and humbled. We find an intrinsic reward that extends far into the characters of ourselves, and that feeling doesn’t expire after the day ends. We make others (sometimes complete strangers) feel good and in turn, we feel good. We are inspired to do more selfless things outside of a day of yard work.

Something as simple as raking leaves for an elderly couple can serve as the first domino in a process of doing more selfless acts for others. It’s the classic idea of paying it forward.

Make A Difference Day serves as a reminder to be more selfless and improve the lives of people around us, just by lending a hand.