It's going to be okay...

One of the buildings on Berkeley's campus, in addition to being maze-like was famous for its bathroom graffiti. Most of the year it would vary from funny to dirty, with lots of complaining and many of the jokes that we have all seen. People would post their thoughts and others would respond. But then some time around finals a single message in a distinctive hand writing would go up all over the stalls in the hall:

Its going to be okay...

I remember before my first final at Cal (History 5 with professor Lacquor, I still remember) running to the bathroom, to be sure I wouldn't have to during the exam, and there was this message. And what was most amazing; in a past time that was as much about snarky remarks belittling the author, the responses showed how venerable and overwhelmed we all were. "Thank you" "this means a lot" "that actually really helps" "I hope you are right," were all scrawled next to it. I carried that with me as often as I could and always looked forward to when the graffiti would appear each December and May.   

Fast forward four years and I hear about operation beautiful, a group that places messages on post-it in womens bathrooms that are inspirational, and uplifting. While they are more focused on young women's body image issues, it reminded me of the finals message on Berkeley's stalls and what unexpected positive messages can do. 

So in a tribute to my Berkeley roots and the desire to put some positivity in the world I have Co-opted my own little project. I have taken the free (or as my mother would say included because you know at $46,000 a year I am paying for them) Post-its they leave for us in the library and posting positive messages in the womens bathrooms. Some are taken from operation beautiful, and I use "its going to be okay" frequently but I am sure I will think of new things. This isn't nearly as hip as the Berkeley bathroom graffiti but I am on the East Coast and I doubt school would appreciate its impeccably clean bathrooms being sullied even by positive words. 

Hopefully I will brighten someone's day. 

Hey I got an A on that History final.