A student was left overwhelmed by the kindness of a stranger who overheard her phone conversation with a counselor about the pressures of college deadlines.

 

Charlotte Rose Ford, a student at the University of Manchester, was discussing the £20 cost to obtain a doctor’s letter so she could get a mitigating circumstances form in relation to her university work.

After ending the call in tears, Charlotte, who was sitting at a table in the university’s student union at the time, was presented with a coffee, a touching note, and two crumpled £10 notes tucked down in the cup’s cardboard sleeve.

The note read:

“I hope you don’t mind that I overheard. Just wanted to say don’t worry! I’ve been there, I thought I wouldn’t get through my undergrad & now I’m doing a PhD! This is for the doctor’s note. You’ll get through it!”

Charlotte documented the incident in a Facebook post. She said the story “just shows that there are really good people in the world” who are “full of kindness.”

“The weirdest thing happened to me today and I thought I should share it because it just shows that there are really good people in the world.
I was sat in the cafe in the students’ union and I decided to make a few phonecalls – one of which was to book an appointment to see the counselling service at Uni. Mental health stuff at uni is hard and sometimes I struggle to get my work done to a standard I’m happy with, or I miss deadlines because I’m too distracted by my low mood or I’m too anxious that my work isn’t good enough – so I have to ask for mitigating circumstances.

It wasn’t a particularly fun phonecall, and I got a bit emotional whilst I was explaining to the counsellor what I wanted to see them for. At one point I mentioned the fact that I needed a letter for a mitigating circumstances form, and that I’d been to the doctor but that they would charge me £20 for it, which is money I can’t always spare. I was quite teary talking to the counsellor and when I hung up the phone I pretty much just wanted to go back home to bed rather than to my afternoon lecture!

So I sat there messaging one of my friends to see if maybe anyone could come and chat with me for a bit, when someone came up to me, put a cup of coffee in front of me and said “This is for you, someone sent it over.” And I found this note tucked inside the cup sleeve!

Of course I pretty much burst into tears all over again before I’d even opened it (because I’m like that), and then I was so overwhelmed by it! I don’t know who it was that sent it to me but if they read this I want to thank them so much because they completely made my day and made me feel so much better; as well as completely baffled by how kind strangers can be! I just hope I can find a good way of passing it on.

I just want people to see this because I think it shows two things:
1)You’re really not on your own no matter how much you might think so, because there’s always someone who’s been there
2)The world actually is such a lovely place sometimes and that there are people full of kindness!”

 

About the Author

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

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