Aidan Essig · Senior at Northeastern University

Leave It Better Than You Found It

April 5, 2025

The principle of "leave it better than you found it" is something that I strive to do every day. It is a simple mindset guided by responsibility, growth, and intention. This manifests itself in the following three ways: how you interact with the physical world, how you engage with others, and how you make yourself a better person.

Firstly, I believe it is important to take care of the spaces that you occupy and engage with. This could be cleaning up a shared room, organizing something that has been neglected, or just throwing out some trash found on the ground. It is all about leaving the space in a better fashion than you found it. I believe the world was created with intention, and it is this intention that we must respect. These minor acts of keeping things orderly and tidy are a simple act of respect for the places we have the privilege of being in.

Secondly, when it comes to engaging with others, I aim to leave someone feeling lighter and a little better after our interaction. This may seem grand, and sometimes it might not be possible, so the goal is to simply avoid the negative. Just being cordial and amicable is usually all that is necessary. Did that person just have a negative experience with someone else? If you choose to be at least slightly positive, that can make a big difference. A great way to start is to say a simple "thank you" to those you interact with. I know how much these two words can mean to me, and hope to share that feeling with others.

Lastly, there is a side of self improvement that can be found through this mindset. Put simply, is the person going to bed better than the person who woke up? This is a really broad question, but can be answered in the affirmative through various ways. Did you go to the gym today? Did you not eat any junk food today? Did you spend some extra time studying? Did you do well on an exam? Did you make progress toward a long term goal? These are much more focused toward personal growth and help to aim your daily intentions. The goal is to make sure you are growing every day and creating a better version of yourself. And to put it somewhat selfishly, this is all about you. With the previous two ideas being outward, this is inward and allows you to apply the same positive mindset for personal growth.

I honestly wish I was able to achieve these three ideas to their fullest every day, and I will be the first to admit that I am not perfect. Sometimes I get irritated, distracted, or simply lazy, but I try my best to steer back on track with these intentions, trying to move through life with a positive impact.