The holidays are one of the best times of the year for so many people. It's a time filled with love and celebration and plenty of cheer. But sometimes when you're nose deep in Christmas cookies and hot cocoa, it can be hard to remember that for a lot of people the holidays are actually really lonely. For the more fortunate people, the holiday season is a time spent surrounded by loved ones and remembering what we're thankful for. It is easy to forget that for so many people, the ones who aren't so lucky, the holidays can be really depressing. As I've gotten older, I have become more and more aware of how fortunate I am in my life. If you're reading this, and you're a college student like myself, realize that you are more fortunate than the majority of the people on this planet. For those of us that do have a warm home and loving family to come home to, we might not understand how hard it can be to survive the holiday season. So I want to make sure I do my part to help the people that are less fortunate this holiday season and you can too! Here are some super easy ways to give back!

1. Donate Clothes

In a matter of seconds, just by Googling "shelters to donate clothing", I came up with thousands of results. So many local places are constantly looking for clothing, especially in these colder months. I used to donate a lot of my old clothes to GoodWill, which is great, but I want to make sure that from now on, wherever I take my clothes, they don't resell them. I want them to go straight to the people who need them for free. So many organizations accept donations for Veterans, Women's Shelters, Homeless Shelters, etc. Your old winter coat that doesn't fit anymore could make someone extremely happy-remember that.

2. Donate to a local Animal Shelter

As much as I want to go and give all the homeless animals in the world a nice home for the holidays, I know I can't do that. Instead, I am going to call up my local animal rescue and ask what they are in need of right now. An easy trip to Walmart and I can pick up dog beds, toys, food, and cat litter-things that they are desperately in need of. Don't have money to spend right now? Old towels, blankets, and t-shirts are always great to help these animals stay warm and comfortable this time of the year.

3. Find a local toy drive

Relive your childhood, make a trip to Toys "R" Us, and find a toy for a child in need. There is no need to spend a lot of money. Even $10 can get a child a toy to make them smile. There are thousands of children that are going to be waking up to tons of toys under the tree on Christmas Day, and many more that probably aren't. Let's do our part to make sure that more and more children have something to smile about this Christmas.

4. Download Charity Miles

Charity Miles is a free app that donates money to a charity of your choice for every mile you run/walk. There are so many different organizations to choose from including Stand Up For Cancer, Wounded Warrior Project, ASPCA and so many more! All you've gotta do is get moving to give back!

5. Purchase Gifts from "One for One" Companies

As you purchase gifts for your friends and family, consider choosing a present from a "One for One" company. Basically these are companies that donate an item for every item you purchase. Tom's Shoes and Love Your Melon are two of the most widely recognized examples of this business model, but there are so many more. One of my favorites right now is WWF which allows you to save an animal's life when you purchase a stuffed animal.

So there you have it! Giving back is way easier than you'd think! Let's get started together!