1. Surprise them with their favorite drink

On your way to work or class? Know you’re going to see them? Stop at the local coffee shop and get two cups to go. If coffee isn’t it, try their favorite juice or soda, or invite them for drinks after work.

2. Pay for their meal when they’re low on funds

Life is hard, and money is even harder. Treat your friend! You don’t need to tell them, or make a big deal about it; just do it when they’re not looking.

3. Plan a fun outing for their birthday

This is a no-brainer! Get a bunch of their friends and family together, deck out the place and yell SURPRISE! Or treat them out for dinner, take them for a day at the park, get concert tickets. It’ll be a super fun memory for the both of you.

4. Help them de-stress

Everyone gets stressed, and though some stress can be good (eustress), it can also lead to negative side effects, such as loss of sleep, high blood pressure, and anxiety or panic attacks. It’s important to take a break from these stressors and bring your body back to normal mode. Taking that break can be difficult, especially if this person is a workaholic. So go, sit with them while they work and interrupt them every half hour or so with a pun, tell them you’re super hungry and they only way they won’t be is if they take a lunch break with you. Help them forget for a little while.

5. Listen

You’ve heard this time and time again, but it’s absolutely true! It’s easy to tell when someone isn’t paying attention, and that can be incredibly discouraging. Paying attention to what they say, showing engagement and interest in what they say – this is largely noted by the speaker and they will appreciate it. So put your phone down, turn your laptop screen down, and actually look at the person you’re talking to. If you haven’t done that before, it might be a little unnerving, but it will be so worth it.

6. Remember the details

Now that you’re paying attention, try to remember what they are saying. Notice their mannerisms. You might grow to like some of their little quirks. But more importantly, notice the small things that make them happy and the small things that upset them. Notice what they are struggling with, and do something to help. Remember their needs; maybe there’s a dietary restriction, an allergy, a sensitive topic, a phobia, etc. When faced with these things, what can you do to ease their discomfort?

7. Notice when they’re happy and sad

Now that you’ve spent some time and effort getting to the know the person, it’ll be easy to determine their mood. When they are happy, be happy with them. Ask them what’s so amazing and celebrate! When they’re sad, be there to listen and be the shoulder to cry on. And when the time is right, try to cheer them up. Cheering someone up can be hard, because everyone is responsive to different things; this is where remembering the details can be super helpful. Draw from these to come up with the best cheering up tactic ever!

8. Celebrate the little things

Small wins is the way to go! If their working towards a bigger goal, support them on their journey. There will be bumps in the road, slippery slopes, lose branches, and cake walks along the way. Celebrate each step forward and help them up each time they slip.

9. Consider their perspective when making decisions that will affect them

Going out for a meal? Think about what do they like to eat. Any accommodations, an allergy or dietary restriction? Make sure that wherever you go, both are happy with the decision. Same when going to a party. Consider who all else will be there; if there’s someone there that makes this person uncomfortable, maybe think about doing something else, like catching a movie or going ice skating.

10. Hugs and Kisses! Tell them you love and care for them!

This is the most obvious, but can be the trickiest, because you are letting your guard down and being vulnerable to them. But the most beautiful things can happen when you just tell them just how much they mean to you!