While I might have only been “homeless” for 24 hours, the experience opened my eyes to the truth about homelessness. Hosted by L.I.V.I.N.G. Ministries, my friends and I attended what is known as a "sleep out." Basically from the time we arrived at 6 p.m. Friday night until 12 p.m. Saturday, we were treated as if we were homeless. We ate dinner as if we were in a shelter, and slept on cardboard in an abandoned house on the North Side of Pittsburgh. We then took part in the largest homeless camp cleanup that Pittsburgh has ever seen. This experience wasn’t about having an adventurous weekend with friends (though I am not going to lie we did really have an adventurous weekend), it was about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and experiencing what life is like from their perspective. Here are the biggest things I learned:

1. If you go to a sleep out, be prepared.

This may sound a little silly. You’re probably thinking, "why would you need to bring anything if I'm 'homeless?'" That’s what I thought at first. We went in with nothing more that an extra pair of sweatpants and socks. That’s it. We were all excited and nervous, thinking that we were going to be so hardcore, and give ourselves the most realistic experience possible. When it was time to go to bed, I cannot describe to you the face of Charles, who runs L.I.V.I.N.G Ministries. He was kind enough to let us share two of his sleeping bags between the six of us. While it may have been valuable to sleep on nothing more than the puzzle of cardboard boxes, it is also important to stay warm. It was still hella uncomfortable, we were still in an abandoned house crumbling to shambles, with cracked windows and graffiti. We were all freezing, but at least the chance of hypothermia was reduced, even if only by a little.

2. Be grateful for what you have. (This includes relationships, too.)

I went in knowing that if anything, at least, I would be more grateful for what I have. That did happen, but I didn’t think it would impact me as much as it did. It's more than being grateful for what we have in terms of material wealth. Yes, I am thankful for my bed and warm clothes and my house. I am thankful for the sleeping bag Charles let us use, but I am the most grateful for the wonderful relationships I have with my friends and family. We were told that one of the causes of homelessness often overlooked is broken relationships. I quickly learned that I would not have made if through the night, let alone the weekend, without my friends by my side. Yes, they literally kept me warm and made me feel safe and secure, but I also know that they would be there for me no matter what. The same goes for my family.

3. Don’t believe the homeless stereotypes.

We are all one paycheck, or natural disaster, or one bad decision away from homelessness. You name it... there are so many different things and events that lead a person down the path to this unfortunate lifestyle. Homelessness doesn’t target a specific race or gender or age. I want you to take the image out of your head when you think of the homeless. Remove the stereotypical image you see and replace it with the image of yourself. The word "homeless" is just a label.

4. You can give help without even touching your wallet.

We were instructed to make a sign and given a piece of cardboard and a marker. The task was to convince the wealthy businessman that walks by to give you money. Most people wrote something along the lines of “I’m Homeless. Anything helps.” Keyword: anything. the homeless are overlooked as people. The basic needs of people extend far more than materialistic goods. There is only so far a dollar can go when a person has no hope. This hope often comes from others. This hope can come from you. Give a simple smile. Acknowledge the existence of another human being. This is where being thankful for relationships comes back into play. L.I.V.I.N.G Ministries focus on building relationships with the homeless. They always refer to them as “our homeless friends.” Imagine your life without any human interaction. You would want a friend. The homeless often go days without a single word or glance from others. We walk by them turning our heads ignoring their lives right in front of us. So stop and smile. If you're feeling extra friendly, ask them their name. Yes, they have names too. Truly, anything helps.

5. The homeless are people, too.

If you haven’t caught on to the theme here, it's that the homeless need to be treated as people, too.