I was making my coffee during my far-too-common Einstein Bagels run on Wednesday morning when I heard a voice from behind the counter say “Hey, miss! Can I ask you a question?” Wary, I walked up to the register and agreed to answer whatever he was about to ask.
“Would you rather be wealthy, healthy, or happy?”
Maybe I was surprised that I was presented with a question of this nature at such an unlikely place as a fast food stand, because hearing it made me smile. “Happy,” I said. “If you’re happy, then the other two won’t matter.”
I spent the walk back to my dorm reflecting on this. It’s very easy to work yourself into an unhappy rut in college, considering stress from classes, fears about the future, and social drama. We’re all human, therefore we all experience unhappiness at times. There’s no way to fully escape from it. If you feel as if the negative aspects of your life overshadow the positive ones, take a step back and look at how you can change it rather than accepting sadness as your fate. It may be surprising, but most people can control their level of happiness if they try consciously. Spend a while each day reflecting on things that you’re thankful for. If it’s nice out, throw a Frisbee or take a walk with some friends and just enjoy the weather and each other’s company. Take initiative to do something that you’ve been thinking about. Eat a cookie and revel in its chocolaty goodness. Don’t get hung up on whether you have enough money to buy that one thing you’ve been eying because, in twenty years, you’ll remember what you did more than what you had. This may sound obvious to some, but we all lose sight once in a while.
If you are clinically depressed or have another reason that extremely hinders your happiness, you probably agree that finding happiness is not this easy. Take advantage of William and Mary’s counseling center and connect with others who are going through similar things. You’re never alone, and there is a way out, no matter how hard it is to find.