The Formula for Happiness

As John Langan (2019) writes Lena and Miles wanted a vacation. They wanted a vacation that was nice. They wanted one that was quiet. They wanted one that was relaxing. They rented a small lakeside cabin. Their first day there was very peaceful. The situation quickly changed. A large family moved into a nearby cabin. They played music at top volume. They raced around in a speedboat with a loud whining engine. Lena and Miles were no longer very relaxed. They packed up their things.

They drove off. They returned to their quiet apartment. (p. 145)

Lena and Miles wanted a nice and quiet vacation. They rented a small lakeside cabin that was relaxing and peaceful. The situation changed quickly when a large family moved into a nearby cabin. They played music and raced a speedboat with a loud whining engine. Lena and Miles were no longer relaxed, so they packed their things and returned to their quiet apartment. The study of happiness and what creates it has become a multi-million-dollar business.

Some people say that happiness comes from wealth, but most researchers say that happiness comes from within. In pursuit of happiness, many people create goals but often find once they have achieved them, the expected happiness is not present.

Most people will set present and further goals to help them look forward to something positive. Many people think that staying in a positive mindset will help attract positivity and happiness to your life. This in return gives a feeling of happiness and joy.

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Martha Beck, a life coach with a Ph.D. from Harvard, writes that “Over and over, researchers studying happiness have found that the situational elements people crave — money, social status, possessions — don’t reliably lead to an experience of well-being. Learning to find joy in the present moment … increases life satisfaction, improves health, and allows us to live longer more fulfilling lives.” Finding joy in the present moment might be difficult to attain at first, but if one focuses on what truly matters, this joy can lead to a better life.

The first step in how to find joy in your life is to be in the present. Instead of seeing a rainy day as a negative thing, see a rainy day and think about splashing and jumping in puddles. Instead of thinking about the stressful work meeting, think of what will be accomplished at this meeting. Some people see caterpillars as fascinating, not gross, objects to observe and follow. They see life as a series of exciting gifts that need to be experienced. Instead, people should learn to find they joy in life. Whether it is taking a moment to deeply breathe in the aroma of that first cup of coffee or marveling at the way toothpaste foams, finding satisfaction in the little moments of the day will lead to a more positive outlook.

the second step in finding joy is to focus on experiences instead of things. Buying a television might be exciting at first but sitting in a room watching television alone isn’t going to contribute to a sense of happiness. Instead, people can set a movie night with family and find joy in the experience of spending physical time with someone. According to Thomas A. Glass, professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, studies show that people who live longer lives have strong social connections and those who have weak or no social connections will die earlier, despite seemingly good health. Social interaction plays a huge role in our mental health and well-being as a human being. Positive interactions have positive outcomes whereas negative interactions have negative outcomes.

Finally, it is important to live generously. Giving to the community or improving yourself by learning something helps people to be more positive. Many people report that when they spend more time volunteering or learning something new, they find happiness. This intrinsic desire to better themselves or the world around them leads people to a sense of worth and happiness. Pursuing happiness can always remain a goal, or it can become a reality. All a person needs to do is focus on the present, focus on experiences, and live generously. Together these actions can lead to a longer, happier life.

International Student Orientation Program

With the increase of international students on campus, it is important that the academic community be aware of the major issues these students face. Many international students struggle with language barriers, cultural barriers, and social barriers. In order to effectively educate our students, the counseling department, in conjunction with the College Orientation department and the Honors Student Ambassador Program, will be implementing an orientation program that all international students will be required to attend. This will allow the international students the opportunity to connect with other students and instructors of the same language and cultures. This meeting will allow the school to test all international students on their English language skills.

If they have already taken the TOESL, that score will be used in place of the added testing. Students who are more proficient will be partnered with students in the Student Ambassador program. These pairings will allow students to work with a peer to ask questions, have subjects clarified, and seek the necessary resources that will offer help. This peer mentoring will be a way to increase student engagement, help with culture barriers, and decrease social barriers thus, enhancing student success. Students who are less fluent in English will be linked up with all the helpful elements that our ESL program can offer. Not only will the orientation program offer students an opportunity to improve their English language skills, but it will offer them connections with other students and professors who are aware of the added struggles faced by international students.

To address the cultural barriers, the orientation classes will focus specifically on American culture in comparison to the cultures represented by the students in the class. Many students come from countries that view education and professors differently. With a wide variety of views on education, specific focus will be placed on American classroom culture and the expected behavior of student-professor interaction. Students will also be instructed about the many differing aspects of American social culture. Students will be encouraged to share their cultures and customs to create a deeper understanding and bond within the class. This type of learning will create a strong learning community that will aid in students’ acclimation.

The final problems many international students face are social barriers. Most students attending college are forging new social connections. This poses a barrier to international students in that they may have different approaches to social connections in their cultures. However, it is generally much harder for international students as they are also trying to learn new customs, languages, and etiquette. Within the safety of the orientation class, students will be able to form a cohort of other international students who are also facing social barriers. For many reasons, the Student Ambassadors will be vital to this part of the orientation class.

Our international students face many added challenges, and they give much to our college community. Studies show that students who attend orientation programs often are far more successful in school. Offering an orientation that is specifically geared toward the obstacles our international students face will help them to have a more positive experience, which in turn should greatly improve our retention of our international students.

References

1. John Langan, Z. L. (2019). College Writing Skills with Readings, Tenth Efition. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.