Email from the happiness researcher

April 15, 2015

Dear Students,

You have just started studying and an exciting time lies ahead of you. You come to university with many expectations, hopes, wishes and dreams, but perhaps also with uncertainty, doubt and fear. You have received your dream place at university or have adapted your wish to study to the circumstances. The start of a course of study is a drastic event for all first-year students - for some more, for others less. But you all probably hope that there will be a happy time ahead of you, that you will master the demands, that you will find meaning in your studies, that your studies will help you, that you will grow personally. But also that you have fun and want to engage with the content of your subject, that you are satisfied with your studies and your life, that - in the words of psychology - you “flourish” at university. But how does it work, and what can psychological happiness research tell us about it? The answers are varied and I can only address three aspects.

First, social contacts are important. Depending on the course and study organization, these are not always easy to find. Here it is important to overcome inhibitions. The situation is new for most students and many are looking. My wife and I met at a student party that neither of us actually wanted to go to, and that party had a decisive influence on the next 30 years of my life. A good way is also to get involved inside and outside the university, to help others (e.g. in study groups), but also to show gratitude to others and express this. Committing to important things and other people is a key to happiness.

Secondly, it is important to live in harmony with your own strengths. We differ in what we are good at and what we are less good at. If we can leverage our strengths in our studies, but also in everyday life, this is an advantage. But this can also raise questions: Does the course really suit me? Did I choose the course because it matched my skills or just because it promised high prestige and perhaps a high income later? Do I achieve things that are important to me outside of my studies, or do I subordinate everything to my studies? Have I found the right balance between my studies and my other interests? There may not always be easy answers to this and you can get clarity through discussions, but also with the help of advisory services at universities.

Thirdly, mood regulation is central. Do I reserve the time of day when I am usually particularly awake and calm for the difficult study tasks (favorable!) or do I postpone this time for the times when I am tired and cranky (unfavorable!)? Am I setting aside enough time for the things I enjoy? Do I have enough sleep? Do I pay enough attention to the positive things that happened during the day and in my life, or do I just ruminate about the negative experiences of the day?

I wish you a good start to your studies and that many of your wishes come true!

Michael Eid

Prof. Dr. Michael Eid is a professor of psychology with a focus on methods and evaluation at the Free University of Berlin. He has been researching psychological happiness for over 20 years.

What makes you happy? A passed exam, sunshine, chocolate? Tell us: mail@uniglobale.com

Dear students, you have just started studying and an exciting time lies ahead of you. You come to university with many expectations, hopes, wishes and dreams, but perhaps also with uncertainty, doubt and fear. You have received your dream place at university or have adapted your wish to study to the circumstances. It is the start of a course of study for all first-year students

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