Happiest College Students Do These 10 Things Right

College is a time of immense change, growth, exploration, and discovery. For some, it signals a new chapter in life. For others, it brings the opportunity to make a career change or advance in their existing profession. Despite the countless upsides of college, it can also feel like a trying time unless you are mentally prepared for it. For anyone entering college or continuing their higher education journey, it is surely desirable to become one of the happiest college students throughout your journey. But, how is that possible to do? 

Here, we’ll not only share some of the colleges with the happiest students, but we’ll also look at things students can do to position themselves to be the happiest they can be. 

Source: Unsplash

What Contributes to College Student Happiness?

The dictionary defines being happy as being, “delighted, pleased or glad.” For college students, defining happiness tends to be a moving target that’s highly based on one’s own needs and circumstances. 

While that’s often the case, there are still actions and behaviors students can take to make themselves the happiest college students. 

Some of these best practices include:

1. Balance of challenges

Here’s the thing: life is full of challenges and hurdles. College is no different. The trick is finding the right balance of challenges. For the things within your control, you can decide what’s worth the challenge. For things outside of your control, you can foster a positive mindset that is accepting of hardships and work on building resilience to power through. If a student’s curriculum or college experience is too easy, then growth and pleasure may be lacking. If challenges are too intense and overwhelming, then stress levels are likely to be too large to handle. Finding the happy medium between the two provides the opportunity for growth, the ability to reach goals, and the excitement of feeling proud for doing so. 

2. Social connections

Fostering social connections and making friends makes a huge difference in students’ college satisfaction levels. Whether you attend college in-person or want to make college friends online, having a support group helps make your college experience exciting and manageable. 

3. Manage stress 

College can be a stressful time for any student, regardless of their age. It’s of great importance to practice stress-relieving activities to reduce anxiety and burnout. There are many stress-relieving tips for students to choose from. Some of them include: meditating, journaling, exercising, sleeping, and breathing exercises, to name a few. 

4. Practice self-care

Remember to take time for yourself. College students have exciting opportunities to take part in. From going to class to studying and making time to hang out with friends and get involved in clubs, it’s valuable to take a step back. Practicing self-care looks different for everyone. For one student, self-care may be saying no to social events for a few days. For another student, it may be enrolling in yoga classes or listening to music. Whatever brings you joy, be sure to make time for it in your busy schedule. 

5. Get adequate sleep 

Sleep is very necessary for anyone, but especially for college students. Sleep impacts your ability to focus, bolsters your immune system, promotes brain development, and supports positive feelings, to name a few. Sleeping well can directly impact your happiness levels. 

6. Get involved

The happiest college students are involved in activities and causes that they care about. The great thing about college is that it’s a time to explore what you’re interested in and learn about things you may otherwise have never been exposed to. When you find what lights your fire, make time for it. 

7. Exercise

Physical exercise has psychological and physiological benefits. Exercise can increase brain activity and reduce stress levels. It can also prompt the release of endorphins, which are hormones that trigger positive feelings in the body and reduce pain receptors. 

8. Try New Things

College students who try new things grant themselves the possibility of discovering themselves and discovering what they enjoy the most. This can help to improve happiness. 

9. Don’t Procrastinate

Procrastinating, or waiting until the last minute, increases stress levels. To reduce becoming overwhelmed, plan ahead and remain organized. 

10. Have Alone Time 

While social interaction is key, it’s also important to take time alone and recharge. There’s a difference between being isolated and spending alone time – one can make you lonely, and the other can provide you with more energy to be present. 

Source: Unsplash

Colleges with Happiest Students

Want to attend colleges with the happiest students? 

The Princeton Review conducted a survey of 160,000 students at 3888 schools in its book of the Best 388 Colleges. From the data, they provided each school with a score based on survey questions. For more on the study’s methodology, read here. 

Per the results, the happiest college students attend the following universities (abbreviated to the top 5): 

1. Tulane University – New Orleans
2. Vanderbilt University – Nashville
3. Auburn University – Auburn 
4. Kansas State University – Manhattan
5. Texas Christian University – Fort Worth 

For students who wish to earn their education online at an accredited, tuition-free, and global university, they can rest assured happiness can be found at the University of the People! According to our 2022 Student Experience Survey, over 90% of students feel they are treated respectfully at UoPeople, 90% have enjoyed studying at our institution, 90% are proud to be students at UoPeople, and 85% agree that they have a better understanding of their career goals having been a student at UoPeople. 

Interested in learning more about our degree programs and non-degree certificate options? Explore our programs here. 

Happiness is in Your Hands

Wherever you choose to attend college, remember that you can become one of the happiest college students if you so want to be. Keep in mind the actions and habits listed above in order to make your college experience as exciting and educational as it can be.

Like beauty, happiness can be found in the “eye of the beholder,” so remember to stay focused, be positive, and stay open to learning to enjoy being a student as much as you can.