January 09, 2025 By Ellie
YouAlberta is written by students for students.
Ellie Simonot (she/her) is an English undergraduate student at the U of A. As an avid reader and writer, she is inspired by the power of narrative to unearth new dimensions of life. In her free time, you can find her binging trashy reality television, spending too much money on iced coffee or cuddling her cat.
I want to begin by introducing you to a day that should be observed on a much larger scale. The International Day of Happiness is on March 20, giving us the opportunity to celebrate the people, places and experiences that bring joy into our lives. The U of A's Days of Action Committee will release their third annual volume of Happiness Reflected in honour of this day, and submissions are open now!
If you're a member of the U of A community with a unique perspective on happiness, I definitely encourage you to submit. Happiness Reflected is a wonderful collection of writing, visual art, photography and even music that meditates on happiness. The collection takes the form of a digital chapbook, a podcast and a poster series displayed on campus. I submitted a story called "Strays" last year (you can listen to the podcast episode that features my piece). The entire process was fulfilling and enjoyable.
"Strays" partially argues that happiness is something you do, not just something you are. It's not merely a passive experience; it takes energy to cultivate it. Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities on and off campus to relieve stress and have fun. Even if you're stressed about that midterm tomorrow, take a break from studying and devote some time to a hobby of yours. If you've got a big presentation, resist the urge to practice again and go to bed early. If you're nervous about an upcoming lab, attend a fun campus event with your friends. To find happiness on an individual and collective level, we need to resist our current culture's inclination towards sacrifice. We need to indulge in our own happiness.
Some of my fondest memories on campus involve attending student group events with my friends. These events are a great way for us to relieve stress and spend time together, not to mention supporting the amazing students who work so hard to bring these events to fruition. I remember painting ceramic vases with a friend at one such event. My vase was adorned with tiny daisies and strawberries, and my friend (who is quite the artiste) painted Winnie the Pooh on hers. At the end of the event, we received flowers to put in our vases. Though the flowers are long gone, the vase sits on my kitchen windowsill and sparks a little bit of joy every time I see it.
My bedroom is directly above the kitchen, and inside sits my bookshelf. In my view, reading is one of life's greatest pleasures. I always have at least two books in my backpack: a recreational read, and at least one book for a course (though those are usually just as enjoyable as well). Between classes, I like to tuck myself away in Rutherford Library or find some bench outside (weather permitting) to read. The simple act of reading gives life so much meaning, and I'm grateful that I have a hobby that I'm able to incorporate into my university experience on a daily basis.
Also, in my bedroom lies a large piece of paper rolled up in an elastic band. This is the Happiness Reflected poster for "Strays" that I took home after its display period last year. Submitting to the collection, reciting my piece on the podcast and seeing my work printed on this poster in Rutherford Library was incredibly exciting. The memory of the process brings a smile to my face. It was so fun to try something new and share my creative work, and I hope you feel this joy when you submit to the collection as well.
To me, Happiness Reflected is an important initiative because we take happiness for granted. Happiness, though it seems so day-to-day, is just as profound as any 'big' emotion (grief, love, rage and so on). As students, we sometimes surrender our happiness because we forget this. Happiness Reflected encourages us to think about the role happiness plays in our lives, the different forms it can take and happy memories that shape who we are. There is also so much joy in the creative process, so writing something for the collection made me embody the emotion I was writing about as well. As such, Happiness Reflected is an opportunity for students to recentre their own joy.
So go ahead and pick up that pen, that paintbrush or that camera! It's time to spread some happiness on campus.
YouAlberta