Happiness comes in many different forms. For me, happiness is food, specifically Chipotle. In all seriousness, happiness to me is life, with the people I love and care for, that is all I really need.

So many people, especially us college students, tend to lose track of what makes them happy. Happiness doesn’t mean that one automatically has a perfect life and that’s what makes that one person happy; happiness can range from a variety of things- random acts of kindness, a sense of accomplishment, thoughts of people, etc.

Honestly, my life has been pretty amazing thus far. Sure, there have been a few downfalls and some spots to learn and grow, but for the most part, I have been blessed with a beautiful life. I have the best support system of family and friends who genuinely care for me, I’ve received many wonderful opportunities at a young age and I have a place to call home.

Most people who know me probably have a pretty good understanding of how happy I usually am. I’m just naturally an energetic and upbeat person, therefore, I’m pretty happy most of the time.

Although I am a naturally happy person, this doesn’t apply to everyone. So what does happiness mean for others? When I was having a conversation with my roommate about happiness, we came to the realization that people today have different perspectives on happiness. Social media is definitely a factor in this- social media influencers post pictures when they look their best, when they’re on vacation and with ‘friends’. The logical question is, are they really that happy?

One of the many popular social media platforms is Instagram. Instagram consists of people posting pictures for their followers to see. Most people like to post pictures that they think look ‘trendy’ or look their best, because why would you post a picture where you don’t think you look good, right?  I think our first problem on social media is we have such high expectations for ourselves and others. Truthfully, everyone needs to take a step back and evaluate their lives.

Behind all these famous influencers, we need to remember they are real people and they have bad days too. Their lives are not perfect, they just show it as it is. They show pictures of themselves at their best, which automatically makes us want to follow their style.

Happiness doesn’t come easy, especially as a college student. School, expenses and relationships can be extremely stressful, but don’t let this bring you down. We are humans, living in an unexpected and complicated world.

Take a deep breath, happiness is something that everyone experiences but it’s okay to doubt it at times. Even though happiness comes in many different forms for everyone, surrounding myself around positive people, eating my favorite meals, setting goals, learning new skills and finding a passion in something I love were all steps in the right direction for me. This doesn’t mean that it’s unacceptable to have bad days, we all have them and you are not alone. Be your own version of happiness and stay true to yourself, it’ll show.