Recently, you may have seen the video in which a very excited woman, Candace, puts on a Chewbacca mask that she bought at Kohl’s. If you have yet to see the video, you should definitely take a few moments to watch it here.

Wasn’t that joyous?

Watching this video made me think about how many of us like to think that happiness is something that stems from ignorance and naivety. Happiness is foolish; it’s snorting while laughing and jumping up and down out of excitement. It isn’t the sophisticated stoicism of disinterest. We prefer to not care over letting ourselves enjoy things, whether it’s something as simple as a Chewbacca mask or as major as moving into your first apartment.

We don’t let ourselves be happy, but then we complain that we aren’t as happy as we used to be. So I challenge anyone reading this to do something this week that brings a little smile to your face, which is harder than you may think.

Don’t believe me? Come up with 10 things right off the bat that, without fail, always make you smile. Not just make you happy or feel good, but make you actually smile. Now pick at least one of those things that is pretty simple to accomplish in the upcoming finals week, and do your best to do it at least once, if not multiple times or daily.

If you’re stuck, here are 21 ideas:

• Watch the sun set on Lake Lag.
• Grab a sugary Starbucks drink with a friend and sit outside for at least 15 minutes (I recommend an hour, but hey).
• Ditch the bike, and on your way home, plan a route that stops at as many fountains as possible and stick your feet in each one for a few minutes.
• Send someone a postcard.
• Visit the Cantor.
• Write a horrible, love-obsessed poem about something you hate or something that’s bothering you. Extra points if it’s a sonnet.
• Take yourself to a movie — even better if it’s something trashy.
• Do your laundry, get rid of clothes you don’t wear anymore and make your bed.
• Make yourself a smoothie.
• Go to your favorite place and allow yourself to act like a tourist, and take it in with fresh eyes.
• Reread your favorite children’s book that you read over and over again as a child.
• Do your favorite workout; the one that’s the most fun — hiking, swimming, jump rope, you name it.
• Throw a brownie-baking party (if you have a kitchen or kitchenette to bake in).
• Get a haircut, or dye your hair (if your summer plans will allow unnatural hair colors).
• Look through the Tumblr tags of a show, book, movie or video game that you secretly love, and revel in being a fan for a few moments.
• Get a group of people together and have each person order one or two things from a different ethnic restaurant and share the food.
• Learn how to make a paper crane.
• Buy an adult coloring book and color in a few pages.
• Take a nap in the sunshine — put on sunblock and set a timer.
• Buy a small book that you wouldn’t normally buy for yourself.
• Watch your favorite YouTube videos from high school.

Remember, letting yourself be happy is important. It is not anti-intellectual. It is not foolish. It is good. And recognize that what looks like happiness to somebody else may not be what feels like happiness to you. So go forth and let yourself enjoy life.

 

Contact Arianna Lombard at ariannal ‘at’ stanford.edu.