I have a question for you. What makes you feel happy? Is it having money? Partying? Going on social media? Online shopping at Urban Outfitters? (That last one is directed toward me... ha).

These all sound great, right? Wouldn't your life feel more complete if you had millions, maybe billions of dollars? Endless invites to party upon party? Thousands and thousands of followers on every social media platform to exist? Enough clothing to suffocate a closet?

I have to point out a flaw here. None of these and more that I haven't listed above are sustainable toward your own happiness. Is having money great? Yes! It's become a necessity toward our own functioning and well-being in today's society. Without it, we wouldn't be able to buy food, water, or pay for essential items that we need in order to live. However, money can lead to our downfall. Too much of money, and we historically have tended to spend it on non-essentials, and become more reckless. The same goes for the rest. Partying, social media, online shopping at one of your favorite retailers; these all can make you feel good for a short while, but they aren't long-lasting sources of happiness. In fact, studies have shown that time spent on social media can lead to depression or depressive thoughts. Don't believe me? A study was specifically done on just that.

Now that I've established what ISN'T sustainable toward your own happiness, it's time for me to begin the *cracks knuckles* fun part, where I share some hearty tidbits and vital pieces of information of what I have personally experienced that can lead to, you guessed it ladies and gents, your VERY OWN LONG-LASTING HAPPINESS!

I want to start this part off by saying something important. Everything that I'm listing here is not the advice of a professional; I'm a 20-year-old in college, and I cannot offer the same help as a therapist. I can, however, offer my advice, and tell you things that I have done that have helped me overcome my own issues and become much, much happier in the long-run. I hope that these make you happy too.

Last summer, I felt really sad and I didn't know why. I kept trying to keep a relationship going, even though my boyfriend and I both knew it was going downhill. At the end of the summer, two days before I moved into my sophomore dorm, we broke up. I can honestly say this made me much happier. At first, it wasn't fun, but weeks later, I started to feel better. I realized that to keep something going that was emotionally draining wasn't the best for me, and it was taking a toll on my happiness. This was the first step I took toward being happier, and if you're struggling to keep a dying relationship going, whether it be with a significant other or a friend, breaking it off could be the first step toward your own happiness as well. You feel freer, and all that time that used to be spent with your significant other or friend can now be dedicated to yourself, your family, and your friends.

The next thing I did is definitely the most important to me and has been what has kept me the happiest thus far. A slight backstory; I used to struggle with my religion, and there was a period of time when I wasn't even sure what to believe. I decided to change this and pursue my faith again. At the beginning of my sophomore year in college, I went to the meeting of a Christian organization on campus and decided to attend a small group every week. To everyone out there who has been struggling with their religion, keep trying to build that faith back. Whether you are Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Sikh, (there are more religions than that, I apologize if I didn't include yours), get in tune with your faith once again! Talk to others who practice your faith, pray, and try to get back in touch with it. In the long run, you will feel happier and have a more positive outlook on life. I cannot exactly say why this has made me happier, but I do know that praying to God every day and talking about my faith with my friends has made me feel much happier and go through daunting situations with a more confident and enthusiastic approach.

The next way to make yourself happier could also be the easiest, depending on how social of a person you are. One thing I found that helped me be happier was to put myself out there and connect with people. Sounds intimidating, but it's also a lot of fun. I found that talking to my old friends and spending time with them raised my moods. Reconnecting with friends you've had for a while is a great way to make yourself happier; chances are, you're close to them and can talk about events you both have experienced together and rekindle the friendship once again. Meeting new people and talking to them about common interests is also a great way to boost your mood; for example, if you both love traveling, you can talk about your favorite places you've been, and hype each other up as the conversation continues. That feeling of connecting with someone and understanding that they're similar to you is such a rewarding feeling and is bound to make you feel happier, or at the very least, boost your mood. The way to continue this trend and sustain these feelings is to spend more time with these people that you connect with. It might be nerve-wracking to be the first in that new friendship to send a text, but the payoff is great; having friends around you and having a good support system can help to prevent long-lasting feelings of sadness. For example, this year when I moved into my sophomore dorm, I wasn't sure what my roommate would be like; I wasn't sure if we would even get along for that matter, but I'm glad we were paired together. After a few weeks of being roommates, I found that I felt more comfortable around her and that I talked to her about pretty much everything. That being said, you can assure yourself that when you do feel those blue moments come, your friends (both old and new) will be there for you.

Now, this next part may or may not be a shocker, but I found that spending time with myself was a mood-booster. Crazy right? Spending some time with yourself and doing things that you like have a good, positive influence on your mood. Used to paint but haven't felt that "spark" for any subject matter lately? Pick up that paintbrush and start brainstorming! Love to read but can't seem to find a good book? Go re-read a book you haven't read in years or ask someone for a good read! Stop giving yourself excuses for why you shouldn't be doing something; if you were passionate about dancing or running but gave it up because someone told you it was pointless (how rude of them I may add) or you simply didn't have time to do it, then make time! Set aside some time at least once a week to enjoy a sport or activity that you used to love. I understand if it's difficult to make time for something, but think about something that can be sacrificed. Going back to doing things you used to love is important, those activities are part of who you are and what make you that unique individual that you are. Now don't give me any excuses, go do something fun!

I think after all this, everything I've said can be simplified into four short sentences. Break off those toxic relationships. Find your faith (again). Meet new people. Go back to the activities you used to love. For everyone out there trying to find their happiness, I'm proud of you. It's not easy and it took me some time to find mine, but it's been worth it.