Earlier this year, the Princeton Review ranked Seton Hall No. 7 in the United States for having the “Least Happy Students.”
The August ranking consisted of 20 schools. According to the Princeton Review website, the ranking is based on the results of a survey distributed to students. The results were determined by how strongly students agreed or disagreed with the statement, “I am happy at my school.”
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If I really hadn’t thought about it, I probably would have agreed with the statement. However, there are a lot of different factors that can cause students to be unhappy, for which you simply cannot blame the university.
Most of the time, it’s not even the university’s fault that you’re unhappy. For example, if you were seriously stressed out because you have three tests the next day on top of your significant other suddenly ending your relationship, that’s not Seton Hall’s fault. If you really hated this school, you would have already transferred by now or have begun that process.
However, if the statement were to say, “I am happy with my school,” then that would mean something totally different. It would mean that Seton Hall does not make you happy. You are not pleased with how matters are conducted here or the way this university is run. That’s what that means.
Nevertheless, college is one of the largest investments in a person’s lifetime, both financially and intellectually. You are literally paying money to have access to all the opportunities available that will affect your future.
So, even if you’re not happy as a student or with SHU itself, you should make the most out of your college experience while you can. It’s not worth the time or the money to be miserable for a prolonged period of time, and it’s not something you can rewind and fix.
I feel that a lot of people are not happy here because of the negative vibes that people spread to influence others to feel the same way. Seriously, don’t listen to them if their source for being unhappy doesn’t even relate to you. Your experience is simply your own and how you encounter it, not based on someone else’s.
And if you’re struggling with finding your happy place, start small first, then work your way toward finding something that will really make you happy. Push yourself and be confident.
Don’t forget that there are also people here who genuinely care about your well-being and want to spend time with you. You may say that you, “Hate everyone at this school,” but really, you don’t.
So, in short, bring yourself to what makes you happy in any way possible. Don’t ruin someone else’s experience with yours.
Liam Oakes is a sophomore public relations major from Andover, N.J. He can be reached at liam.oakes@student.shu.edu.
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