Final Reflection

As the first semester of my freshman year comes to a close, I think often about what I have learned since the beginning of this year, mostly about my changed perceptions of the term “happiness”. I am still not entirely sure whether or not I have a complete definition of the term, but I certainly have a better understanding of how the concept influences personal decision making. I realize that “happiness”, whatever it is, is a final emotion that everyone sets out to find, some meaning in hardship and purpose for when times are difficult or boring. True happiness is achieved by developing a personal mind-set that things will work out regardless of what events actually take place. Many spend their time searching after other things that they think will make them happy. For example, workers who put their faith in financial gain continue to perpetually buy the newest technologies, regardless of how working so hard and so long by themselves creates societal tension and personal decrease in self-value. I am still unsure about whether happiness is created by continued achievement, accomplishment, or contentment. But I understand that happiness wouldn’t be happiness without some personal relevance being attached to it.
Also how does happiness relate to success? In reality, success is a matter of self-evaluation and self-interpretation, a concept that cannot be defined or measured by popular opinion. Much like the idea of happiness, defining success is a matter of establishing a mind-set and basing other interpretations around it. In contrast, accomplishing some specific goal is a great tool to measuring success. Students who invest time and energy into meeting some predetermined objective have the potential of coming to a personal conclusion of self-importance and worth. The distinction between success and happiness is that success isn't happiness unless happiness is the goal that you set out to achieve.