HappyNest for Happiness

Tonight the "HappyNest" on the third floor of the SOCH will celebrate its first opening at 8 p.m.

The HappyNest will be the permanent drop-in center for Harvard's Happiness Project, which is a student run organization that seeks to promote well-being in order to increase happiness and decrease stress.The opening will provide students with access to different video games like Xbox and Wii, art supplies, board games, and mini golf. The event will also include free pizza and burritos, as well as massages from Stressbusters. As an added bonus, students will receive their own container of silly putty.

Leslie R. Rith-Najarian '12, the founder of the Happiness Project, was fascinated by the human reception of stress after working in psychology Professor Daniel T. Gilbert's lab last semester. This interest not only sparked a thesis topic, but also inspired her desire to promote a less stressful lifestyle for students here at Harvard.

"Though playing may not directly bring happiness to all people, the purpose of the HappyNest and the atmosphere it creates is to promote the idea of taking a little time for ourselves," Rith-Najarian said.

Happiness Project staff member Eva M. Williams '13 explained her excitement about promoting happiness on campus and the opening of a happiness center.

"To me I think it's really important that people maintain some kind of sanity. To most people here work is the most important thing. But in my option, work is not the most important thing, but happiness is, because if you're not happy, what's the point?" Williams said.