What makes you feel happy?

by Rucsandra Curtis, Year 10

Students

Corvin Cuica, Y2: Playing with my friends makes me happy.

Liam Pinco, Y3: I am happy when I get good scores.

Rebecca Dumitrescu, Y4: Playing with my dog, playing on my phone, and being with my friends makes me happy.

Yasemin Cil, Y5: Learning new things makes me happy, so I am happy at school because I get to learn all sorts of new things daily and to be with my friends!

Sonia Muthu, Y6: Learning new things and having new experiences makes me happy. I am happy right now because this is the first time I’ve been interviewed, and I like being asked questions.

Karina Nitescu, Y7: Happiness is friendship, the teachers being nice, and the playground. I am happy right now because this school is a very nice, full of polite people.

Olivia Opran, Y8: Happiness is that one feeling where you feel so good that absolutely nothing can destroy your mood. I am happy right now because it’s breaktime and I’m with my friends.

George Platt, Y9: Happiness is being with my friends, doing what I enjoy, etc. I’m happy right now since I’ve been spending time with my friends recently and getting to do what I enjoy.

Illinca Sandu, Y10: To me, happiness isn’t a particular state. I think we are constantly changing as people. However; what could come closest to it is the calm necessary to improve. I think I’m pretty content and this allows me to meet my own set of expectations more effectively, so in a way, yes. I’m happy that I am part of a group of people who have the possibility to learn more about the world around them.

Nina Culea, Y11: I think happiness isn’t something constant. I believe it’s something that you feel at certain times like when you’re doing something you really enjoy, and it’s as if everything around you fades away, and it’s just you, trapped in that very moment.

Medeea, Y13: Happiness to me is a prolonged state of mind that one chooses to an extent. For instance, joy is a temporary emotion, whereas happiness is something more long-term, a general feeling. I feel like to a certain degree you choose whether you are happy or not; there are people that don’t have anything and are happy, and there are people that have everything and are not satisfied. Currently, I am too busy to think if I am happy or not overall. I think that the correct word to describe what I am is grateful: I’m grateful for everything I have and all the opportunities that are offered to me, and I am working on building a happy future for myself, even if life comes with its pain and struggles.

Teachers

Dr Laffar: Happiness is my wife and my daughter. I am definitely happy right now, because not only do I have my wife and daughter, but I also get to teach math, which I really enjoy.

Mr Ennion: To me, happiness is knowing that my loved ones are safe and doing well.

Mr Vincent: I know that this sounds cliché, but my family and my friends make me happy.

Ms Diana: Happiness to me is doing the things that I love and being around the people that I love.