By Diana Nuno, Editor

Junior DiAndre Maldonado is always laughing and joking with his group of friends. Although he’s happy most of the time, Maldonado finds himself the happiest when he’s being social with his close friends.

“I’m the happiest when I’m with my friends because it’s always good to spend time with the people you care about and are closest to,” Maldonado said.

A study determined that there are five elements of wellbeing, one of which is social wellbeing. What does that mean? Most people aren’t really happy unless they have close relationships in their lives.

“Everyone needs a friend when times are tough, and they also need people in their life to just talk to,” Cindy Miller, health teacher, said.

“People are the happiest when they feel good about themselves and have good friends they can count on.”

Gallup, a well known polling organization, conducted a global study of people in 150 countries, asking them questions about their health, wealth, relationships, jobs and communities. From there, they compared that information to self-rankings of each person’s happiness, which let them draw conclusions about what really makes people happy.

Nationally, 50 percent of people report themselves as “pretty happy,” while another 15 percent find themselves to be “not as happy.”A Krier poll of 110 Kaneland students showed that 72 percent are “pretty happy,” while 9 percent are “unhappy.”

“I always try to look at things positively and make the best of whatever life throws at me,” junior Courtney Reiss said.

“Happiness is probably one of the most important things in life. If you’re not happy, you’re not living life to it’s fullest.”

Yet overall, the same Gallup study shows Americans have become less happy over the past two years, as the recession affected finances, careers and families.Determining what happiness really means, and who’s happy, is more complex than just looking at who’s smiling. Gallup’s five dimensions of wellbeing go beyond just the social element; the other four are career wellbeing, financial stability, health and community.
COMMUNITY WELLBEING Where someone lives impacts their wellbeing greatly. Smaller communities, where the population is less dense, also tend to have happier residents than areas where residents are more densely populated, according to another Gallup study. Community involvement, such as membership in a church or volunteer organization, also correlates with happiness, the study found. Roughly 62.8 million people volunteer nationwide, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
FINANCIAL WELLBEING It’s the ultimate question: does more money equal happiness? According to a Krier survey, 29 percent of students think that if they had more money they’d be happier. To some extent, the research indicates, it’s true. According to a Pew Reseach study, “Are we happy yet?,” 50 percent of those who earn an annual income of more than $100,000 say they’re very happy, while only 24 percent of households earning under $30,000 feel the same way. However, for the majority in the middle, money itself made little difference. What did make a difference? What people spent the money on. A new study by San Francisco State University suggests that buying life experiences, such as going on a vacation or to a concert or buying gifts for others, rather than buying material possessions like clothes and new cars, leads to greater happiness for both the consumer and those around them. If there’s money to spend, it’s worthwhile to spend it on someone else.
CAREER WELLBEING For students, “career” wellbeing can include success in school, sports and in a part-time job. As full-time students, academic success is the primary source of happiness. However, jobs can also impact the career wellbeing of teens. A  Krier survey found that 20 percent of students who have a job say it contributes to their stress and unhappiness. That’s a large chunk, considering only 29 percent of students have a job at all.School and work stress are correlated to lower levels of happiness. A Gallup study showed that nationwide, five of the ten states with the highest stress levels, mostly along the eastern seaboard, also had the lowest happiness rates, while states with the lowest levels of stress also had the most happiness. The state with the happiest residents was Montana, the study found.
PHYSICAL WELLBEING Every P.E. student gets the spiel the first day: exercise leads to happiness, as does knowing how healthy you are. Physical wellbeing goes hand-in-hand with eating habits. Certain foods are necessary for the body, such as protein, while others the body can do without.”Drink milk. It has protein, and so does yogurt and meat. Make sure whatever you’re eating contains protein,” Laura Cannell, registered dietician, said.  Foods with high sugar and fat content lead to mood and energy crashes, so it’s not a good idea to get a quick fix with that high calorie, high sugar sports drink.”Having a well-rounded diet also helps your mood,” Cannell said.
OVERALL WELLBEING Studies have found that 50 percent of a person’s overall happiness is genetic–based on inborn personality traits that determine mood and attitude–and 50 percent is based on lifestyle, such as the five dimensions of wellbeing. Only 7 percent of American adults are thriving in all five areas at any given moment, but many more say they are “happy” because they are thriving in some, though not all, five areas.
WHAT KHS STUDENTS HAD TO SAY WHEN ASKED “WHEN ARE YOU THE HAPPIEST?”

“I’m the happiest when I’m drawing, playing ball, or with the ones I love. They help me relieve any stress I feel.” Senior, Drew French
“I’m all about making other people happy and brightening their day. So if they’re happy, I don’t see any reason not to be as well.” Junior, Bryan Van Bogaert
“When I’m doing what God’s told me to do, and that’s what’s right.” Junior, Ashlyn Slamans
“When I’m with my friends. That way I can look back and think of all the good times we had.” Senior, Brian Dixon