People across the world are asked this question constantly. And universally, the typical answer is “good.”

But are you?

Happiness is tricky. It’s hard to differentiate happy moments from a happy self. And happiness is especially fragile among college students.

We all have a friend, whether we know it or not, who is struggling mentally, maybe even verging on depression. Maybe that person is you. 

The American College Health Association conducted an assessment in 2011 that found that 30 percent of college students reported feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function” at some point in that past year.

In a culture of instant gratification, we receive temporary happiness from seeing Facebook friends like our new profile picture. We get a confidence boost when we see our name on the University of Illinois Secret Admirers Facebook page. But soon we crave more. We compare ourselves to others and feel down when our self-comparison ranks low.

Sometimes just the stress of growing up can make us feel anxious. In college, we’re expected to make something of ourselves and figure out what we want to do with the rest of our lives. And many of us have only four years to do just that.

Through my experiences, personally and academically, I’ve found that the most important source of happiness boils down to yourself. When everything else falls apart, you are the one constant that you will always have. Friends, family and successes can contribute to happiness, but when it comes down to it, you go to bed with yourself and wake up with yourself.

That is why it is so crucial to know what makes you happy.

For me, happiness is a glass of ice-cold milk. It’s an episode of “Modern Family.” A nap in the sunshine. Disney Pandora. A cup of coffee and the newspaper.

These preferences of mine are not big. In fact, they’re pretty minor.

But minor only in the sense that they are so simple that they can easily be overlooked.

It’s important to stake out these things that can help improve your day. And take time to do them, especially if you’re struggling.

Notice how I did not mention people on my list. I could have easily added my family, my friends and even my little Yorkie to it, because they are surely some of my largest sources of my happiness. However, people are never a given. I cannot take them for granted, yet I can expect my coffee and the Chicago Tribune in the morning.

And that makes me happy with myself.

Former Harvard professor Tal Ben-Shahar wrote in his book “Happier” that happiness is “a quiet inside job.” Happiness is when we can spend time by ourselves and realize that life can be great. 

This takes time to learn how to do. And life will not always feel great. But figuring these things out will be a gift to yourself. A gift that you deserve and need.

I’m no expert. I’m not even a psychology major.

But I do live in the real world. I know feelings of bliss and content, but also those of pain and unhappiness. And I have learned how to deal with the latter.

I am sure you have heard the saying that you have to love yourself before anyone else can love you fully. I didn’t used to think this was true, but now I do.

You are your biggest asset as well as your weakest.

Realize this and happiness will come.

As for me, I’ll go grab another glass of milk.

Kirsten is a sophomore in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].