At the end of last semester and the final weeks of 2016, I felt incredibly sad to the point that I didn't even know how to feel happy again. I would go through my days in mundane way and didn't even have friends I could count on anymore. I heard about the 100 Happy Days challenge and figured I would give it a shot.

So what's the challenge? 100 Happy Days poses the question: can you be happy for 100 Days in a row? According to their website, 71% of the people who tried the challenge quit halfway through because of lack of time. If you participate in the challenge, you have to post a picture a day on some form of social media with the hashtag #100HappyDays. Then, at the end of the 100 days, you can receive 100 little prints to remind you of these happy moments in your life. After the challenge, people reported to be happier each day.

I figured, why not? But, I didn't expect to feel as happy as I've felt. Ever since I started the challenge, I've honestly felt so much more content with myself and have upheld a positive vibe. I've decided that negative thoughts and shitty people just aren't worth my time. I've focused on who really matters in my life, and what's important versus silly things that are irrelevant to my life. Shifting my gear in thinking has made me change my outlook on life, too. Although I've been pretty cynical for the past few years, I now think twice before I react to something and strongly consider how karma will come around in the future.

The challenge has also helped me try new things that I normally wouldn't have. So far, I finished a tattoo that I haven't thought about in two years, I actually got a haircut after three years, and highlighted my hair red for the first time. I picked up a novel I started to write over a year ago and added seven chapters, I started writing regularly again, and reconnected with my best friends from home. I started applying for jobs in my field, began a new internship, and started freelancing. Additionally, I stumbled upon a few great moments - including seeing the sunrise and catching a glimpse of my first rainbow. I've started to notice that it's important to take risks whenever possible and live in the moment. This thought led me to spontaneously book a Spring Break trip to California, which is probably the craziest thing I've done in a while.

Since the challenge forces you to post a picture every day, it also helps you notice the small moments in your day that make you smile. So although I've had some un-extraordinary days, I tried to think about anything that made me happy that day. This included simple things like playing my favorite video game, getting ice cream, listening to a jam-worthy record, or splitting a large pizza with my boyfriend. These innocent, low-key moments could actually be some of the greatest. 50 days down, and 50 more to go. I'm so excited to see what the future brings — and now, I'll be living so much happier.