Dr. Laurie Santos

And the good news is that as a psychologist, especially kind of evidence-based psychologist, we know that there are strategies we can use to feel better, right? There's

decades of work in positive psychology in the field of behavior change and behavioral economics that shows how we can change our habits, how we can nudge our behaviors, and the particular things that we know will really improve our well-being. And so I designed the class to say, hey, this is what our field knows about how to do it.

decades of work in positive psychology in the field of behavior change and behavioral economics that shows how we can change our habits, how we can nudge our behaviors, and the particular things that we know will really improve our well-being. And so I designed the class to say, hey, this is what our field knows about how to do it.

decades of work in positive psychology in the field of behavior change and behavioral economics that shows how we can change our habits, how we can nudge our behaviors, and the particular things that we know will really improve our well-being. And so I designed the class to say, hey, this is what our field knows about how to do it.

Let me translate these strategies into something that the students can use. But when I first started planning the course, it was a new class on campus. I didn't know if students would be into it. I planned for 30 or 40 students taking it. I didn't expect it to be a quarter of the entire Yale student body, which is what it wound up becoming. The class was so popular, we had to teach it.

Let me translate these strategies into something that the students can use. But when I first started planning the course, it was a new class on campus. I didn't know if students would be into it. I planned for 30 or 40 students taking it. I didn't expect it to be a quarter of the entire Yale student body, which is what it wound up becoming. The class was so popular, we had to teach it.

Let me translate these strategies into something that the students can use. But when I first started planning the course, it was a new class on campus. I didn't know if students would be into it. I planned for 30 or 40 students taking it. I didn't expect it to be a quarter of the entire Yale student body, which is what it wound up becoming. The class was so popular, we had to teach it.

in a concert hall because that was the only spot other than the football stadium that would fit everyone who wanted to take it. So it was a bit of a surreal experience, but it really showed me that students were voting with their feet. They don't like this culture of feeling all stressed out and anxious and depressed.

in a concert hall because that was the only spot other than the football stadium that would fit everyone who wanted to take it. So it was a bit of a surreal experience, but it really showed me that students were voting with their feet. They don't like this culture of feeling all stressed out and anxious and depressed.

in a concert hall because that was the only spot other than the football stadium that would fit everyone who wanted to take it. So it was a bit of a surreal experience, but it really showed me that students were voting with their feet. They don't like this culture of feeling all stressed out and anxious and depressed.

I think students were really searching for not just solutions, but really evidence-based solutions they could use.

I think students were really searching for not just solutions, but really evidence-based solutions they could use.

I think students were really searching for not just solutions, but really evidence-based solutions they could use.

I mean, yes, effortless perfection is definitely happening on Yale's campus. Different campuses have different words for it. My favorite is a term that came out of the University of Pennsylvania, which is called duck syndrome. And the idea is that if you see ducks on the surface of the water, they look like they're just gliding and everything's perfect.

I mean, yes, effortless perfection is definitely happening on Yale's campus. Different campuses have different words for it. My favorite is a term that came out of the University of Pennsylvania, which is called duck syndrome. And the idea is that if you see ducks on the surface of the water, they look like they're just gliding and everything's perfect.

I mean, yes, effortless perfection is definitely happening on Yale's campus. Different campuses have different words for it. My favorite is a term that came out of the University of Pennsylvania, which is called duck syndrome. And the idea is that if you see ducks on the surface of the water, they look like they're just gliding and everything's perfect.

But under the water, their fins are moving around and they're moving really quickly and putting a lot of work in. And yeah, I think that's what Yale students are striving for, right? They are incredibly perfectionist, right?

But under the water, their fins are moving around and they're moving really quickly and putting a lot of work in. And yeah, I think that's what Yale students are striving for, right? They are incredibly perfectionist, right?

But under the water, their fins are moving around and they're moving really quickly and putting a lot of work in. And yeah, I think that's what Yale students are striving for, right? They are incredibly perfectionist, right?

In many cases, a lot of them really think of their own worth as their academic performance, as with the internships they get into and their performance on the football field or the extracurriculars, right? So much of their self-worth is tied into their achievements writ large. And I think they're supposed to engage in all those amazing achievements without putting in