As I sit down to write this last column of my study abroad experience in Denmark, I fully intend to share what I have uncovered about the secret of Danish happiness, that is, why Denmark is consistently ranked as the happiest country on Earth. But before I do so, I will describe another, unexpected discovery I made during my time abroad. For, during my quest to understand the roots of Danish happiness, I have come to understand essential ingredients for my own well-being which (perhaps not entirely coincidentally) was also a central focus of my academic studies of Positive Psychology. During my time here, a combination of my classes, exploration and personal reflection challenged my pre-abroad assumptions about government, values, community and daily life that have given me a renewed sense of what matters most.

Although I expected it to take me a while to get settled, I very quickly felt at home in Denmark. The ease with which I talked and laughed with my host family made my transition smooth and comfortable; I knew that they were there for me as I tried to navigate a new culture and way of life. By the end of the second week I was settled into a routine involving an hour-long commute into Copenhagen each day for class (by bike, train and foot), frequent adventures exploring the city with new friends, long family dinners each evening, Friday nights spent watching Danish X-Factor (while moaning about how horrible the contestants were) and feasting on sweets. With this new routine, I immediately noticed a change in my energy level and outlook.

Despite the cold and dark, I felt alert, engaged and focused. While I expected this to dissipate as the novelty of my experience wore off, I found just the opposite: the more time went on, the more outgoing and integrated into life I became. As the soles of my new boots wore down from the miles I trekked through the city, my body became stronger from completely relying on biking and walking. Taking short showers on the weekdays made me aware (for the first time ever) of just how nice a longer, hotter shower is when we “splurged” on the weekend. I reveled in the feeling of safety and security I felt, even walking home alone at night. I noticed myself actually smiling as I walked down the city streets, seeing more children and infants out with their families in one afternoon than I see in a month together in DC (where I’m from). I found that my life in Denmark was just as busy as it ever has been in the States, but somehow I feel a sense of calmness, contentment, security and comfort that I have never before experienced (ironic, since I’ve never lived farther away from home).

And so, I came to understand that my new, profound sense of personal well-being closely mirrors what I believe is behind Danish happiness at the broader social level. I believe that it ultimately grows out of the sense of trust, community and security that Danes can take for granted (yet deeply value), as well as from their deep appreciation of non-material pleasures. Looking back at my past five columns, it was these same themes that I have highlighted: in my columns, I explored the Danish Welfare system, which uses very high taxes to provide free health care and higher education for all citizens, as well as unemployment/disability benefits and stipends for students and families (among other things). I described lifestyle differences that maybe many Americans might find inconvenient, for example, the high taxes on cars, gas and utilities that make energy use and driving very expensive and therefore lead people to use public transit, bikes and carefully monitor their electricity use. I described the Danish concept of hygge, “coziness,” that is a defining principle of life creating togetherness and comfort. When combined, these are what I believe underlie Danish happiness.

My time abroad is almost over. I’ve answered my original question, but now have a far more challenging one to explore: how can I integrate the elements which I have come to see as critical to my well-being into my life back home, where they are not at all the norm? I think this is something we all struggle with: finding ways to integrate the valuable parts of one realm of life into another. Beginning college, going/returning from abroad and graduating all involve understanding and remaining true to what matters most while being conscious of the ways that our experiences change us. It makes life challenging, but it is also what makes life meaningful.

I know that I cannot bring home all the things I have come to love and there is much that I will surely miss, but the discoveries I have made about myself will help shape my life and choices in the months and years ahead. I will strive to make long dinners, an active lifestyle, community engagement, commitment to the environment and hygge central to my life from here on out.