As previously stated in my last blog post, this summer I am spending three weeks in Copenhagen taking the Positive Psychology course.
In contrast to many other Psychology courses I have taken, Positive Psychology focuses on what can go right with people as opposed to what can go wrong. This course focuses on how we can help individuals flourish, live a fulfilling life, and how we can reduce the risk of relapse for those individuals. This course is also very inspiring and like the name entails, positive. It is very interesting delving into the positive aspects of yourself and others.
Field Studies are the coolest part of this course because this is when we get to put into function the theories we are learning about.
During these past two weeks, we have embarked on two Field Studies. The first Field Study consisted of analyzing what makes Denmark one of the happiest places in the world. To investigate the subject, we were tasked with roaming the streets of Copenhagen to observe and interview Danes about their opinions on the matter.
Our second and my favorite Field Study was our savoring activity where we were given two hours to devote our time to doing something we love and savoring the moment, in an attempt to create flow. During this activity, I visited the Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket which is a museum near the school.
Our class is led by Gitte (it is Danish custom to refer to professors by their first name! Interesting, right?) Who has created a really different atmosphere for learning where it doesn’t feel like a regular classroom but more like a fun, educating, and engaging space for exchanging of ideas! My classmates have also made it a very great place to learn and share opinions as everyone is very accepting, candid, nonjudgmental about their and others’ experiences and opinions.
Class doesn’t always feel like a chore as we are often gifted Danish delicacies such as Danish Toffee and Flødeboller, which is a chocolate covered marshmallow treat, courtesy of our wonderful professor. We also have a daily “class gardener,” who is given about 10 minutes to engage the class in a random activity. As a class gardener, I brought my HBCU (Historically Black College and Universities) culture to Copenhagen by teaching my classmates how to do the electric slide to Beyoncé’s ICONIC revision of Maze’s “Before I Let Go.”
Overall, this class is a new experience that I am thoroughly enjoying!
It’s an A-B conversation and I’m C-ing my way outta here!
-your international girlfriend, Cassandre.