Royals: Prepare to Be Happy at CHEW's New Event Series.

Sarah Baker '25, invites students to stop by the Condron Patio and sand volleyball court on Friday, Sept. 27 for a dose of joy - and Crumbl Cookies. This month, more than 250 Royals have attended a Be Happy Hour, part of a new series hosted by the Center for Health Education and Wellness (CHEW) and their event partners.

Baker, a Peer Health Educator Leader with CHEW, explained the goals for Be Happy Hours.

"Our inspiration for this series of events was to create a space for students to make social connections with their peers, to promote the use of green space, and to connect them with wellness resources on campus," said the occupational therapy major and psychology minor from Yardley.

Be Happy Hour is a collaboration between CHEW and event partners, including Student Health Services, University of Scranton Programming Board (USPB), Counseling Center, Center for Service and Social Justice (CSSJ), Campus Recreation, and Residence Life. The events offer free food, giveaways and activities such as crafts and yard games.

Baker tells Royals what they can look forward to at the Sept. 27 Bee Happy Hour.

What can people expect if they attend?

"At each Be Happy Hour, we work to create a strong sense of community, encouraging students to interact with each other, and the staff, in an informal setting. So far, our free food has included Duck Donuts, Philly pretzels and s'mores. We will have Crumbl Cookies at our last one, this Friday, Sept. 27.

As for the activities, we have yard games and volleyball at each Be Happy Hour, along with specialized activities such as a sand art craft by the Counseling Center, which focused on understanding how we experience emotions. At our most recent Be Happy Hour, Weekly Wellness Class yoga instructor, Miranda, led a group yoga class on the grass for all students."

What is the Be Happy Hour inspiration and goal?
"The Center for Health Education & Wellness offers programs and education that focus on promoting the eight dimensions of wellness and a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The Be Happy Hour series was an opportunity to promote departments and resources during the first couple of weeks on campus and help create opportunities for students to meet new people in a relaxed, fun environment.

Our event location on the Condron Green provides us with a beautiful open space for plenty of activities and encourages the incoming class to become familiar with the location of Student Health Services and the CHEW office."

What surprised you about the event?
"Not necessarily a surprise, but it was really validating having so many students come to our first two Be Happy Hours - each event had over 250 students attend! The whole purpose of this series was to get students outside, enjoying green space on campus, and connecting with other students and staff. It was very rewarding to see those connections take place!"

Which activities were the most well-received by attendees?
"Everyone loves free food, so that's been a big hit, and activities such as crafts, yard games and s'more making have been popular. ... Many students have stayed to play yard games such as Spikeball, Kan Jam, cornhole and volleyball."

Baker offers an elevator pitch for Friday's event:
"If you attend our last Be Happy Hour on Sept. 27 from 4-6 p.m. on the Condron Green, you can expect to get a free Crumbl Cookie, have opportunities to play volleyball and yard games, and learn about some of the resources we have on campus. We will be partnering with USPB and the Center for Service and Social Justice.

"We really appreciate our Scranton community and love seeing them jump at opportunities we provide, use campus resources, and engage with one another. The students at our events have given life to our Be Happy Hours with their enthusiasm and participation-they are the reason this community flourishes!"