Curious about what stress really is and how it affects our lives? This course dives into the science of stress and happiness, blending insights from behavioral endocrinology, psychology, and anthropology. You’ll explore how concepts of well-being have evolved over time and across cultures, while also learning practical strategies to manage stress and enhance your overall well-being as you start your journey at UW.

Throughout the course, we’ll critically examine wellness recommendations from both scientific research and popular culture. You’ll get hands-on experience with techniques designed to promote well-being, focusing on finding a healthy balance between your student life and everything else going on around you.

By the end of the course, you’ll understand how stress works biologically, differentiate between acute and chronic stress, and evaluate common methods for measuring stress. You’ll also learn to analyze techniques that claim to reduce stress and apply principles of positive psychology to improve your academic, social, and personal life. Classes will be interactive, with discussions, mini-lectures, group assignments, and even weekly field trips to practice what we’ve learned in real-world settings. Join us for an engaging exploration of stress and well-being

Learn more about the instructor of this course: https://anthropology.washington.edu/people/melanie-martin