It’s a Danish word you’ve probably never heard of before: Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga). This small word is beginning to make large strides, all thanks to author Meik Wiking by publishing this book in 2017. Wiking is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, located in Copenhagen, Denmark (and yes this is a real thing). This book is filled to the brim with personal accounts and studies that show how you could incorporate hygge into your life. You may be asking “what is hygge and why is this important to me?” and I have the answers to both parts of that question.

Hygge has no literal translation to English, but let me paint you a picture: imagine you are in your dorm, it’s clean, you have some candles lit, and some friends are over. You’re sitting with each other surrounded by pillows and blankets, just enjoying each other’s company. That is hygge. It’s not so much an adjective but an atmosphere. In his book, Wiking writes “It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, and that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down.”

As someone who often says “stressed” in response to the question, “how are you?”, I tend to look for ideas on how to create more peace in my life. I believe that, in this age, more and more college students are stressed out and don’t often create healthy environments in which to thrive. That is essentially what this book is about.

The book is a very easy read, it’s something you can read in between classes or before bed without being exhausted. It’s broken into 14 short chapters with beautiful graphic designs between the pages, some of my favorites include “Light,” “Togetherness,” and “Home.” If you’re someone who is looking for ways to create a more calming environment around you (which, aren’t we all?) I would highly recommend this book.