Despite differences in economic status, race, religion and gender, one necessity all humans have in common is for happiness. All of us in our own worlds are searching for those fleeting moments of happiness that make life worth living. As we consider happiness, we realize that it often derives from material things, all of which have expiration dates. Love that bag of Doritos? Well, soon it will either be eaten or it will go stale. Love your laptop to bits and pieces? There will come a day when it no longer works. The good becomes old, useless or outdated and is easily replaced. And we resume our quest for happiness. One thing that could make our college experience more delightful and complete would be finding a permanent solution to our quest for happiness. This solution would lead to a fulfilling and satisfying life.
We do not need to look far for our solution. OMx Pittsburgh is soon approaching to show us the path to happiness.
What is OMx? For the first time OM, the student organization for Indian spirituality and culture, is hosting an event that directly addresses happiness. “OMx is a speaker driven experience that is different from most events in the sense that it talks about something very different: happiness,” said Archit Kumar, a junior information systems and decision sciences major and co-chair for OMx. Though the event will be beneficial for all attendees, it will be especially beneficial for college students. “College students have the most to gain from the event as it is an event by the students and for the students,” said Vijay Iyengar, also co-chair for OMx.
OMx is divided into three segments: What is Happiness?, How can we be happy? and What are the tangible ways that you can pursue it? Five speakers will share their experiences and how they have found happiness in life. Saturday’s speakers include:
- Dr. Timothy Bono: Assistant Dean and Professor of Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Bono has done extensive research in the areas of positive psychology and student development. Positive psychology is a relatively new branch of psychology whose purpose is to make everyday life more fulfilling and focus on what goes right rather than what goes wrong.
- Dr. Hari Chandan: Mr. Chandan is a doctoral student at Carnegie Mellon University who is well versed in the folklore and traditions of ancient Vedic texts. His knowledge of such scriptures will allow us to better understand the idea of happiness from a spiritual point of view.
- Dr. Indira Nair: Dr. Nair worked within the Carnegie Mellon community for 32 years and has served as the Vice Provost, having inspired and impacted many individuals during her time here.
- Patty Eppley: Ms. Eppley is a Deepak Chopra Center Certified Instructor and has her own practice in Pittsburgh called Mindful Intentions, which is committed to providing services, and products that enhance the wellbeing of students, the world, and the environment.
- Helen Wang: Helen is a Housefellow and Associate Director of Student Life at Carnegie Mellon and was a past student at our university. Helen’s investment in the lives of college students will be integral to our event and her experiences on our campus and in the Pittsburgh community will allow her to resonate with our audience.
The event will also be graced with a performance by University of Pittsburgh’s Nrityamala, a nationally ranked Indian classical dance team and the #1 classical dance team in Pittsburgh. A student speaker will conclude the event by relating the speakers’ experiences to the lives of college students.
“OMx is different in the sense that it leaves everyone with something to think about after the event. Everyone has their own interpretation of happiness and we are trying to make sure it is rewarding for all those who attend,” said Kamakshi Sharma, the public relations chair for the event.
OMx takes place this Saturday from 12:30pm to 3:30pm at Carnegie Music Hall. Tickets are available for $5 to anyone with a CMU ID. For more details visit www.omxpgh.com.