Thousands are enrolling in a free online course from Yale

There is no denying that times are tough right now, and a majority of people are looking for a welcomed distraction.

According to a blog post from Yale University, over 600,000 people around the world have registered for the free online course “The Science of Well Being.”

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Initially instructed by psychology professor Laurie Santos back in the spring of 2018, the course is the most popular in the over-300-year history of the university.

“The Science of Well Being” features material that delves into the various misconceptions regarding what makes us happy, as well as the plausible procedures we can implement to lead more fulfilling lives.

The blog post describes how the course was rediscovered last week by various media outlets.

Many have suggested taking this online course through Yale as a means of remaining sane and reconnecting with crucial life lessons as the world carries on in this uncertain and anxiety-inducing era.

“The public response was overwhelming,” it explains.

According to the post, between March 20 of 2018 and March 19, 2019, the total enrollment for the class was 539,000.

“By the end of the day on March 24, 2020, enrollment stood at 1,153,744, with 631,980 people enrolling in March alone,” it continues.

“In addition, 10.5 million people have visited the site recently.”

Professor Santos’ podcast, The Happiness Lab, has also seen a surge in popularity, with half a million downloads in the past week. She even recorded one specifically about COVID-19.

“The interest in the class in just the last few days has been incredible, and a bit surreal,” Santos said in the post.

“I think that just as people are focused on evidenced-based ways for staying physically healthy during this COVID-19 crisis, so too people are looking for evidence-based ways of improving their mental health.”