1st year of high school was unhappiest, young Koreans say

The first year of high school was the least happy period for Korean adults in their 20s during their school years, largely because of concerns over academic performance and college entrance exams, a study showed. The nonprofit Forum for National Transformation into Gross National Happiness released the findings Sunday. Commissioned by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the online survey asked 51 Seoul residents in their early 20s to look back on their happiness levels during their school years. The survey found that happiness dropped noticeably around major transition years, including the first years of middle and high school. On a 10-point scale, respondents rated their happiness at 8.1 before entering elementary school. The score fell to 7.49 in the lower grades of elementary school and 7.18 in the upper grades, before dropping further to 6.63 in the first year of middle school. It remained at 6.65 in the second year and slipped to 6.53 in the third year. Happiness reached its lowest point, 5.88, in the first year of high school. The survey cited difficulty adjusting to a new