It is no secret that we are in an age of maximalist burnout. The epitome of happiness is marketed as a degree of wealth or recognition. Numerous studies across college campuses have shown that burnout is more than prevalent among students–it is more common to be burnt out than not. Classes become stressful, homesickness worsens and the impending doom of growing up is in full swing. What is a college student to do?
Allow me to introduce you to something wonderful, something beautiful, something that orchestrates God’s commandments to us in accordance with the call to grow our minds. Allow me to introduce you to the art of slowmaxxing. It is a lifestyle philosophy, one that involves intentionally prioritizing the present, appreciating slow-paced living and altogether leads to a happier, healthier life.
The term was first coined in a 2022 Twitter post by a user with the handle @robyns_quill. She stated, “You need to be slowmaxxing. You need to be reading long, fat books. You need to be making 48-hour chocolate chip cookies. You need to spend hours watching wildlife, you need to spend 15+ minutes making your coffee. You need to breathe in and breathe out. You need to be slowwwwwwwwww.”
You may be wondering how slowmaxxing can be done by a college student, given that our lives generally faster paced in college than any other time of life. There are practices, rehearsals, jobs and classes on top of all of it. Some days feel as though they last 60 hours long, while other days are too fast to even have breakfast. Where is the happy medium?
There are many ways to introduce slowmaxxing into your routine. A few ideas include setting aside 10 minutes in the morning to read your Bible, getting a library card or starting your day without technology. I promise, you will not fall behind in life if you introduce slowmaxxing. The beauty of it is the ability to juggle both stressors and appreciation for the present in the same hand.
God does not call us to indulge in the fast-paced lifestyles of the secular world. In fact, He opposes it in Psalm 46:10, saying “Be still, and know that I am God.” The Creator of the Universe, the one who knit our very hearts into being, calls us to slow down. We were not created to be obsolete beings, ones that work and live for the sake of working. We are called to grow, create, appreciate all the while doing it. Stillness is a beautiful thing, although society has labeled stillness as a negative thing, something that is more similar to laziness. However, God has proven time and time again that in these moments of stillness is when He is most at work in our hearts.
Did God create flowers for us to just briskly walk past them on our way to class or work? No, He created it for our enrichment, as the flowers are a reminder of His goodness. How can we not appreciate that! I beg you, in all your doubts, consider the lilies.
Instead of pursuing excellence at the cost of mental wellbeing, I encourage you to take things slow. Instead of doomscrolling before bed, doodle poodles on a sketch pad. Instead of a quick paced morning for the sake of sleeping in an extra 10 minutes, set your alarm 20 minutes early and eat a hearty breakfast alongside a cup of tea. Go outside and admire the work of the Creator. Count the petals on a zinnia, the dots on a ladybug and the blessings in your life.
