Consumption vs. Cultivation
September 1, 2022
We’re a couple weeks into the semester now and the pace of life only seems to be increasing day by day. Maybe you’re already feeling overwhelmed by the juggling act we’re all trying to manage: classes, social life, mental health, and maybe even a job on the side, just to name a few things. It gets exhausting real quick sprinting from Demoss to Green between classes, figuring out your weekend plans two months in advance, and dealing with the mile-long Convo lines on top of simply being a student. If you’re a Freshman, you might be wondering how it’s possible to sustain four years of this. Or, you could be an upperclassman like myself and are attempting just to avoid being burned out again eight weeks into the semester.
If reading that first paragraph alone prompted your Apple watch to ask if you just started a workout, take a deep breath, friend. First, it needs to be said (because we often forget it) that you are not alone in these endeavors. You are quite literally surrounded by others walking through this season of life alongside you. Second, you are not doomed to any sort of future that is shaped by what you are currently facing; change is always possible. In light of that, I’d like to share some insight from my own pursuit of peace in navigating the tempest that is college life.
Now, there’s a good chance you have some friends, or have simply encountered others around you, that seem to have the ability to handle stress and workloads much better than most. You may think that they’ve been given some superpower or spiritual gift that allows them to not succumb to being overwhelmed. However, it’s more likely that they’ve simply developed some healthy daily habits. While we all have our plates full (and possibly even bending), I believe that our habits play a big part in enabling us to deal with what’s on our metaphorical plates with greater endurance, contentment, and peace of mind. There’s one habit in particular I want to start, or perhaps more appropriately, continue the conversation on: rest.
In the realm of education, I believe we hear lots about work ethic, study habits, and organization. Ask the students who stay at the library till close (much respect for y’all) if they’ve ever been given tips or advice on being a better student. I think we have that conversation plenty and for good reason. Most of us can attest that we are working as hard as we can and have been acquainted with feeling worn down as a result. However, what if we’re getting burned out not because we’re working too hard, but because we’re not resting well enough? And I don’t mean the time we’re putting into getting rest, but how we’re resting.
I don’t know you individually to know how you choose to rest, but I do have a good grasp on the culture we participate in and how rest is most often approached. In the age we live in today, our natural inclination when it is time to relax and take a break from work, or really anything that stresses us out, is to grab our phones, laptops, or the tv remote. We are painfully aware that we often go straight to scrolling when we are in need of some comfort or distraction. And it makes sense too; there is a sense of ease that comes along with it that we long for. But, is it actually restful? Do we actually walk away from these things feeling refreshed, or just wishing that we could watch one more video?
Now, I believe there is certainly a time and place for entertainment in our lives. I mean, it’s literally part of our mission statement here at Student Activities. There are times when an outdoor movie night is much needed (shameless plug). Nonetheless, I would pose the thought that we are created and meant for more than just consumption. I would go even further to say that we were made to be creators and cultivators. Taking a brief look at the Creation account in Genesis gives us some insight into this. God, the one who just created the entire universe, says that He will make man in His own image.1 In the following verses, His first command to mankind is to cultivate the very earth He just made.2 In the garden, the most restful place, man is taking after our creative God and cultivating.
We may make the assumption that it takes effort to create or cultivate and therefore it can’t be restful for us. Trevin Wax addresses this very assumption in his article “Consume, Create, or Cultivate: Your Choice”3 (it’s much better than the one you’re currently reading).
He writes, “We live in a culture that drives us toward consumption, not creation or cultivation. The result is we assume creating is work and consuming is rest. We assume that anything that demands something of us must be tiresome and strenuous”.
But that’s not always the case, is it? Think with me for a moment. Do we find greater satisfaction in admiring a certain skill, or in developing it ourselves? Sure, there is enjoyment to be found in a good meal, but what about one that we cooked? Could it be possible that taking the time to grow ourselves through creation and cultivation could leave us feeling more refreshed than simply consuming?
I won’t claim to have mastered this practice (my phone’s screen time will expose me on that one), but it is a habit that I am working on (hence the writing of this very blog). Don’t just take my word for it though, try it for yourself. As you do so, make sure to give yourself grace when you find yourself defaulting back to the rhythm of passive consumption; it’s not easy to break old habits to build new ones. We here at Student Activities are right along with you there in the journey though. As I said before, we hope to provide you opportunities for a little mindless consumption at the end of a long week. However, we also invite you to take part in something a little more along the lines of creation and cultivation in the form of performing at an open mic, Coffeehouse, or maybe just participating in the building of community.
Whatever cultivating or creating might look like for you, friend, my hope is that you’re able to build some healthier habits that will allow you to relieve some of that stress, break free from the trap of consumption culture, and find greater enjoyment and refreshment in your rest, both in this school year and in the years to come.
3Consume, Create, or Cultivate: Your Choice
Written by Jordan Hassler
Jordan is a Junior studying Event Planning with a Biblical Studies minor. He enjoys expressing his creativity through words, and sharing his experiences and personality by way of writing. He’s passionate about music, nature, and forming genuine connections with others.