College Explores Work, Rest in ‘An Unhurried Life’

Westmont has chosen “An Unhurried Life” by Alan Fadling as a book to read this summer and throughout the upcoming school year. The author will speak in chapel Friday, Sept. 28, and share major themes from the book with students. Recent studies at Penn State and Boston University document the growing mental health crisis on college campuses, with more than half of the students visiting campus health clinics listing anxiety as a concern. Westmont seeks to equip students with resources to deal with anxiety and isolation.

“In a culture flooded with demands, expectations, and stimulation, we become acclimated to anxiety, over-commitment, and restlessness,” says Edee Schulze, vice president for student life. “We reward busyness and striving and find it difficult to cultivate stillness and quiet with so many competing distractions and commitments. Comfortable with over-commitment and over-stimulation, we may fear being left behind or left out if we slow down. Increasingly, we become disconnected from ourselves, others, and God. Reading ‘An Unhurried Life’ will help us explore the implications of our anxious age and encourage us to reconnect. We seek to help each student cultivate mindful awareness and embrace our Christian values while learning the simple practices of presence and gratitude.”