While the tale of the tortoise and the hare may preach that slow and steady wins the race, many University students definitely live their lives otherwise. Stuck in a whirlwind of exams, meetings and balancing social engagements, it is easy for University students to feel stressed and overwhelmed. A new movement centered on "going slow" promises to be just the break students need and can easily be applied to anyone's life.
The "go slow" movement centers on the belief that students often feel scatterbrained in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and should take time out for themselves. Quieting the mind and being aware of one's surroundings are main components of the movement.
Margaret Odahowski, the current director of studies for the International Residence College, teaches a University seminar entitled "Mindfulness and Social Change," which centers on the going slow movement.
"In our fast paced culture, it seems counterintuitive to slow down to get more accomplished," she explained.
Slowing down, however, proves to have many benefits. According to Odahowski, slowing down will increase concentration, boost energy, multiply happiness and improve health.
How does one begin the process of "going slow"? One avenue is through the practice of meditation and yoga. It is no surprise that yoga has increased in popularity in recent years, with the Aquatics and Fitness Center now offering several classes.
Yoga, which literally means "union" in Sanskrit, "creates a separate, peaceful place where you don't have to worry about grades, appearance or failure," Jeannette Payne, a yoga instructor at Studio 206 on the Downtown Mall, said.
Yoga combines a series of stretches designated to focus on concentration and the importance of breathing.
Payne, like so many people, was a constant worrier for years until she discovered yoga.
"I was able to find my inner quietude and calm," she said. "I still get worried about things, but I know I can always come back to yoga."
Although yoga has been embraced by millions because of its health and weight-loss benefits, to those who practice it, it has become so much more.
"It's not just about losing weight," Payne said. "You learn how to be in the now. It's a way to push yourself without worrying about winning a marathon or an outcome. It is all in the moment."
Yoga is just one means to an end in slowing down fitness routines. Research proves that when our hearts beat at 70 to 75 percent of its maximum rate, we can burn the most fat. This can easily be achieved by jogging or power-walking. While it may seem that someone drenched in sweat after an intense run has burned more fat, the one resting on his or her yoga mat may have had the upper hand.
Besides slowing down in that respect, a "slow food" movement has also been sweeping the world. Originated by the culinary writer Carlos Petrini, the movement calls for eating fresh, local, seasonal produce and eating leisurely to truly enjoy your meal. In other words, one should eat to enjoy themselves, not just stuff an empty stomach by racing through a drive-thru. Although a worldwide phenomenon, Charlottesville has also picked up this trend.
Feast, an independently owned and operated grocery store located in the Main Street Market, sells cheeses, fruits, wines and many other products. The common thread in these products is that all products sold were made locally. Farmers come in daily with freshly ripened produce picked just hours earlier.
The co-owner of Feast and University alumna Kate Collier said she strongly pushes the slow food movement and truly enjoying one's food. According to Collier, eating local foods helps the community and allows for a more enjoyable meal overall. Today, the average produce travels thousands of miles from countries such as Chile, while we could be enjoying produce grown just minutes away from Grounds.
"It is important to know what you are eating and have a connection with your food," Collier said. Although Feast is a relatively new venture, for 33 years Charlottesville has been embracing local foods in the city's Farmer's Market. Every Saturday morning from 7 a.m. until noon, 90 to 100 merchants sell their local goods at the market. Customers can actually talk with the men and women responsible for their foods, and the market exudes a feeling of community. Instead of rushing around the supermarket to do grocery shopping before dinner, one can browse over 150 different kinds of peppers, for example, in which local farmers specialize.
"There is no comparison on the taste," said Richard Harrison, a farmer who grows his tomatoes a few miles away on Rte. 29 and sells his produce at the Market.
A major part of slow food is not only eating correctly but eating with others and savoring the exquisite, fresh taste. Food is a huge part of our culture, and yet, we often devote such little time to it by getting to-go boxes or cramming a meal in between classes. Everything from soup to yogurt has been conformed to an on-the-go lifestyle. Odahowski suggested that having a conversation over lunch or sitting and sipping a cup of coffee with friends are actions that seem so simple but will slow down our lives and make them more enjoyable.
Although great strides have been made in health and food to slow down life, smaller, everyday actions can be slowed down, too, yielding big results.
Odahowski emphasized that the beauty of the University really adds to the need to slow down and enjoy yourself. Simply sitting or studying in the picturesque Gardens, for example, is a way to appreciate the current moment in contrast to cramming and highlighting in a dreary library.
Simply changing typical conversational remarks will also make one more appreciative of the current moment. In conversations, we commonly talk about what is wrong, what's really grinding our gears.
"If you don't say you're stressed, you're not a U.Va. student," Odahowski said. "It becomes contagious."
Instead, she stressed the importance of always adding positive tidbits into conversations and making a conscious effort to drown out the negativity.
Going slow can be incorporated into any activity. Cooking food instead of heating it in a microwave or walking to class instead of taking the bus are other lifestyle changes that could take the chaos out of any day.
"College students get caught up in going fast," second-year College student Courtney Walker, who has been embracing the "go slow" movement, said. "Students should be gracious for what they have each moment and focus on important things that shouldn't be rushed."
To take a line from Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."
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