Is Gordon Too Busy to Get Things Done?

Any freshman entering Gordon College for the first time will have it impressed on them that Gordon is a place where people tend to be extremely busy. If the physical warnings were not enough, they often brush shoulders with sleep deprived upper class students who warn them not to “make the same mistakes I did” from tired, baggy eyes, while sipping on their 5^th coffee of the day. Yet, the problem of overcommitment (as much as we try to avoid that word) continues. I know because I am a prime example of what not to do. Bleak and exaggerated though this representation of Gordon culture may be, I fear it is closer to the truth than any of us would care to admit. However, it is not only a student problem. As I have thought about and observed this phenomenon it has become clear to me that faculty at Gordon, whether by their choice or not, also struggle from the same culture of busyness and exhaustion. This leads, all too often, to burnout (another word we try not to use).  

We live in a world today that moves so fast it is extremely difficult, even impossible, for one to fully keep up, even if one is dedicating themselves entirely to this pursuit. In such a world, we are often so consumed with the constant assault of information coming at us that it is very challenging to lift our heads above the waves to see what is really going on. It eats at our souls and wears down our bodies.  

Whether you want to blame it on the small size of our school or lack of appropriate resources (both of which can be, and likely are, true), the fact remains that Gordon is a college which stands consumed in business. Though this statement may not be descriptive of all students, it does seem to be the case for most of the campus. But is this busyness even helping us? Are we moving forward as a result of the busyness or is it keeping us stuck?  

In his book, Leisure the Basis of Culture, Josef Pieper talks about a similar trend in society, particularly in the west, in which culture has disregarded leisure as a practice. Beyond that, he argues that Leisure is actually the basis of western culture. Without acknowledging this fact, “we can do nothing,” as James Schall puts it in his introduction to Pieper’s work (9). When we do engage in rest, Pieper argues, it often lacks purpose, and we fail to truly acknowledge our identity and God’s. Pieper tells us that this tendency in society is dangerous, both for us individually, and as a society.  

Though Pieper was writing in the aftermath of the Second World War, his criticisms and discussion of society hit a little too close to home, particularly the culture we have at Gordon College in 2024. So, I repeat, is our culture of busyness at Gordon helping or hurting us?  

I cannot say that I have yet come to an answer to that question, nor do I pretend to demand one from you. No doubt being overly ambitious is a consequence of youth and something shared across college campuses everywhere. In a way, Gordon is no different from the surrounding world. Yet the words of Jesus ring clearly in my mind: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:35). Though these words are typically understood in terms of salvation, I cannot help but ask if we are losing our souls in our busyness. And if this is the case, are we truly moving forward?