The Culture of True Leisure at Hillsdale

Written by Clare Horvath

In his essay Leisure, The Basis of Culture, German philosopher Josef Pieper argues that the modern man has lost his understanding of true leisure. While most people, including Hillsdale students, would define leisure as a break from work that does not include much mental effort, this is not how Pieper defines leisure. He makes an important distinction between idleness, which does not engage any distinctly human characteristics, and leisure, which is  participation in uniquely human activities that are not aimed at a utilitarian end (Pieper, 34). He writes beautifully that “Leisure is the disposition of receptive understanding, of contemplative beholding, and immersion—in the real” (Pieper, 31). To contemplate and receive something beautiful is something only humans can do; your cat may stare at the School of Athens print on your wall, but he is certainly not contemplating its beauty or letting himself be immersed in it.

The problem with modern culture is that it encourages many seemingly leisure-like activities that promote idleness. Scrolling through flashy images on social media for hours is not likely engaging your intellect and is certainly not engaging “in the real.” In a world where most accepted forms of relaxation are unfulfilling idleness of the mind, what should one do? Luckily, there is a large culture at Hillsdale that knows how to achieve true leisure in a community, and these people also know how to have good fun. 

I first became aware of this unique side of Hillsdale’s culture during my second semester as a freshman when I was introduced to groups of students that enjoy music nights. At these gatherings, students get together to sing, play instruments, and listen to folk music. As I have continued my time here, I have found even more students that really enjoy this as a chance to take a break from school and to spend time with peers. 

It is surprising how many talented and confident musicians there are at Hillsdale who happily pick up a guitar, a banjo, or even a harmonica to play for their friends. But even for students who are not musically inclined, these evenings are a great chance to have good conversations and meet new people. Recently, some friends of mine hosted a music night. Those of us who attended would not have been likely to spend time together elsewhere, but after a fun evening of sharing food and music, the group felt natural.

Another way that students at Hillsdale seek true leisure is through swing and ballroom dancing. Swing Club, in particular, has grown immensely in the past few years, and it is hard to find a student on campus that has not gone to Swing at least once. While being good at swing dancing is difficult, students can achieve the basics with just a little effort. At my high school prom, it was evident that almost no students knew any sort of ballroom dancing, so it was exciting to find that dancing is a big part of Hillsdale’s culture. Swing Club meets once a week for three hours, and the Ballroom Dance Club meets once a week for two hours and teaches students new ballroom dances every week. 

My former roommate, Emily Schutte, ’26, has found ways to create community and promote true leisure through hospitality. Sophomore year, Emily and I wanted to cook more, so we decided to start making dinner together on Sundays. This was a great way to improve our kitchen skills and to learn how to be better hosts. Emily and I tried making a variety of things, such as cheese bread, tomato soup, egg rolls in bowls, and fried apples. The fried apples became a staple dessert for us since they were easy, quick, took few ingredients, and always made the whole kitchen smell delicious. While it is certainly difficult to find time to cook as a college student, making dinner gave us a chance to remember how much work goes into preparing a meal and to invite other students into our dorm. These meals fostered good conversations and strengthened relationships. “I don’t think that you necessarily have to be the most amazing cook or baker to make good food,” Emily said, “although it definitely will take some trial and error!” 

“I think there is something to be said for doing something leisurely on your Sundays because biblically, we know that God made us to rest,” said Emily. “I find working with my hands to be leisurely, particularly after working with my mind all week. I think that making food for others can be a great way to bring people together.” Now as a RA in Sohn Dorm, Emily has enjoyed baking for her residents on Sunday nights, encouraging them to take a break from homework and spend just a few minutes in fellowship together. 

Emily’s brother, Gabriel, ’28, recognized early on that many students here have amazing hidden talents. He decided to put on a variety show in which students had the chance to showcase their talents, and he particularly wanted to give students a chance to laugh together. He reached out to a large group of friends and asked them if they would be willing to perform. While he noted most of the acts were musical, he said that poetry was one of the most commonly performed acts. A large group of students who share a passion for poetry were able to share that passion with their peers. While Gabriel organized this completely independent of the Student Activities Board and other college programs, he said that the show was a huge success, and he had overwhelmingly positive feedback. “Many were really excited about it afterwards, and someone even told me that it was the best event that they’d been to on campus,” he said. “People keep asking if it’s going to be an annual thing.” The good turnout, hilarious acts, and eagerness to laugh together show that Hillsdale students are very capable of creating ways to break from their studies that go beyond idleness.

Hillsdale students do, of course, still watch movies and spend time on their phones, but I have found that students at Hillsdale desire true leisure in a refreshing way and will take initiative to cultivate it. It is an encouragement to realize that you can still be fulfilled by your time of rest. Whether your preferred kind of leisure is music, dancing, cooking, reading poetry, or going to an art museum, it is still possible to achieve true leisure in the modern world.

*Joseph Pieper, Leisure, The Basis of Culture (South Bend, Indiana: St. Augustine’s Press, 1998), 23.

Clare Horvath is studying English with minors in Latin and classical education. When she is not studying, she loves to spend time outside, attending Catholic Society events, and chatting with friends. After college, she hopes to teach at a classical school and continue writing.

Published in May 2025