The virtues of sluggishness (opens in new tab)

Everyone who knows me is aware that the snail is my totem, my logo.  When my students are too tense or anxious, I will enjoin them:  "wō/guāniú jīngshén, mànman lái 蝸牛精神,慢慢來" ("[have / adopt a] snail spirit, take your time").  I even had a pet snail, Arnold, for five and a half years.