What was your favorite thing to do as a kid? Did you like to paint, play soccer, explore? When was the last time you indulged in these activities? Personally, I was an arts and crafts kid.Â
When you’re a kid, you have so much more time to do all the little joys. As I grew older, I felt like I never had time to do what I loved anymore. I was overwhelmed by academics. But what really helped save my academic performance, was reincorporating the hobbies I kept pushing aside into my routine.Â
It’s funny how we think that to perform well, all our efforts must go into one thing. The truth is, for our performance and efforts to shine best, we need to be giving ourselves a moment to breathe outside of it. Dedicating some time every week to a hobby you haven’t let yourself tend to can give you the mental break you need to actually put your best efforts into your school work.
There are so many options for every person to discover a new hobby!Â
For the arts and crafts people, find a craft you may have been curious to try but still haven’t. It could be a different style of painting, window art, clothing design, crochet, building a birdhouse, etc. A new craft, or even one you just have not had time to do, can give you the creative release you’ve been craving. Personally, I’ve gotten into clay crafts. I’ve made practical use of my crafting by creating magnets, trinket dishes, and even projects as gifts. Maybe you want to try your hand at baking a treat for your roommates and friends. It can be as simple as store-bought cupcake mix or as complex as macaroons. It’s your choice—that’s the beauty of it all!
For the people who like more logic focused activities, get into strategy games! Learn to be a chess master, play the daily crosswords, play sudoku, buy the road trip books that have the mass of different logic games and play those every day. Get a deck of cards and teach yourself something new. I am a huge solitaire fan, but consider picking up poker if you’re feeling sneaky and strategic. Or even pick up a new book to read, and if that is too daunting, reread your favorite book! There is a book out there that can bring a smile to your face, whether it is a fantasy, thriller, classic novel; sometimes, it’s about finding the right genre.
If you want something more active, play a sport you haven’t in a while. Attend a new workout class at your local gym. You never know who you’ll meet! I’ve started attending a pilates class and I’ve already been able to reconnect with so many people I have not seen in months. The possibilities are endless.
What you really gain from hobbies is a break and an outlet for joy. It is really easy to let academics take over your life, especially when you are trying to do your best. In the end, you need to remember that you can only be at your best when you are giving yourself the proper rest and relaxation.Â
A little time out of your day for something that will really make you happy is worth it, especially when you find yourself being able to spend more time engaged with your academics because you gave yourself a real break. Fall is approaching, give yourself a nice start to the season and do something simply because you want to. The beauty of hobbies is that it is for you, for your own joy and pleasure. Prioritize yourself, you deserve it.Â