What do you like to do in your free time?Â
Do you hate that question? Yeah, I’m starting to hate it too. Whenever asked this, I scan my brain for any free time I’ve had the entire semester. Memories of aimlessly scrolling on my phone, lying on my bed listening to music, or spending too long relishing the warmth of my shower come to mind. The hobbies that once filled my time, like knitting, solving jigsaw puzzles, reading, writing, weaving friendship bracelets together, and many other activities have become mere reminders of the past. Every chance I get to simply live after I’ve clocked out of work, attended my classes, and completed my homework, is spent in a way that leaves me feeling numb and unsatisfied with myself.Â
I didn’t realize this til after dinner with a best friend. We were chatting in her car in front of my apartment – where most earth-shattering realizations and thought-provoking conversations often arrive. We lamented our perceived loss of selves, how in devoting ourselves entirely to our work, we began to sacrifice the hobbies that made us, well, us. We spend all day working so when it finally comes time to be by ourselves, we focus on passing the time in any way we can rather than passing it meaningfully.Â
This isn’t the first conversation I’ve had of its kind. Now, other friends of mine not only grieve their free time but also their interests that were instrumental in fostering their sense of identity. Think about it: at the end of a long, hard, grueling day, you usually just want to crawl into your bed and browse reels or scroll the ‘For You Page.’ It gives your mind a well-needed break that feels like a reward (not to reference the meme or anything). We don’t think about stimulating our brain, being creative, or destressing after a productive day by doing something equally as productive like painting, drawing, or writing.
And who can blame us? We spend all day on the grind at the library, in a classroom, at a cafe, or even just confined in our bedrooms, hunched over at a computer screen, hoping our hard work will pay off in the form of a well-paying job. As much as I want to have a successful and stable career though, I am only now realizing that I don’t think it’s worth sacrificing my passions, lifelong dreams, and hobbies, which made me the person I am today.Â
So, imagine if that hour of scrolling aimlessly on our phones was instead spent watching an easy painting tutorial; there are so many out there! Imagine if it was spent writing a journal prompt, a poem, a short story, a work of fiction, or another form of writing. Imagine if we spent an hour each day spent toward reviving the immersive hobbies from our childhood.
Especially as we approach winter break, some of us may have a lot more time than usual on our hands. Regardless of whether or not that’s the case, let’s find inspiration to pursue those forgotten hobbies, and to destress (and live) in a way that leaves your heart feeling content and full.Â