A perfect pastime

by Jillian Surla, editor-in-chief

Whether it be painting, photography or pottery, students should indulge in hobbies outside of school or extracurriculars. The reason for this is simple: it has an innumerable amount of benefits with little to no repercussions.

After a monotonous day of going to school, doing extracurricular activities and coming home, one can get increasingly stressed. I know I do. The only thing I have found that helps me release tension and get ready for the next day is participating in a hobby.

According to an Australian Psychological Society survey, four out of five participants found spending time on a hobby reduces stress. Hobbies give people a moment of peace and relaxation, where they can just calm down and create something. In a world full of stress and anger, it’s a nice getaway from everything.

Creativity, or the ability to use one’s imagination to make something original, is a key component of a hobby. To be able to do a hobby such as jewelry-making or crocheting, one requires and uses a creative mind. And, as they say, the more one does something, the better one gets.

Having a hobby boosts creativity, plain and simple. Many people in my life have attested that they experienced a significant improvement in imagination after picking up a hobby. For example, my artistic friend Kinsley Frego said she “does everything with a creative mind” now, even schoolwork.

Hobbies don’t just improve one’s mentality and imagination, but also help create disciplined and academic individuals. According to EMIS Health, some may feel an increase in productivity and discipline “simply because [hobbies] don’t feel like you’re working.”

Fairhope High School junior Riley Brown is an avid bullet-journalist; her timeliness and organization acquired from her hobby helps her maintain a healthy social and school schedule. Louisiana State University student Piper Hall enjoys painting; the dedication required to work on an art piece for hours a day helps her keep focused in other areas of her life as well.

A hobby improves many aspects of one’s life – be it stress management, creativity or simple day-to-day discipline. There is no reason to abstain from something that does so much good; so, students should try and incorporate hobbies into their lives.