The Importance of Hobbies by Ria Purohit

 The Importance of Hobbies

Ria Purohit 

11th Grade

Every now and then life comes to pile everything on top of you. School, work, extracurriculars, friends, family, and anything else can feel overwhelming at points. But to escape that, when stress gets a bit too much for me, I turn to things that make me happy.

It’s not a unique argument, but it’s an important one. Doing things that I want to do for myself, instead of as an assignment or an obligation feels great. For example, over the past year, I have taken up painting as a hobby. Though I haven’t been painting as much as before, painting helps me relax, and I get to create something new to feel proud about. I have painted a rose that I believe is some of my best work (if I do say so myself) and since then, I’ve painted lions, people, birds, more flowers, and anything I find interesting. Though it takes an hour or so to complete a painting, it’s always worth it at the end to see what I made. 

Hobbies, to some, seem like a time-waster; why would you spend time on something seemingly useless when you can use that extra time to work or study? But taking time for yourself is not a waste of time, it’s crucial. It’s crucial in order to get motivated to complete whatever you need to do to the best of your abilities. Doing things for your own satisfaction helps boost your morale, makes you feel accomplished, and lets you have fun for yourself for some time. 

I know that whenever I indulge in my hobbies, whether it be painting, playing music, watching TV, or anything else, I feel like I am wasting time. I feel like I should be doing a million other things that are on my long term checklist instead of watching an episode of Bob’s Burgers or creating a small mess with my paint supplies. But I enjoy doing those things, and after I have done those things, I feel better. I feel mentally relaxed and/or entertained, so I end up working harder on the things I have to do. 

This past year or so has been unprecedentedly scary and tiresome, but it also gave many people more time to figure out what they like to do in their free time. Maybe you’ve discovered some new hobbies over quarantine, and haven’t gotten the chance to indulge in any of them again. I would encourage you, if you have free time, try and get back into those hobbies again, if possible. Maybe you would feel more encouraged to complete the things you have to do. Remember, if you enjoyed the time you spent, then you didn’t waste your time. You did it for you.