Why hobbies matter

Everyone has something they enjoy doing in their free time, but every hobby can have a different meaning. For some people, a hobby could just be for fun, while for others, it can be a way to relax, express themselves or escape from stress. Especially for high school students, hobbies can give them a break from other things, school or life-related. Hobbies can also help students discover what they enjoy while giving them the chance to learn new skills, build confidence, and step outside their comfort zones. With school, homework, possible jobs, and other responsibilities, having something enjoyable to do can help students have a healthier balance in their lives. 

Hobbies and sports can be seen as a distraction or a way to deal with stress. All the responsibilities can become extremely overwhelming. Having something they can look forward to gives them time to decompress. For example, physical hobbies such as sports can help improve mood because exercise helps reduce stress. 

“I see poms as somewhere I can go to express myself freely through dance,” shared Ashley Avelar ‘27.  Ashley has been on the poms team since her freshman year. As senior head captain on the poms team, dance has become an important part of her life and gives her a place to be herself. Showing that hobbies can mean more than just having fun! It gives students a place where they feel comfortable being themselves and can take their minds to an expressive state.

Now it can be argued that hobbies may add more stress to a student's life. Practices, games, or performances can take time away that can be used for homework or rest. Students may also feel more pressure to do better, which can make hobbies feel more like a responsibility rather than something freeing. When your hobbies take up too much time, balancing school and life in general can become challenging. While this concern is understandable, students can learn to manage their time so that they can still enjoy free time and their hobbies while still keeping up with school. 

Eric Quiroz ‘27 explained how making music allows him to be creative and increase his collaboration skills. He expressed, “I feel like experimenting with sounds and working with different artists is something good that I could do.” For Eric, making music gives him a way to express himself, experiment, and broaden his abilities. Leading to how a hobby can help someone build new skills while it still being something to enjoy. His experience shows that hobbies can be both enjoyable and a way to develop creativity and learn from others.

Overall, hobbies are more important than they may seem! They can help students deal with stress, express themselves, learn new skills, and have something enjoyable to look forward to. Ashley’s experience with poms shows how a hobby can become a place where someone feels comfortable being themselves. High school can already be stressful, so students should make time for activities that make them happy. Instead of seeing hobbies as a waste of time, students should find something they enjoy and make room for it in their lives.