The Art of the Hobby

Recently, my grandma told me, “keep a journal, it is better than pictures.” That is when it clicked for me. 

I stopped using my alone time to mindlessly scroll through TikTok videos or tap through the Instagram stories of people I barely know. Instead, I began journaling, cataloging my day through the stories and emotions I experienced. Now, it is my favorite hobby. 

I do not condemn the use of social media. I still use it! But it is harmful if it is the only activity outside of one’s day-to-day schedule. Hobbies enhance creativity and relieve stress, while technology causes this stress. It is crucial to find hobbies that are not related to technology use. 

Design by Diego Acevedo

Our generation struggles with maintaining a healthy attention span. While cleaning, eating or doing any other daily activity, many people my age feel compelled to watch a show or Facetime a friend at the same time. While this is okay sometimes, it decreases imagination–we crave constant digital stimulation, even when occupied by the world in front of us. It is a positive thing to be alone with our thoughts once in a while and delve into our minds' creative power.

Hobbies are much less valued now than before the emergence of cell phones and social media. They have even evolved to become technology-reliant. For example, looking up what book to read because it is popular relies on TikTok, or researching what hike to do depends on whether it is Instagram-worthy. 

The result is that we have lost the ability to stumble upon things that excite us solely through experience and imaginative ideation. When hobbies depend on technology and tell us what we should be doing, we lose our inclination to be creative and unique in the time that we have allocated for pleasure. 

Hobbies should be something people do for their own enjoyment, unadulterated by the prospect of whether others are watching or if it could be deemed “cool” by societal standards. Hobbies are for pleasure. Not to please others. Not for Instagram photos. Not to fit in. 

My friends and I were discussing how we underestimate what can be done in an hour of free time. If spent on our phones, it goes by instantaneously, but if we pick up a book, sketch or doodle, watercolor or engage in any other activity that creates a space for us to live in the present moment, that hour feels much more fulfilling. 

It can be difficult to discover what hobbies are a good fit for you, and it can be discouraging to try something new only to fail. But finding success in doing something you love builds both confidence and character. 

Spending time in nature is a hobby of mine–and that doesn’t mean just going on a walk through a park, but slowing down, marveling at the trees and taking a moment to appreciate it all. Even when I am having a bad day, it is comforting to know that I have something that I genuinely enjoy doing, not because I have to, but because I want to.

In a world where technology promotes consumerism and puts a monetary value on our experiences, it is beneficial to have a personal escape unrelated to these concepts. Hobbies help you improve your self-esteem and get to know yourself better, inherently enhancing your relationships with others as well. They encourage curiosity, expand our worldview and give us an overall better human experience. We will never discover our hidden potential if we do not put down our phones and pick up a hobby!