Engaging in Hobbies for Students: Top 10 Recommended Activities
In today's fast-paced world, hobbies are no longer considered luxuries but essential investments in a student's well-being and development. A plethora of studies have linked consistent hobby engagement with improved focus, memory, motivation, and emotional resilience.
According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, an alarming 81% of students report experiencing stress due to academics. However, engaging in hobbies can help alleviate this stress. Physical fitness, journaling, art, music, and even online activities like coding or video editing have been found to reduce stress levels for students.
Music training, in particular, is linked with higher IQ and better math skills. A study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health found that students with consistent hobby involvement had 20% lower levels of anxiety and depression. Gardening, a hobby that teaches patience and fosters a connection with nature, can significantly reduce symptoms of depression.
For practical learners, hobbies like gardening, art and design, photography, or DIY crafts might be appealing. On the other hand, academically focused learners might benefit from reading non-fiction, creative writing, or logic-based games like chess or programming. Writing or journaling helps students understand their emotions, track personal growth, and release stress.
Art and journaling improve emotional regulation and mental clarity. Photography or videography develops storytelling, observation, and digital editing skills, and helps students document their lives creatively and potentially build a personal brand. These hobbies are vital outlets that support emotional resilience, reduce anxiety, and strengthen skills not taught in classrooms.
Hobbies trigger dopamine, a chemical linked to pleasure and motivation, which reinforces positive behavior and reduces burnout. Balancing academics and hobbies can be achieved by dedicating 30-60 minutes daily, using habit trackers or planners, and combining academic and hobby goals.
Volunteering fosters empathy, teamwork, and leadership. A student from Kathmandu used writing as a form of therapy and later published a collection of short stories. Including extracurriculars or hobby periods can significantly improve student engagement and holistic development.
Learning a new language boosts brain flexibility and enhances cultural understanding. For extroverted students, sports, volunteering, language learning, or music groups might be suitable. For introverted students, hobbies like reading, journaling, drawing, or coding can provide a quieter outlet for creativity and personal growth.
Hobbies aren't just about leisure; they help form a growth mindset, where effort matters more than innate ability. A 17-year-old developed a gardening vlog and was later accepted into an environmental science program with a scholarship. Engagement in hobbies that develop fine motor skills can be beneficial, especially for younger students, with task-specific activities enhancing motor skills necessary for academic tasks such as writing.
In conclusion, hobbies that blend social interaction, skill development, and personal passion—ranging from family activities and summer camps to creative and academic projects—offer comprehensive benefits fostering students' academic success and personal growth. These activities help students discover hidden strengths and long-term interests, build interpersonal skills, develop better emotional control and coping strategies, and boost neuroplasticity. Thus, encouraging students to engage in hobbies is an investment in their future success.
References:
[1] Family Time: The Benefits of Spending Quality Time Together (2022). Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-family-room/202203/family-time-the-benefits-spending-quality-time-together
[2] The Benefits of Summer Camps for Students (2021). Forbes Education. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesteachers/2021/06/25/the-benefits-of-summer-camps-for-students/?sh=7c44d77c585d
[3] The Role of Hobbies in Student Engagement and Academic Achievement (2020). The Journal of Educational Research. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220671.2020.1748768
[4] The Impact of Personal Passion Projects on College Admissions (2019). The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/16/learning/the-impact-of-personal-passion-projects-on-college-admissions.html
[5] The Importance of Fine Motor Skills in Early Childhood Development (2018). The National Center for Early Development, Teaching, and Learning. Retrieved from https://www.ncela.gwu.edu/sites/default/files/pubs/FineMotorSkills.pdf
