The word hobby brings out a sense of nostalgia into people, it reminds us of our the yesteryear when we indulged in various activities just to kill time and acquire new talent. But college life brings along with its tight deadlines, long days, a queue of assignments and projects, an unhealthy lifestyle and hectic schedules. Amidst the chaos, we often forget about ourselves and our personal growth. Our personal learning witnesses a halt. In order to grow and learn it is important to take up a hobby. One can indulge in any form of activity to relax and detox from the treadmill of daily life. Taking up a hobby does not only make you acquire and learn a particular skill but it adds to your personal growth by enhancing your personality, boosting your confidence and interacting with new people. Here are 7 hobbies that college students can indulge in:
1. Learning a Musical Instrument
Learning a musical instrument can be amusing and can be a way to challenge yourself. It' has been scientifically proven that learning an instrument can make you smarter. What Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates and Neil Armstrong share is not just their intellect but also their training in musical instruments. Learning an instrument has many health benefits, be it physical like stress relief, posture or breathing, mental like reading, listening, concentration, coördination
2. Engaging in any physical exercise
Exercise is not just restricted to going to the gym and working out, it refers to any physical activity which makes the mind and body fresh and active. Pilates, practising yoga, kickboxing, learning a form of dance or a sport is included in this category. Exercising comes with a lot of health benefits, it improves metabolism, digestion, strengthens muscles and bones, helps battling chronic diseases, obesity, insomnia and depression. Learning a form of dance, yoga or Pilates can also train you in teaching the activity professionally. Martial arts can also be a great form of physical activity. It boosts confidence, improves self-discipline, endurance and concentration. In this category the choices are endless and every choice delivers the same sense of relief and satisfaction.
3. Learning Skills like Pottery, Painting and Calligraphy
Art is a wonderful way of self-expression. It can also be used as a form of therapy. Pottery in specific has been used as a form of clay therapy. It is an enjoyable activity and improves productivity. The same stands for painting. In fact, water colouring and drawing lines are used as forms of stress relief and satisfaction. The mental and emotional outcome of the two is impeccable. Even though calligraphy is perceived as formidable, it can a great way to challenge yourself. It improves concentration and introduces you to new styles of handwriting that can be an added skill. Taking a class in any of the above will leave you with a sense of pleasure and positivity and can also make you interact with new people.
4. Culinary Arts
This one is for all the food enthusiasts. If you are someone who has always wanted to learn to cook their favourite dish, this can be the perfect hobby. Cooking and baking are a terrific way of learning. It improves concentration, patience, time management and boosts one's confidence. Cooking and baking with friends and family is a good way of learning, catching up and spending quality time with them. It is also a way of self-critiquing and self-improvement. Cooking with a group can also be a great way to improve communication skills and group dynamics. It leaves your content and gives you a skill which comes in handy at any point of life.
5. Learning a New Language
Learning a new language can be very useful. It can be an asset to your CV while applying for specific jobs or positions. It can be helpful if you want to study abroad. But apart from that learning, a new language leaves you with a great sense of joy and achievement. Learning a foreign or a regional language are both equally beneficial. Learning a new language can not just be through expensive tutorial classes but you can easily pick up a new language while travelling and interacting with the locals of that particular region. It is a skill that can come handy at any point personally as well as professionally.
6 Taking Add-On Classes
Numerous colleges and universities offer to add on courses for students. If you are a biology major but have always wanted to study law, there are many certificate courses that institutes offer which allow you to learn a particular topic. It can be skill based, like photography, graphic designing, filmmaking or even public speaking. There are many options to choose from within various fields like food technology, media studies, gender studies, finance and law. These add-on courses won't just look good on your CV and leave you with an enriching experience of learning something outside the scope of your degree program.
7. Performing Arts
Theatre can give you an arena to explore yourself. Theatre is all about self-learning. It is a great form of expression and it can be a good way to meet and interact with new people. Theatre can teach you a way to control speech and body language. It can train you to perform in front of an audience, which can be a great way to boost confidence, help you with stage fright and help in self-imaging and battling insecurities.
Apart from these, there are many other activities like volunteering and social service. Environment-related hobbies like cycling and gardening are not just good for the environment but are also therapeutic. What we do with our time can set the tone for the future and truly define who we really are. There are plenty of choices in this regard and all you need to do now is to choose wisely.
- Tanya Mohapatra
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