Whether it's playing the recent release of "Hollow Knight: Silksong," or rereading the entire "Harry Potter" series, there are various hobbies to fill free time. With the pressure of college and coursework, finding time for hobbies and enriching activities is important to maintaining well-being and engaging students outside of school.
Leisure activities can improve happiness and therefore quality of life, according to an article by the National Library of Medicine.
"When people engage in leisure activity, they have lower stress levels, better mood, a lower heart rate and more psychological engagement — that means less boredom, which can help avoid unhealthy behaviors," Professor Matthew Zawadazki, a health psychologist with the University of California, Merced, said to the UC Merced Newsroom.
Emma Neza, a freshman studying political science, said that her hobbies calm her down.
"(Movies and shows) calm me," Neza said. "After a bad day, they calm me."
Students may feel stressed and overwhelmed because of the pressure of coursework. Hobbies can help alleviate stress and allow students to get a break, according to the National Library of Medicine.
"I like to play drums. I play volleyball," Jacob Howe, a freshman studying mechanical engineering, said. "It's a good break from the stress."
Despite the positive impact of hobbies, some students feel they do not have enough time to indulge in them because of class schedules, homework and life in general.
Caroline Sanders, a sophomore studying music therapy, said that they don't have time because of their major.
"I'm learning psych, med and music all combined into one thing," Sanders said. "A lot of studying, a lot of practice."
Sanders also said that without enough time to participate in hobbies, students can struggle with their mental health, and the pressure of college can seem overwhelming without those breaks.
Jen Hamilton is a freshman studying Journalism and Mass Communications with a minor in Political Science. This is their first semester with The State Press.
