When it’s not the first test, it’s the big presentation. When it’s not the midterm, it’s that huge paper that you procrastinated doing until the day before. When it’s not any of those things, it’s probably finals or the rare break. College is crazy.
It’s easy to find yourself in this unfulfilled cycle that looks kind of like this: wake up, go to class, do homework, microwave something to eat, go to work, check social media, watch Netflix, go to sleep. I personally have lived this, and I know many people who still live this sort of lifestyle. But, what are we to do instead? We’re SO busy! We’re all working hard to reach our full potentials in class, and we don’t have time to even think about doing anything but school work.
College students have a lot on their plates, and that is all the more reason we need to make hobbies a priority. Mark it on your calendars, because we are NOT going to live another bland day in college! Here are just a few reasons to make time for that other stuff you like to do:
It will give you something to look forward to. After a long day of classes and work (or maybe in between), instead of entering a social media loop, just do a hobby instead. Go for a run, write in a journal, play some songs on an instrument, crochet, or do anything that will get your mind off of the stresses of the day.
You’ll become happier. It’s no secret that people are happier when they’re doing something they like. So, even if only for thirty minutes, do something you like to do!
Your performance in school will likely improve. Since you will be happier from allowing yourself a little bit of time to do something fun, you’ll focus more when it’s time to get down to business. You may just find that you actually enjoy school more, too!
It will set you apart from other students. Some people go through their college years simply studying and partying. That’s fine, except that when those adults walk out into the world, all they have is the degree. In a world where degrees are mostly expected out of adults, what will really impress employers is that OTHER thing you can do (like use photoshop, make a website, or edit a promotional video well). Allow yourself the time to learn useful skills such as these; they may just come in handy one day!
You have the time. Unless you’re the rare person who goes to class or work nearly all day, every day, you can find time to do what you love. If there’s time to text, there’s time to paint. If there’s time to party, there’s time to learn how to make a shelf. I’ll put it this way: If you’ve made an Instagram post in the past week, you have time to get up and go do something productive and fun.
I know as well as the next person that college is busy, but it can feel like less of a burden with the right activities breaking up the pattern.
