One of my favorite things to do in my spare time is garden. I grow flowers outdoors, and the sill in my room is covered in succulents and a couple of miniature orchids. When I can, I'll set aside an hour or two on weekends or after school to plant and take care of my garden. It's not a lot, but it's a way to fill time.

My freshman year, I spent a lot of time gardening. I had easier classes that year, fewer extracurricular activities, no leadership positions to speak off. Really I just had more time. Not so much this year. Any high school student can account for junior year's reputation. It's the place where responsible, well-adjusted students go to die. Perhaps that's an exaggeration — but certainly not by much. I haven't so much as been out in my garden since July. September, October, November rolled around, and with them came the autumn plants, snapdragons and pansies and violets and mums and asters. Of course, the fall months also brought the start of school and with that the endless barrage of assessments, projects, competitions, responsibilities.

It's not just me and gardening either. A good friend of mine has a waiting list of books she wants to read but just plain hasn't had the time for yet. Another desperately wanted to audition for the school one-acts and then decided against it at the last second (she couldn't afford to be distracted from her classes). None of us have time. None of us have real hobbies anymore.

Perhaps we've simply reached the point in our lives where we must dedicate our time to the practical and complete. Perhaps our old hobbies are merely childish pursuits from days gone by. Perhaps this is just a part of maturing. After all, these are frivolous things, aren't they?

Does gardening help me make a difference in the world? No. Does it make me more successful? No. Is there a value in making time for it? Yes.

I am happier when I spent time out in my garden. I am calmer. I am far less stressed. Most importantly, I am better at the important things in my life when I take time to care for my garden and myself.

We all are. Each and every one of us is a better person for the seconds, the minutes we put aside for enriching ourselves. Too often we default to doing only the necessities and we neglect the small things that are important to us and only us. We get caught up in ticking off all the boxes and leave our selves behind in the dust. It's time to pick ourselves up out of it.