The Importance of Hobbies: Finding Balance in a Busy Life
Hobbies are more than just enjoyable — they're a key to stress relief, time management and friendships.
Hope Anastario '28 (left) and Sophia Karathanasis '28 (right) playing intramural pickleball. Photo by Olivia Locarno '28
As the leaves change and classes ramp up, college students often find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of lectures, assignments and late-night study sessions. In this restless environment, it becomes easy to forget about the activities that once brought them joy outside of schoolwork.
Engaging in different hobbies is pivotal for students to create a balanced and successful college experience for themselves. There are many different benefits to having a hobby that you can enjoy participating in.
Developing hobbies outside the classroom, such as going to the gym, is not only good for your physical health, but for your mental health as well. Photo by Olivia Locarno '28
Stress Relief and Mental Health
Whether you are a first-year student or preparing for graduation, the pressure of deadlines, grades and preparing for the future can be overwhelming. Hobbies are a great way to alleviate these anxieties and take a break from overworking your brain.
An article from Harvard Health found that people with hobbies reported “better health, more happiness, fewer symptoms of depression and higher life satisfaction.”
“My hobbies are important because they give me a chance to reset and take time for myself,” said Bella Nocera ‘25. Nocera is a member of the Student Admissions leadership board and is president of the Teachers of Tomorrow club.
Nocera also explained that no matter what, she makes the effort to close her laptop at “11 p.m. at the latest” and takes that extra time at night to get a good night's sleep. She also uses this time to prioritize reading, which is one of her favorite hobbies.
Managing mental health is one of the most important steps in having a successful academic career, and hobbies can help you get there. A quick hour spent at a club meeting is a great recharge session and could help prepare for a night of productivity.
Time Management
Hobbies can help with developing good time-management skills. Juggling multiple activities with schoolwork can help a person prioritize and schedule their time effectively. Effective time management is a crucial skill that enhances success not only in academics, but also in the workplace and all areas of life.
While being a double major in criminal justice and psychology with a minor in social work, Alyssa Terralavoro ‘26 balances being a peer mentor, an orientation leader, a member of the dance team and a student ambassador who works in admissions.
“Time management is going to take time,” she said; however, she emphasized the importance of finding methods that fit your way of life. In order to manage her busy life, she said that it helped her to learn when to say no to doing too much when feeling run down.
On top of a weekly class schedule, adding one or two extra things can slowly help you become an expert at managing your time. Finding something you love to do also allows you to be more open-minded to wanting to be good at time management.
Social Connections
One of the biggest parts of adapting to college is making social connections and meeting new people through similar interests. Hobbies are an important gateway to building a sense of community and making friends that you may end up having for life. Breaking out of your comfort zone may be scary, but in the end, it can be so rewarding.
Hobbies can also allow you to meet new people and nurture lifelong friendships. Pictured is the Spiritual Life and Service club on a recent retreat. Photo by Kyle Brandon '27
Biomedical student John Kelly ‘28 has faced a difficult workload head-on, while also being a part of the Pre-Physical Therapy Club, the Emerging Leaders Program, the American Chemical Society and the Club Baseball team.
“I work to balance spending time with friends and building connections that I will have for the rest of my life,” Kelly said. “Hobbies definitely make my academics stronger because they give me a mental break from studies and allow for higher productivity when I come back to my studying.”
Another important aspect of a successful academic journey is building connections. You can use your hobbies as a pathway to building connections by making friends in clubs, or by using clubs to explore future career opportunities. The hobbies you learn to love in college could foster a future career or even secure you a future life-long friend.
Balanced Mindset and Life
It can be overwhelming coming into college with no hobbies, but that can quickly be changed with a trip to the student activity fair at the start of the year. Interests and talents can shift dramatically over time, and self-discovery is a crucial takeaway of the college journey.
Hobbies can be a means of change in so many ways. Clubs that meet two to three times a week can be a great way to slowly ease you into new things, while also allowing you to adjust to a changing and growing work and social schedule.
Having a well-rounded lifestyle can be achieved by nurturing your interests and striving to be great in all of your classes at the same time. Marist College has over 90 clubs and organizations for students to boost their involvement at any point during their time at the college.
Along with these clubs, there are volunteer opportunities, leadership positions, Greek life organizations and more. Even if Marist does not have what you are interested in, students have the opportunity to start their own club and connect with others who share common interests.
Digging yourself out of academic slumps can be hard, but having something fun and rewarding to look forward to every week can make the future seem much less scary.