“See, hobbies are useful!”

Toward the end of the semester, you might think, “Hobbies? Down time? Who has time for that?” while you’re preoccupied with tons of textbook pages to read and pages of essays to write, not to mention taking a little time out on the weekends to go Downtown and have a wild time. But you honestly shouldn’t doubt the benefits of taking a break and resorting to favorite pastimes.

I’ve always been one for a good book. Ever since I could read, I’ve been an avid lover of books, usually reading at a level above my peers. I was a Clive Cussler enthusiast in fifth grade. Even Grisham and Tolkien piqued my interest back then. Stephen King and Dean Koontz gave me chills in middle school. I didn’t care if the writing was crap, the plot and the characters drew me in and kept me enthralled. I even blew the number of recommended books per year for high school students out of the water. The administration suggested 25 books; I nearly doubled it each year.

And even during these busy college days, I can probably be found in the middle of a book or two.

As my love for reading grew, I looked to writing, most likely thinking, “Hey, if this author can do it, so can I!” Let’s just say that it’s not the easiest thing to do. It takes time and effort, believe me. I have a few documents-worth of short stories that I started a while ago and haven’t really gotten around to finishing. However, I started writing one in April or so and finished it in the starting weeks of the semester. I was quite proud of it. As for my second most recent short story … that’s been on hold for a few months. I might get back into it within the next few months, maybe even participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) next November.

Within the last few years, I discovered a new hobby, spurred on by my love of movies: short films. I had made two short film projects for final projects for two of my Spanish classes in high school and got a kick out of writing, directing and acting in them. I mean, I was in high school, working with a digital camera, Windows Movie Maker and no budget. This was as close to fame as I was going to get. But since then, I’ve upgraded to quite a nice video camera and I’ve written, directed and acted in a bunch of my own shorts that I make for my own pleasure. For this, I’ve gained a bit of a following, which I’m quite pleased with. And, lo and behold, this hobby has turned into a hobby that’s going to get me credit next semester.

It’s always a good idea to keep the brain stimulated, especially through the use of puzzles and such. I started off with word searches and similar things when I was younger. It evolved into an interest in crossword puzzles and, a few years ago, Sudoku. My sudden love and interest in Sudoku got me into a New York Post Sudoku championship in New York City. I still have a place in my heart for brain teasers and, after a bit of a hiatus, I’ve gotten back into Sudoku recently. My brain is thanking me.

But during such times of stress, as we are already nearing the end of the semester, it doesn’t hurt to take some time out to relax. Don’t doubt the relaxing benefits of a good book. Or a good brain teaser.