What does your free time consist of? If your only answer was “phone-time” or “sleeping,” you may not actually be tired, but lacking enjoyment in your life. Let me be clear, when my week is over, all I want to do is lay in my bed for hours and do nothing. But after a few hours, my head starts hurting, my eyes get tired and scrolling has lost all enjoyment. The school days feel as though they only get longer each month and we almost can’t keep up. Which is why, it may sound crazy for me to ask more of you, but, in this case, it may be true that more is worth the extra effort. As expectations in school become more demanding, teenagers forget to prioritize their happiness, therefore I believe that encouraging uplifting activities, even small ones, can have a large impact on your mental health and development.
The little things in your life which break up the pattern of school, sleep, school, sleep are what ultimately give you meaning. No human can feel fulfilled by hours filled with mundanity and exhaustion. It’s those relaxed Saturday mornings and family-filled Sundays that remind us why we keep going. Let me encourage you to spread that pure enjoyment throughout the week. Find time to commit to something beyond the required and your life not only becomes more well-rounded, but so much more enjoyable; it is constantly about the next time you have to do something, but now you can look forward to what you chose to care about. Several studies have shown that, “Participating in extracurricular activities is associated with an increase in educational aspirations and expectations … and psychological well-being” (Hansen). Why should you let your requirements drain you? Take back control of your emotions by finding time to prioritize yourself, not just the dreadable.
These days, school is looked at as a race or competition. How much can I fit into my schedule in order to get into the best college? This mindset ruins passion. It crushes the soul by turning the things designed to give you excitement and joy, such as clubs or passion projects, into a stressful contest. Often, teenagers disregard hobbies because they won’t give them a guaranteed advantage in future applications. However, there are many benefits to finding small pursuits which give you joy and community. Even if these hobbies will never become “marketable,” they have the power to increase your quality of life. The things you do for yourself are what’s left when the college application process is over. Ultimately, what have you gained from psyching yourself out for four years? An expensive tuition handed alongside an empty title. But the real gifts of life like community and wisdom come from individual pursuit.
This isn’t some random hypothesis I’m sharing, but something proven. During Covid, we were all forced to quarantine for months; responsibilities were lessened significantly as the world focused on staying alive. During this time, people picked up practically any hobby they could to keep them sane. After Covid, scientists looked into the rise of hobbies and surveyed teenagers around America to see if it made any impact. They found that, “Rates of mental health struggles have only worsened in the post-pandemic years. The report…emphasizes the positive impact of hobbies on young people’s mental health during the pandemic” (Rhodes). When the world around us crumbles, people no longer have jobs to attend or a perfect attendance to maintain, it is up to us to build back our life. In response to an extreme situation such as Covid, people turned to small, seemingly meaningless hobbies to keep themselves busy. This has been regarded as one of the best things to come out of Covid, and so I wonder, what if we maintained this energy in our normal lives?
The biggest issue which stops people from pursuing new activities is a lack of disposable time. We are constantly doing something, humans never stop moving, so naturally when we get the chance, all our bodies want to do is rot or sleep. Currently, social media is the easiest way to dissociate from reality and feel a sense of calamity in a world filled with stress. However, as painful as it is to hear, social media is a true catalyst of our brains. The moment you sit down and choose to scroll for hours, giving your brain quick boosts of dopamine, you further the addiction and actually exhaust your brain. How do you feel after a rotting session? If your answer is tired and lazy, that’s exactly my point. Furthermore, as teenagers in this new age, the “fun” other people are having is constantly shoved at each other’s throats. Social media is comfortable, it’s relaxing, but all of it can be your enemy. Watching other people have the time of their lives every night while you stay home is painful and isolating. And yet, the cycle continues. The more alone we feel, the more we turn to our phones, only worsening the case. Instead of wasting all of our free time on our phones and under our cozy sheets, going outside and even just walking around can help with any emotions you may be dealing with far more. It’s time for teenagers to start seeking hobbies; it’s time to take control of our lives and emotions again.
Phones can definitely be an “enemy,” but that’s also because we give them the power to be. Social media is a beautiful tool for sharing and receiving new information. Use it to your own advantage; learn from others’ experiences and skills and seek them out yourself. Be aware of what hurts you and try to seek the things which build you up again. Be your own biggest supporter and life will feel a lot more supportive; it’s hard to find the strength to resist temptations, but each time you put the phone down and find some way to occupy yourself, you are only improving your own happiness. Learn a recipe from Tiktok, not a mindset; gain a new skill, don’t compare yourself to what college he or she got into. Use your resources to ultimately benefit yourself.
A leading reason for teenage mental health struggles comes from those years being overlooked and forgotten. When did our parents stop driving us to activities after school and to and from playdates? Why did we stop putting in the same amount of effort into healthy teenage development that our parents did when we were kids? It seems almost elementary to start swimming again, learn piano, or find a joy for coloring, but why does it have to? Hobbies are not only beneficial to children but also teenagers. As our lives unfold, it gets much harder to balance school with fun. There is no more “extra-time.” However, studies have found that, “Recreation is important for all ages, but…is especially crucial during children’s formative years. Socialization opportunities through recreation are needed to support their social-emotional maturity into healthy adulthood. Recreation, like any life skill, requires intentional instruction and support” (Hoffer). Allow yourself to enjoy life with ease. Not every single hobby needs to be demanding and exhausting. You shouldn’t feel like you’re not good enough because you aren’t perfect. Rather than taking “5 minute phone breaks” we should take up painting, volleyball at the park, or even reading just for fun.
Next time you feel overwhelmed and itching for some free time, try to find inspiration. Use social media for its advantages; watch a baker and get some new tips, look for book recommendations and search up local run clubs in your community. In this day and age, every single thing we want is in reach of our finger tips, so do not be the obstacle between yourself and your potential happiness. You are so much more than the person others expect you to be, but the hardest part is that at one point, you have full control over what you do. There are no parents to sign you up for things, it’s now all in your hands. The question is, what are you going to do with it?
