In today’s day and age, most students are busy. Whether it’s studying for the next big test, rigorous practicing for sports, or having a job, it can be tough to find the free time most kids desire. Yet many students find time to enjoy hobbies through a busy schedule.
To figure out what hobbies students at Wayzata have, several students were interviewed to determine what they did—or wanted to do—in their free time.
A student with hobbies varying from sports to hanging out with friends was Dylan Stahnke, a junior. “Usually what I like doing is working out, video games, and hanging out with friends,” he said. “I’ll also be doing basketball soon, and that usually takes up 2 to 3 hours a week.” He elaborated that he doesn’t play for the school, instead playing for the Southwest League, a recreational basketball program that serves as a competitive league for non-varsity players.
Video games were a common pastime for nearly all the students that were interviewed. A student who requested to stay anonymous said that video games were one of his favorite hobbies. However, he listed several other hobbies that he enjoys doing in his free time. “To be honest, I just like to go on walks and listen to music. It’s pretty common,” he added.
The student also expressed interest in after school activities and clubs. There are loads of these, ranging from Quiz Bowl to clubs relating to language and culture, like the French and Chinese clubs. “I also do Mock Trial, which I know is an after-school thing, but I really enjoy doing that. And I also do the Creative Writing Club after school every Thursday, and I have friends in that club so that improves the experience a lot.”
Andrew Lerdal, a junior, had a bit of a different hobby than the other students who were interviewed. ”I typically code. I like to work on personal projects and just randomly go into things that interest me for a week, and then I’ll move on to the next thing.”
“I work at a kickboxing gym, but I also like to do it in my free time,” Aston “AJ” Loso said when asked about his hobbies. “I was introduced to it a couple years ago from one of my neighbors, and I’ve been doing it ever since.” AJ’s hobby is unique in that it interlays with his work, allowing him to enjoy his job more than others.
Overall, there are plenty of hobbies that students at Wayzata enjoy. Whether it’s after school activities, hanging out with friends, or just enjoying time away from the stress of school, there are clearly a ton of things that Wayzata students can do. But how much time do they have for their hobbies?
Most of the students who were interviewed had around one or two hours of free time when they weren’t studying or working. It can be tough for students to balance their school work, their actual jobs, and having enough time to do things they really enjoy.
Work can be a major factor in determining how much free time a student has. “A couple weeks ago, I was scheduled both weekends, and with my occasional work time on weekdays, it was hard for me to get my schoolwork done,” said Miles Beltaos, who works at the Plymouth HyVee Market Grille. “Because of that, I wasn’t able to do what I wanted when I did have free time and had to study or do homework.”
Scheduling at jobs can be unpredictable, leading to students not knowing beforehand when they will have free time. “I have one, maybe two hours of free time after school, but it depends on if I have work,” AJ replied when asked how much free time he had after school.
Also, the homework load at Wayzata can be fairly intense. All of the students who were interviewed said something along the lines of homework impacting the amount of free time they have. For upperclassmen especially, AP classes make for rigorous studying the night before a big test, and nightly assignments cut into the free time many students wish they had.
Nationally, homework has impacted the leisure time of students across the US. But homework doesn’t just impact free time. It impacts the mental health of students everywhere.
Free time and hobbies are important to improving mental health. The University of Georgia recently conducted a study that showed an increase in homework leads to students feeling overwhelmed and overscheduled when combined with after school activities, sports, and jobs. When students are able to properly manage their time, it leads to better academic performance and allows people like AJ, Dylan, and Andrew to do the things they enjoy.
Having enough time to enjoy hobbies has an enormous impact on teen mental health as well. Even if free time is used just to detox and relax, it allows for the reorganization of thoughts and offers a calmer environment rather than a stressful one at school or work. Free time also allows students to explore projects and activities that they haven’t done before, increasing their creativity and improving mental health as mentioned before.
For these students, balancing a work-school schedule means it can be tough to get any leisure time in. But when they have that time, and when they have the opportunity to do the things they enjoy, they’ll be sure to not waste it.
