Growing up, my parents encouraged me to read and draw, instead of watching TV all day. This led to my love of reading and crocheting, along with my continued pursuit of new hobbies. In class, I hear kids talking about their new video game high score or their Animal Crossing discoveries. But how is constant screentime affecting teens? Should they participate in hobbies offline? In the era of digital activity, having screen-free hobbies is essential.
As the number of hours of screentime in teens rises, mental health declines. Many teens get carried away scrolling TikTok for hours, finding productive things they could do, yet never being able to tear themselves away from the phone to do them. Or, they hop right on a game, spending hours shooting online entities and getting angry at losses. This lack of productivity, along with the constant violence and anger when playing video games, is detrimental to a teen’s mental health. Depression is estimated to occur among 1.3% of 10–14-year-olds and 3.4% of 15–19-year-olds (WHO). To counteract this, teens can participate in offline hobbies. “Engaging in hobbies reduced the odds of experiencing depression (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62–0.97) and poor mental well-being” (Cleary et al). Playing sports or crocheting amigurumi can be an engaging way to get teens off screens. Teens will come out with something they created. A team bond and a sense of pride, or a physical item made by their own hand. All while improving their mental health.
Social media is an important factor to discuss when thinking about non-digital hobbies. Apps like Pinterest are large forms of inspiration for teens with hobbies. You can gain ideas for things to knit, draw, embroider, bake, and more. Yet it is important to see the difference between getting inspired and scrolling for hours. Sarah Sagullo, a health coach, warns that “consuming [social media] shouldn’t be your only outlet.” Digital forms of inspiration are extremely beneficial when it comes to having a hobby, especially in this day and age. Many teens have discovered a hobby they wanted to try through apps like Pinterest, so giving it some credit is necessary. Though it could lead to endless inspiration with no follow-through. So, monitoring your use is important. In order to have a hobby, you have to at least try to do it semi-frequently, not just let ideas pile up.
Along with inspiration, social media can be used to share your own creations and achievements. Many people who cook share their meals and recipes on a dedicated Instagram account. This can bolster the bond between those who share the same hobby. So in a way, social media is essential to having a hobby in the digital age. But, ensuring you know the difference between enjoying the hobby and doing things just to please people online is critical. Using social media as an outlet can quickly spiral into not feeling good enough compared to other people. You might be really proud of a record you just set for your pickleball team, then realize that one of your online friends just doubled your score. If social media feels like it’s doing more harm than good, take a few days off, partake in your hobby without the societal pressures from people online. If you do not feel comfortable sharing your hobby, don’t. Hobbies are meant to soothe your mind, allowing you to do something you truly enjoy in your free time.
Many people assume that having digital hobbies is just as good as non-digital ones. However, getting time away from the screen is beneficial for your health and happiness. Having non-digital hobbies provides a fun, healthy way to reduce your screentime. This does not mean you have to stop playing video games or scrolling TikTok. It just means that you make a conscious effort to do things away from screens.
As students, we should know that the digital age is upon us. At school, we stare at laptops all day, and at home, we peruse social media, providing very few breaks from the screen. To get away from the screens, we need to take action. Picking up non-digital hobbies is a wonderful way to improve our mental and physical health. Next time you feel the urge to do something on your phone, think about what you could be making or participating in. Phones are not our whole lives.
