If you’re like me, you probably hate being asked the question, “What do you do in your free time?” One, I have found that the average UT student’s free time is extremely limited. Two, I feel as though a growing addiction to my phone is an even bigger hindrance to my free time. Three, I ask internally, how do I go about defining myself without mentioning at least one thing that is featured on my LinkedIn? 

While it can be difficult to find time for a hobby that doesn’t have any correlation to your career plans, studies have found that students who have a hobby for the simple enjoyment of it have higher GPAs, better relational skills and better mental health.

“I have 1,000 students each fall and then 300 to 500 in the spring,” said Marialena Rivera, assistant professor of communication at Moody College of Communication. “The people who are doing things outside of class that bring them joy and are not just academic — their mental health is so much better. Not only are they doing something that brings them joy, but it also provides them with a community.” 

However, it is important to note the layer of privilege needed to partake in hobbies for sheer enjoyment. 

“We’ve got students who don’t have the luxury of free time to approach hobbies in the same way — maybe they need to double dip with their hobby,” Rivera said. “Maybe they are saying, ‘I’m getting joy out of it, but I can also make some money on the side.’ I wouldn’t discourage that.”

Although it often seems like some are doing activities purely for a boosted resume, there is space for activities that exclusively bring you joy. Not to post about. Not to add to a portfolio. Not to submit to Canvas. Only for the joy.

“There is something to be said about activities we do just to do them,” said Brad Love, associate professor at Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations. “They enrich our souls. They help us be the people we want to be.”

As students grow more reliant on scrolling on social media as their main source of dopamine, it is more crucial than ever to reiterate the importance of leaving our phones alone for a little while — even if it means temporary boredom.

“Boredom is a superpower,” said Love. “Boredom helps us figure out where our brains wish they could go if we weren’t constantly asking them to do things.” 

The question is, how? 

How, in a world that pressures us to aim for perfection and continually raises the bar to do so, do we choose to go on a run instead of going to a networking event or rotting away in bed?

Anna Lusson, a sophomore studying journalism with a passion for dance, said dance gives her freedom and purpose outside of her academics.  

“It’s more important to have something proactive to do in your free time because it will make you a more well-rounded person,” Lusson said. 

However, is it fair to ask ourselves to devote every waking moment to our career and academic success? Perhaps success in each of these lies in our ability to achieve joy in all of our endeavours. 

“[Dance is] such a mental break,” Lusson said. “When I’m in rehearsals, I can forget about all the stress. I just don’t see it as my career path necessarily. I think that pressure would take away from the reasons why I like to dance.” 

To Lusson, dance isn’t about developing her resume — it is the opposite. At this time in young adulthood, it is easy to define ourselves by the title that dictates the majority of our time: student. While it is most certainly a part of our identities, it is crucial to remember the pursuit of joy that fuels our personalities, interests, and of course, hobbies. 

“I would encourage students to think about more joy, less obligation,” Love said. “You’ll win in the long term.” 

With the demands of today’s efficiency-oriented climate, maybe the most radical thing we can do is choose enjoyment over accomplishments. If we’re lucky, we can reach a mutual benefit between the two.

“Joy is an act of resistance,” Rivera said. “We need to tap into it whenever we can."