By By Beth Randall / 4-H youth agent
July 20, 2003
I love hobbies. In fact, I have one room in my house devoted to my favorite hobbies which are sewing, crafts, reading and the computer. It is relaxing to have a space in which to relax and be creative.
As you can imagine, even when I was a child, I had lots of hobbies. I collected paper dolls, cooked, played the piano, rode horses, cross-stitched, embroidered, painted, crocheted, played basketball and softball, fished, danced, and that is to just name a few.
Now, I need to make one thing clear, a lot of the activities I tried I did not do well. But, the point is that I tried a lot of different activities until I found my "niche."
I found that I really enjoyed activities relating to sewing and cooking, and that I am not so great at drawing and basketball.
However, I did try both. After two humiliating years on the junior high basketball team, I determined that basketball was not my "cup of tea." I did learn that if you don't try something, you will never know if you would like it.
A hobby is a pursuit engaged in for relaxation. Young people need to explore a variety of activities to help them discover topics which interest them, entertain them and help them to utilize and expand their creativity. Hobbies help youth develop fine and large motor skills and well as critical thinking skills.
Hobbies help us develop interests and can even lead to a career. I believe that my hobbies as a teenager helped me choose the career that I enjoy today.
Some popular hobbies include collecting coins, leaves, sports cards, or stamps; drawing or painting; all types of sewing; playing sports; cooking; playing musical instruments, singing, and acting; reading; and building things.
My mom was a big influence on my choice of hobbies. I learned to do a lot of the same activities that she enjoyed, such as playing basketball, playing the piano, cooking and sewing.
Ridding horses and riding my bike were things that I did with my dad. My dad and I really bonded on our Sunday afternoon horseback rides. It was our chance to be alone together and share a common interest. My favorite photos are the ones my mom took of my daddy leading me on "Little Babe" when I was 4 years old.
My advice is try new activities. Keep your options open and discover the many opportunities available. You may just turn a hobby into a career.
4-H is also a great way to find a hobby. Through 4-H you can learn about clothing, cooking, gardening, computers, photography, pets, livestock, horses, insect collections and much more.
For more information on 4-H, contact your county's office of the MSU Extension Service. The number to call in Lauderdale County is 482-9764.