National Hobby Month is celebrated every January. During this month especially, people share and practice their hobbies like crafting, gardening and drawing.

“If you’re a person who gets distracted easily, crocheting is a good thing to try,” freshman Abigail Perez-Welsh said. “It may be a little hard in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it it’s a really interesting thing. You can make clothes and stuffed animals, pretty much anything you want. Not only are you spending time calming yourself down and focusing on one thing, but you’re not stuck to a screen.”

In today’s modernized age of TikTok and YouTube a portion of students find it valuable to partake in activities that bring joy and positive rewards.

“There’s something about being able to make a tangible piece of work that you can wear out and display,” Perez-Welsh said. “It’s fun to me.”

Some hobbies are passed down through generations and viewed as a tradition. 

“I picked up sewing and embroidery in kindergarten,” sophomore Farah Yusuf said. “It’s a skill that’s passed down in my family, my great-grandmother taught my mom and then she taught me.”

Senior Anagha Nair not only uses her artistic skills in her classes and competitions, but  also during her free time. 

“Sketching and drawing definitely makes me less stressed,” Nair said. “It helps me calm down, slow down and helps me to analyze things I see around me.”

Artistic hobbies have shown to help with stress and creative expression.

“I like being able to be more stylistic and find my art style,” Nair said. “I like going out and seeing people and getting to draw them in my own style.”

This new year, newly found or continued hobbies can range from multitudes of crafts, sports or soil and sunshine.

“There’s something about being in the sun [while gardening] that’s really helpful with stress, which really helps during the school season,” Yusuf said.