Student Opinion: Teens Should Have A Hobby
Launch the media gallery 1 playerEveryone knows that there is a large problem with teenagers being chronically online. Most teenagers go on their phones while they are bored or don’t know what to do. This could be avoided if more teenagers adopted simple hobbies. These hobbies could be things like sewing, crocheting, building, and other crafts. By having these hobbies, it also gives teens the opportunity to do something for fun, and maybe even sell their creations and enter into entrepreneurship.
According to the Reboot Foundation, about 80% of teenagers struggle with using critical thinking. Over 55% of teenagers also have a screen time of over four hours per day. Most teenagers go on their phone when they are bored or think that they have nothing else to do with their time. If they were able to find a hobby or passion, they could fill their screen time with more beneficial tasks.
Being chronically online has also been proved to have a negative effect on teenager’s mental health, sleep schedules, and attention spans. Teens stay up late at night “doom scrolling” whereas if they had a hobby after school, they would tire themselves out, or have something else to do. Due to the lack of sleep and low attention spans, many American schools have seen a significant drop in test scores across the in the last decade.
I think hobbies can help teenagers gain valuable life skills and a sense of accomplishment that they don’t get from their phones. This can boost their confidence and self-esteem from knowing that they created something. These skills are important for school, as well as their futures.
Personally, I don’t have a hobby outside of things I am already doing that are school or ag related, but I know that a hobby could be very beneficial. Right now, I average between 2-3 hours of screen time a day. What if I spent that time learning a new skill like studying a new language or baking? Overall, by reducing screen time and spending more time with a hobby, teenagers can improve their life skills and mental health, eventually leading to positive outcomes. Now to just find what my new hobby will be!