A new year and semester means a fresh start. And for many students, that means setting new goals and trying new things. Whether it’s pushing yourself academically, learning a new skill, joining a new club or exploring something creative, picking up a hobby is a great way to spend free time. From indulging in the arts to testing their music skills, BHS students share their current favorite hobbies to pass time.
Freshman Maya Ismail recently picked up a new hobby: playing the harmonica. She said she first became interested in the instrument after noticing how many of her favorite songs have the harmonica in it.
“I realized I like a lot of songs with the harmonica in it, and I wanted to give it a try,” Ismail said.
Although she’s only been playing for about a month, Ismail already has noticed and appreciated the progress she has made. She practices for about 30 minutes each day and says the best part about the instrument is recognizing it in the music she listens to.
“The best part is being able to play my favorite songs,” Ismail said. “I love hearing a song and thinking ‘Oh, I can play the harmonica on this.’”
For Ismail, learning something new is always exciting for her. She is a great example of students discovering talents they would have never known they had if they didn’t explore unfamiliar hobbies this past year.
Sophomore Ava Kravitz has found her way to express her creativity through doing nails. What started as a way to save some money and do designs at home has now turned into not only a hobby but a small business for her.
“My mom bought me a kit off of Amazon for Christmas, like, two years ago. Then I started to do it, and then I was like, ‘Oh, this will be cheaper’ and kept doing it, and I just started buying more stuff. So, that’s how I started,” Kravitz said.
She enjoys spending her free time exploring new colors, designs and shapes. Over time, she has improved greatly by practicing not only on herself but also friends and family. Now, with her skill, she has started to charge people for her services.
“My favorite part is learning to do a bunch of new designs,” Kravitz said.
Through this hobby, Kravitz has grown her creative abilities, found a fun phone-free way to spend time and even made a little extra cash.
From playing harmonica to creating detailed nail designs, students are finding ways to express themselves outside of the classroom. Hobbies give students a chance to relax, learn and get off their phones no matter what the hobby is. These activities show that learning doesn’t have to be boring in the traditional manner. As the semester progresses, students pick up more and more hobbies and discover new things about themselves, proving that sometimes the best lessons happen outside of school.
