In her youth, my cousin, Sarah, invested her savings into a vintage 1950s Ford, which she parked in her driveway and meticulously restored. This project occupied her afternoons and weekends, fitting around her academic and athletic commitments. Likewise, my other relatives pursued equally fervent interests, such as playing the guitar or piano. These activities, once simply termed “hobbies,” were largely self-driven endeavors they engaged in alone or with friends. Their parents, apart from offering occasional guidance or support, largely remained uninvolved.
During my teenage years, however, I did not indulge in hobbies. Instead, I participated in what were branded as “extracurriculars.” I took music lessons throughout high school, which were prominently featured on my college applications. I begrudgingly joined various sports teams, which I found unappealing, solely to add more items to my college resume. While I loved being part of the drama club, I perceived all these activities primarily as ways to enhance my attractiveness to selective colleges. Unlike previous generations, I did not have “hobbies” in the same sense; even those who pursued their passions were often encouraged to present them as a “hook” for college admissions.
This trend raises a question of generational differences: My husband, Mark, who is slightly older, is the youngest of a large family and attended college in the 1970s and ’80s. By the early ’90s, when I began my college applications, personal interests seemed to be overshadowed by academic pressures, as emphasized by college counselors. The term “hook” had entered the lexicon of college advising. Today, it appears that college applications have evolved into a multi-year endeavor where adolescents tirelessly curate their resumes, grades, and extracurricular activities to impress prestigious institutions like Harvard and Yale.
As an SAT tutor in the early 2000s, I worked with a student named Jessica who had a passion for piano. We met multiple times a week to prepare for the SAT, SAT II, and the English AP exam. To accommodate our sessions, her parents canceled her piano lessons, and she willingly sacrificed her practice time to focus on test preparation. Throughout her junior and half of her senior year, it seemed she engaged in few activities purely for enjoyment. Jessica expressed that her piano skills were insufficient for conservatory admission, leading her to deem it unworthy of time compared to SAT prep.
The narrative of the over-scheduled, stressed teenager is prevalent today, and rightly so. Many adolescents lack adequate sleep and exercise. Parents often push their children to study harder for tests, striving to elevate a B+ average to an A. The pursuit of college admission has transformed into a grueling marathon, compelling students to forgo joyful activities in favor of tick-boxing items on the “well-rounded applicant” checklist. This high-intensity high school experience warrants a reconsideration, as it may open doors for the resurgence of hobbies.
Personally, I have come to embrace a hobby as an adult: I play the guitar. My proficiency may not be high, but the joy it brings me is invaluable. Should my children express interest in creative activities, such as comic drawing or model building, I will wholeheartedly support their pursuits. I hope that when they reach high school, I won’t succumb to the pressures of prioritizing SAT tutoring over their passions. After all, restoring a classic car could also be a valuable addition to a college application.
For more insights about fertility and family planning, consider reading about couples’ fertility journeys. Additionally, you may find useful information on boosting fertility supplements, which is an authority on the subject. For those contemplating fertility treatments, March of Dimes provides excellent resources.
In summary, the evolution from hobbies to structured extracurricular activities reflects broader societal pressures on students. As the landscape of high school experiences shifts, there is hope for a revival of personal interests that foster joy and creativity, rather than merely serving as resume fillers.
Keyphrase: Hobbies vs Extracurricular Activities
Tags: “home insemination kit”, “home insemination syringe”, “self insemination”