It’s easy to get caught up in a spiral when attending a prestigious university, but sometimes it’s important to be able to stop and relax.

I’m currently typing this from the comfort of my home in Boston. It’s May, junior year has finally wrapped up, my final projects and thesis pre-proposals are done, and I have an aerospace internship scheduled a week from now in a completely different state. While most people will view this as exciting and a great development (and trust me, it very much is) others will undoubtedly notice that things seem to be moving at a rapid pace. After all, school just ended a few days ago and now I need to start an entirely new section of my life working?

That’s the main thing I want to tackle and explore here – that it is extremely easy to get caught up constantly working and worrying about the future without taking the time to stop, rest, and reflect on what you value and what makes you truly happy. Everyone has their own hobbies that they do to keep themselves sane and I wanted to share a few of mine here with you.

If you know me or have had a conversation with me in general, you’ll know that despite me being a big techie head, I’m a very strong advocate for every person having a creative outlet in which they’re able to express themselves without restraint or concern. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as you’re able to enter your own flow state and create something that acts as a microcosm of yourself. 

Well Denzel, what are your creative hobbies if you’re so interested in everyone having one? 

I’m glad you asked, inquisitive reader.

If we’re talking about more outwardly expressive hobbies, I’ve been making art since I was six and would say that it is an integral part of who I am. I enjoy creating different pieces of varying mediums and bringing into the world a small piece of what my inner eye sees. Some are more abstract than others and others are more personal than some, but all act as tiny mirrors of myself that connect to a part of my life in some way, shape, or form. Not only that though, but I also listen to a vast amount of music. For me, music and art are two sides of the same coin – whenever I make art, I follow a tune in my head that guides my pen strokes. Whenever I listen to music, I envision different pieces of art and sequencing them together in a way that acts as almost a type of movie (or anime if the art is more stylistic in nature).

Of course another big creative hobby of mine is video games. Not just in the sense of playing them, but also making them. I truly believe that video games are the most significant form of entertainment/art on the planet. It is the only medium that is able to tie in multiple branches of creativity (e.g. writing, music, art direction, cinematography, [insert whatever creative outlet that is dependent on the type of video game you’re engaged in]) while also granting autonomy to the player. It is a highly interactive experience and one that is inherently meant to allow expression of creativity when being developed. 

Of course these might not be the same hobbies you enjoy doing and that’s perfectly okay. Everyone is special and has their own set of interests. What matters is that you have an interest that will allow you to get lost in it without having to worry about work, or what pset is due the next week, or if you’ll get a 3.91 or 3.92 GPA at the end of the semester. They’re important for sure but they shouldn’t entirely consume your life and cause you to lose a grip on your mental health.