Hobbies are non-essential activities that people engage in during their leisure time for enjoyment rather than work. The document discusses several common hobbies such as collecting stamps, gardening, photography, painting, and playing sports. It notes that hobbies provide mental stimulation, physical activity, and a way to productively use free time. Hobbies can develop skills and even turn into careers. The document encourages people, especially students, to pursue hobbies to develop their personalities and natural abilities.

1. THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009
Hobbies
Hobbies
The word “hobby” is derived from “hobby horse,” which is a stick fitted with a wooden
horse’s head, painted to look real. The child puts this between his legs, and prances about,
pretending to be riding a horse. From this word “hobby-horse” we get the word hobby, an
amusement; and we speak of a man’s “riding” his hobby. Properly, a hobby is any
interesting subject or pursuit, not our main business, which we take up for our amusement
in our leisure hours. What is a business to one man may be a hobby to another. For
example, a professional photographer may have gardening as his hobby; and a paid
gardener may make a hobby of photography.
There are very many kinds of hobbies. Many take the form of collecting in some forms.
Collecting postage stamps is a common hobby in England, not only with flowers and ferns
and press and mount their specimens. Others take an interest in geology, and find much
amusement in collecting fossils. Such hobbies do not cost much, and are within the reach of
all. But others, such as collecting pictures, old books, curiosities and antiquities are only for
the rich.
Other hobbies take the form of games and sports. Many take up open-air games, like gold,
tennis, cricket or football, or indoor games such as chess, draughts and cards, as their
hobbies. While hunting, or fishing, or yachting are the favorite recreations of others.
Photography makes an interesting and instructive hobby; and for those who have the gift,
sketching and painting and wood-carving. The latter hobbies require special artistic gifts;
but almost anyone can learn carpentry and picture-framing.
Many people find great pleasure and interest in gardening: especially in cultivating some
special flowers, like roses. And boys especially like keeping pets, such as rabbits and fowls.
Every one, young and old, should have a hobby of some sort for his leisure hours; for it adds
greatly to the pleasure of life. It is often an education in itself, and it fills our vacant hours
with interest. It gives us, also, something to fall back on when our business days are over, in
the leisure times at the end of life.

2. Man works for others to earn his livelihood. So, he has to work according to the will of others. He
cannot do any work after his own heart during the course of his employment. When he gets leisure,
he does some work of his own liking. This work is called hobby.
Different hobbies:
Different people do different kinds of hobby during their leisure. Some write poems. Some draw
picture. some collect stamps. Some read light readers. Some people do some kind of experiment.
These are a few of the hobbies that many people do. There are many other kinds of hobby too. some
are in hobby of writing children's literature. Some are in hobby of knitting mufflers and so on.
Advantages of hobbies:
Hobbies have got great advantages for the human beings. Great works, great theories and great
inventions are the outcome of man's hobby. Hobbies can give rise to great writers, great painters,
great artists, great scientists and everything great. Hobbies engage us during our leisure. So, we
make the best use of our leisure time with our hobbies. Hobbies save us from al the vice of idleness.
They save us from the bore of no work.
Conclusion:
People should make the best use of their leisure with their hobbies. Men should not do their hobbies
at random or stray pieces. They should do their hobbies systematically. The systematically done
hobby may produce a great thing after a few years. Every student must do some kind of innocent
hobby during his leisure. Students have much time in their hands. They get much leisure in their
school days and holidays. They should try to develop their natural abilities during the leisure. This
will make them great in their future.

3. Hobby is something that one likes to do in one's spare time. The Oxford Dictionary defines hobby as
a favorite activity that a person does for pleasure and not as his or her regular business. In short,
hobby is one's favorite pastime.
Hobby is not an inborn inclination. It is developed through a constant and systematic process. A
bobby is not pursued to make a profit. The main purpose of a bobby is to derive pleasure out of it. It
gives us mental and physical relaxation. One makes the best use of one's spare time by pursuing a
hobby.
While making a choice out of many ways of speeding our time, we ought to ensure that is restores our
lost energy and cheers us up. There are a good number of hobbies. The hobby that fits our interest,
nature and our budget would be the best.
A young person needs all round development of his or her personality. Hobbies play an important
role in developing one's personality. A person may become like a machine if he does his routine work
throughout the day. he may lose interest in his work or feel bored of it. Who does not know the
famous saying 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy', so every person should have a hobby to
keep himself active physically as well as mentally. Most people should take some time off from their
routine work and play games or go on picnic, movies or pursue their hobbies. A hobby keeps a
person active, busy and cheerful.
There is hardly a person who does not have a bobby. Not only the educated but also the uneducated
pursue one hobby or the other. Some of the common hobbies are playing cards, flying of kites,
petting of birds and animals, gardening, stamp collecting, coin-gathering, sewing, crafts, embroidery,
knitting, cooking, photography, writing letters to editors of newspapers, writing poetry, reading
books and magazines, swimming, listening music, watching movies, surfing internet, traveling etc.
Selecting of hobby depends upon the time for hobbies. They become busy in shaping their careers.
However, it is very important to develop a hobby. Some hobbies can open up new vistas of
knowledge, entertainment and careers. Painting, music, computer software development, graphics
designing etc. are some such hobbies.
A creative product may not be of any commercial value. But it gives satisfaction to the artist. if one is
dedicated and works hard, he will gain from it. The creative person could become and author, and
editor or even and art director. A graphic designer can start graphic designing as a hobby. Later one,
he can adopt it as a profession.
Painting is a popular hobby. It is learned after years of practice. A neat hand is required for his
hobby. Many professional schools of painting have been established to train children as well as the
youth. Many students today seek a career in computer. They can attain perfection in it if they start
with computer software development as a hobby.
Gardening develops a sense of eco-responsibility in our minds. it keeps us in touch with Nature. One
can plant trees, flower plants, vegetables or bonsai plaints in one's compound. A garden full of
flowers looks beautiful and give us sweet fragrance. Flowers and beauty to the garden as well as the
house. They delight the sense and give us a great relief from the world full of tension and pollution.
As a student, one may cultivate the hobby of reading newspapers and magazines regularly. They keep
one aware of the current national and international events. In the long run, one will benefit from it if
one has to appearing competitive examinations. Besides reading periodicals, one may also have
interest in reading novels.

4. Traveling is another important passion. It is very thrilling to visit new places and to meet with
different kinds of people of various culture. Travel management now also opens a wide range of
career for youngsters.
The old, especially in rural areas spend their spare time in playing cards. The young and the old take
delight in flying kites. Others hobbies include billiards, snooker, tennis etc. Swimming and a few
games can be considered sports as well as hobbies.
Hobbies give pleasure. They soothe the should. Hobbies should be least costly. They should provide
creative satisfaction and relaxation.
Each one of us should choose a worthwhile hobby that give us change and joy. At times our hobbies
become our profitable vocation