There are days in college when I finish all my assignments by noon and then immediately feel uneasy. I’ve earned the free time by finishing my work early, but instead of feeling productive, I’m doomscrolling Canvas or Outlook, searching for something else to work on. I have a laundry list of books I want to read, dishes I want to cook and friends I need to meet — but choosing any of those feels irresponsible and frankly, useless. 

But why is that the case? How come even when my to-do list is completely checked off, I feel like I should be doing something more “productive”?

Somehow, the definition of productivity has narrowed in college. The word “productive” once meant “achieving or producing a significant amount of growth,” but in college, it seems to only apply when you achieve a significant amount of career or academic growth. Meanwhile, hobbies are seen as distractions. The desire to engage in activities “just for fun” is categorized as temptations that we are taught to put aside for classwork.

This mindset has consequences. When productivity is defined only by measurable outcomes, hobbies are the first thing to go. Suddenly, the activities that allow us to manage our stress, but don’t outright result in academic gain, feel pointless and indulgent. Creative interests start to only feel worthwhile if they can be monetized or turned into a portfolio. 

This mentality is reinforced by campus culture. Ironically, college is one of the only opportunities we will get in our adult lives where hobbies are literally built into our lives through clubs. This makes it even more surprising that these opportunities are so often overlooked. I can name over 10 organizations at Northeastern designed to prepare students for their future careers and probably two clubs that are genuinely just for fun. This isn’t because they don’t exist, in fact, Northeastern has over 500 clubs, but rather because many of them simply aren’t regarded as “valuable” or useful on a student’s resume. Hobby-based organizations, like book clubs or club sports, fade into the background, treated as less impressive or worthwhile, because they don’t promise internships or job offers.

But these are the spaces that often make a campus feel human. Look at any early 2000s chick flick set on a college campus, Pitch Perfect college fair for example, and the “fun” organizations are what give the university life! They give students a place to decompress, build friendships without an agenda and engage with something simply because they enjoy it. These spaces don’t ask for productivity; they offer presence.

Hobbies are also integral to giving people, especially students, a sense of identity. It can be so easy to measure yourself against others by quantitative values, like your GPA, the number of internships you have and how many executive boards you’re on. However, hobbies remind us that we are more than students or future employees. They remind us that we can be defined by our interests and personalities, not solely by our successes and failures. 

College is the most accessible time to explore hobbies, which makes it even more frustrating that we so often neglect them. Student discounts can be provided for anything, from workout classes to art supplies. There is also no other period of one’s life where it is as easy to join clubs to engage with people with the same interests as you. It’s so easy to try something new or low-commitment by just attending a campus club event, and these opportunities disappear as soon as you graduate. Suddenly, hobbies become harder to start and more expensive to maintain.

 If there’s ever a time to lean into hobbies and discover something new, it’s now.

Hobbies also offer more than just fun; they make us better students in the long run. They teach us valuable skills, such as creativity, discipline and focus — skills that we don’t always get in a classroom. Stepping away from coursework to do something enjoyable also allows our brains to reset. Then, when we return to work, we can be more engaged and resilient. 

College is a time to prepare for the future, and this includes cultivating a strong set of hobbies. These aren’t just ways to pass time, but foundations we will build for the moments when life becomes stressful or uncertain. Instead of treating every free hour as wasted time, we should expand our definition of productivity to include activities that bring us joy. We need to make room for the things that remind us who we are outside of our grades, resumes and professional ambitions. Sometimes, the most productive thing a student can do is to get a hobby. So in those moments, when I finish my work before noon, sometimes the most productive thing I can do is put away my laptop and pick up my crochet hooks!

Shreya Pillamari is a third-year computer science and business administration major. She can be reached at [email protected].

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