A hobby is an activity that people do in their spare time for enjoyment and personal fulfillment. Hobbies are often solitary activities, but they can also be social activities like club membership and participation in sports leagues. Hobbies can be casual, infrequent and short-lived (for example, a child’s interest in rollerskating may fade after a couple of months) or serious where individuals are deeply involved over a long period of time. Examples of hobbies include collecting stamps, growing roses or playing a musical instrument.
There are many benefits to doing a hobby. Hobbies help to relieve stress, improve mental health and provide an outlet for creativity. They can also stimulate hormones and positive energy that can aid in recovery from stressful situations. They also increase socialization between friends and can be a great way to make new acquaintances. Hobbies can even lead to a new career. For example, learning to play a guitar or piano can give one the opportunity to become an aspiring musician. Other popular hobbies include improv, which requires witty quick-thinking and teamwork and Cosplay, which involves designing, creating and wearing costumes based on an existing creative property.
People choose different hobbies based on their own interests, preferences and abilities. Some hobbies result in an end product, such as woodworking, computer software projects and artistic projects like drawing and painting. Other hobbyists enjoy tinkering with things like car repairs and restoration, or building their own electronics such as computers. Some hobbies are even interactive and can involve other participants, such as a bunko group or a book club.