The CHIEF May 2026

HOBBY SHOWCASE

BY TAYLOR HENSON

AT PONTIAC TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, SUMMER BREAK IS ABOUT EIGHTY SEVEN LONG DAYS! THERE ARE MANY VARYING HOBBIES A PERSON COULD PICK UP TO REDUCE BOREDOM DURING THESE LONG WEEKS WITHOUT SCHOOL. SOME OF THESE HOBBIES INCLUDE SWIMMING, WALKING, DRAWING, READING, AND MORE! SWIMMING IS A GREAT HOBBY TO PICK UP DURING THE SUMMER BECAUSE IT’S PRETTY CHEAP TO GO TO YOUR LOCAL POOL AND IT IS GREAT EXERCISE. ANOTHER GREAT EXERCISE IS WALKING! THIS IS ENTIRELY FREE AND CAN BE DONE WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, OR ALONE. IT IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN NEW ROUTES AROUND YOUR TOWN AND IS BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR HEALTH. THE NEXT HOBBY IS DRAWING AND OR PAINTING. THIS COULD RANGE FROM EXTREMELY CHEAP (IF JUST USING SKETCHBOOK PAPER AND A PENCIL OR COLORED PENCILS) TO EXPENSIVE IF BUYING CANVASES AND NICE PAINT. DRAWING YOUR SURROUNDINGS IS A GREAT START TO DRAWING AND SUMMER IS GENERALLY NICE WEATHER. THE LAST HOBBY, BUT CERTAINLY NOT THE LEAST, DISCUSSED IS READING. BOOKS ARE TYPICALLY CHEAP TO BUY OR A NEARBY LIBRARY HAS MANY OPTIONS AND GENRES TO CHOOSE FROM. READING CAN BE DONE INDOORS OR OUTDOORS, WHILE TANNING, LISTENING TO MUSIC, AND MORE! READING IS VERSATILE AND BENEFICIAL FOR THE MIND. OUT OF THE FOUR HOBBIES LISTED, I WOULD SAY READING TOPS MY LIST BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS IT GIVES ME! READING IS SO VALUABLE TO ME BECAUSE IT LENGTHENS MY VOCABULARY AND I FEEL SO ACCOMPLISHED WHEN FINISHING A BOOK. SOME OF MY FAVORITES INCLUDE THE ENTIRE HARRY POTTER SERIES BY J.K. ROWLING, LITTLE WOMEN BY LOUISA MAY ALCOTT, AND THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER BY STEPHEN CHBOSKY. SO, INSTEAD OF MOPING AND BEING BORED ALL SUMMER, TRY TO PICK UP SOME NEW HOBBIES TO HELP YOUR MIND AND BODY!