Schoolwork is a source of stress for students. Therefore, one’s academic performance is dependent on an individual’s ability to address school-related stress. Participating in leisure activities is one of the common coping strategies that students employ to manage the pressure in their learning experience. The process of selecting an ideal leisure activity requires the student to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy activities, match personal leisure needs to the nature of the activity, and incorporate adequate amounts of leisure throughout the school year.
Healthy Leisure Activities
Students can derive leisure from activities that have a positive impact on their health. Healthy leisure activities are not restricted to physical activities, such as physical exercise and sports. Instead, healthy leisure activities include activities that provide the desired form of mental stimulation. For instance, a learner participating in a non-competitive chess club is engaging in a leisure activity. The magnitude of the health benefits derived from healthy leisure activities varies extensively because of the type of activity and individual preferences concerning enjoyable activities.
Unhealthy Leisure Activities
Unhealthy leisure activities may deliver a sense of relief from school-related stress, but they are inherently harmful to one’s health. For example, a popular unhealthy leisure activity for college students is excessive partying that involves hard drugs and binge drinking. Plausibly, drug abuse may provide immediate relief from stress due to the effect of drugs on the brain’s normal functioning. Nonetheless, the constant participation in drug abuse elevates the risk of developing various physiological problems, such as liver cirrhosis. Moreover, addiction may harm one’s ability to handle education workloads. So just make sure not to get carried away with unhealthy leisure activities; otherwise, you will need to look for an assignment writing service or other helpful resources.
Individual and Group Activities
The choice of leisure activities may shift from individual to group activities depending on one’s situational preferences. In some instances, a student may choose a solo leisure activity, for instance, jogging or reading. At times, a student may prefer to engage in group leisure activities, ideal for bonding and self-exploration. An individual should match his or her personal leisure needs with the nature of the leisure activity because a mismatch may result in minimal benefit from a leisure activity.
Balancing Schoolwork and Leisure
Leisure is an essential aspect of one’s educational experience but finding the balance between schoolwork and leisure is challenging. The middle and end of a semester require a student to be focused on educational activities entirely because of the need to prepare for exams and meet assignment submission deadlines. In part, the uneven distribution of coursework is a consequence of students’ procrastination. Nonetheless, the lack of time to engage in leisure activities may result in burnout because of extended periods of schoolwork. Consequently, the most effective approach for balancing schoolwork and leisure is developing a schedule that allows individuals to incorporate some leisure activities periodically throughout the semester.
Students should consider three significant aspects in planning the leisure activities that complement their learning experience: type of activity, nature of the activity, and frequency of the activity. Students must prioritize healthy activities over harmful activities. Learners should ensure that the nature of a leisure activity aligns with their immediate leisure needs. Furthermore, an adequate time allocation time for leisure activities is necessary to reduce the likelihood of burnout.
