Job Discussion Forums

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

How, exactly, do you define "hobby"? For me, there are a few criteria. A hobby must be one or more of the following:

1) something that you have to learn how to do--a sport, art, craft, etc.
2) something that benefits you mentally (reading, studying a language)
3) something that benefits you physically (running--you don't have to learn how to do it, but it still takes practice)

Many of my students do have real hobbies--basketball, snowboarding, etc. Still, I think I will scream the next time a student lists any of the following among his or her hobbies:

sleeping
watching TV/movies
listening to music
driving
shopping

AAAAARRRRRR!!!!! Sometimes I am verrrry tempted to give them the following homework on Friday: go out and DO something this weekend!

Oh, and my students are in the 18-20 range--full of youthful energy!

What non-hobbies do your students have?

d

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 10:26 pm Post subject: On my hobby horse

Dear denise,
I used to get a lot of the "sleeping, watching TV/videos, etc." answers myself, but that's probably my fault for defining hobby to the students as:
something you like to do in your free time.
Your definitions are interesting, but I'll bet they'll provoke some controversy. I mean, you DO have to learn how to drive (well, except in the Middle East), even shopping can be almost a "skill", and listening to music - well, they give courses on that at university (music appreciation).
So, being able to "draw the line" on what's really a hobby and what isn't may prove to be very difficult.
Regards,
John

Will. · Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 783 Location: London Uk

I always thought a hobby was something you did to amuse yourself when others were not available to do so and in so doing demonstrating your ability to occupy yourself with your own endeavours to your own benefit and not bothering your parents, who were reading the Sunday papers.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Johnslat,

Under certain circumstances, watching TV/movies and listening to music can be hobbies. I have a student who is an aspiring actress. When she watches movies, she studies the actors and presumably learns something. Likewise, I have some musician students--for them, listening to CDs may help their own skills.

What I think the majority of the kids mean, though, is that they pop in a CD and do nothing more than hang out and listen to it. A hobby? Hmmm...

d

Canuck2112 · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 239

I flip out on my students when they tell me about some lame hobby, particularily sleeping. Sleeping is a basic bodily function, it isn't in any way a hobby. My favourite....me: "What did you do last weekend?" student: "I slept". Oh, I weren't aware you were some type of lemur that could sleep 48 consecutive hours.

khmerhit · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 11:14 pm Post subject:

What verb goes with hobby? Yesterday a student said he practiced a certain a hobby. I was going to try to explain why this was not correct, but thought better of it....

I suspect hobbies may be rather rare these days. What with the power of info-tainment and internet and all that.

Pin-hole photography is a hobby I would like to take up, for instance, but time, money and (let's get real) the natural inclination to quaff and watch hockey seem to have scuppered my chances of practicing it.

Perhaps I will have to change my ways. Like, get a hobby, man

kh

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

What about eating?

Judging from the size some people attain, it involved a lot of time and energy on their part to enlarge their girth. As my father-in-law says "you just have to push through that pain when you start feeling full". Laughing

johnslat · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 11:33 pm Post subject: 2 out of 3 ain't bad

Dear khmerhit,
Why, I thought posting on Dave's here WAS your hobby (and acting as the unofficial official spokesperson for Cambodia). After all, it does pretty much fit 2 of denise's 3 criteria:

1) something that you have to learn how to do--a sport, art, craft, etc.
2) something that benefits you mentally (reading, studying a language)

Regards,
John

Shaman · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 446 Location: Hammertown

Joachim · Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 311 Location: Brighton, UK

It is worrying how many of my students - past and present - list sleeping and eating as hobbies, and how many of them have never read a book that wasn't school oriented in their lives

sidjameson · Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 629 Location: osaka

"apparently" 50% of Americans haven't read a book either. Now that IS poverty.
Have to say that I have no mucical aility or apirations what so ever but listening to music for me is far more than "pop in a CD and hang out. Maybe not a hobby as such but definitly one of the most rewarding past times that I have. People do listen to music on diffeent levels.

Sleeping gets on my nerves too. I would say that a really good bowel movement is far more mentally and phsyically uplifting than spending your spare time dozing away. Very Happy

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Snoopy · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 185

"Where were you yesterday?" "Sleep." The Land of Nod is an important region in the Arab world, but I was slightly displeased when the Dean of College ruled that "sleeping" was a legitimate reason for missing an exam.

latefordinner · Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 973

I don't have a clean definition for you, but active participation of some sort has to be a requirement. Benefit? I can imagine some hobbies are of doubtful benefit, and some may even be be self-destructive. However it has to be something one does.

Sidjameson:
>I would say that a really good bowel movement is far more mentally and phsyically uplifting than spending your spare time dozing away

I wondered if anyone would mention that. I should have more faith.

Snoopy:
>but I was slightly displeased when the Dean of College ruled that "sleeping" was a legitimate reason for missing an exam.

Is it considered a valid reason for not teaching a class?

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 9:55 am Post subject: sleeping as a hobby.

Hi
Liked the one about the good bowel movement, that does it for me too. Reminds me of the phrase ""there is nothing like a dump but not as good as a hump "" sung to the tune of ""nothing like a dame .
Back to the sleeping hobby one of my past students used this one and added girlfriend to the sentence as in ""with "" . Got a few laughs and one or two red faces from the girls in the class ,naughty ,naughty .