All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

One of the biggest issues with getting older is that it's harder to make friends once you are out of school. When you have classes with someone then you automatically have something in common in being able to talk about the work that you are doing, and you are probably very close in age as well. Once you get away from school this becomes a bit less of a factor. Often times in software development people feel like they should be writing code 24/7 and while that is ONE possible way to spend your time, it isn't necessary. You need to unplug sometimes to prevent burn out and to keep from losing the enjoyment of programming. It is important to have things that you enjoy and motivate you forward. Hobbies are great for that.

Webster's 1913 dictionary:
Hob'by - n. 
...
3.	A subject or plan upon which one is constantly setting off; a favorite and ever-recurring theme of discourse, thought, or effort; that which occupies one's attention unduly, or to the weariness of others; a ruling passion.

So often growing up nerds are given a bad name, but what is a nerd really? A nerd is someone that enjoys something whole-heartedly. Whether it be comic books, video games, or sports the idea is the same. There is something that keeps them excited about life, and without something like that it is inevitable that you will burn out. Being able to unwind sufficiently will actually help you to work better. Leisure and work are both necessary, and mindlessly staring at whatever comes on channel 5 is not real leisure.

If you spend anytime at all on Reddit then you likely have found some hobbies that you didn't previously know existed. For me I've fallen into vaping (no cigarettes in five years now), traditional wetshaving, mechanical keyboards, fountain pens, bullet journaling, blogging, and reading tabletop game stories. These all offer me something to spend time learning and thinking about. Hobbies teach us about things that lead to seeing the world with a different lens. This is really important as it allows us to provide something interesting to any team or relationship that we are a part of.

Whatever you do, remember to take time and enjoy life, and PLEASE let me know about your favorite hobbies (maybe even with links) in the discussion thread below. I'd love for us to help one another to find things to enjoy!