By Gillian Taylor | Staff Writer

There’s an underlying assumption that a hobby not only is something you are passionate about but also must be something you are proficient at. You must prove yourself to be deserving of the hobby. While it’s fun to do well, this discouraging mindset often holds us back from exploring new interests.

If you are good at something, there is pressure to get better, to make money off of it and to be the best. I am not against being the best, and who doesn’t love making money, but the stress of it all eventually replaces the joy the thing once brought us.

Growing up, I had an insatiable desire to try everything. I exhausted my parents by having them drive me from tap practice to art classes to piano lessons and whatever else I felt I needed to try that week. I filled my time by designing bottle rockets and making homemade fondant. I cried in middle school when my mom told me there was a “fork in the road,” and I had to start choosing which hypothetical way to go because I couldn’t do everything.

I was on a mission to become a “jack-of-all-trades,” but with that came the more unfortunate part of the saying “master of none.”

I never really thought of this with a negative connotation. I liked learning about myself and what interests me. I realized failing was OK, and it was strangely impossible to be good at everything, but that never took away the fun.

As I grow in my hobbies, I am careful to not let them become a source of anxiety but rather to allow them to serve as a relief. I’ve discovered my likes and dislikes better since grade school, and as I pursue them, I get better at them.

I still enjoy throwing something new in my routine to try every now and then. I find relief knowing it’s not expected for me to be a pro. I am not saying to be bad at everything or to never try your best, but don’t be afraid to explore new things.

Be a little selfish and do what makes you happy, whether you are good at it or not. Don’t let the fear of failing hold you back. Discover your interests, and have fun doing them.