By Stacie Boyls | Arts & Life Writer
In a college culture dominated by notifications, infinite scrolling and algorithm-driven outrage, a growing number of students are quietly opting out of the digital agenda. Instead, students are turning to analog hobbies to reclaim attention, creativity and mental clarity.
For El Paso junior Leslie Jimenez, stepping away from screens is less about productivity and more about peace. Coloring has been part of her life since childhood, but it became especially important once her degree in music education began to dominate her time.
“Once I started picking up music, coloring became my hobby outside of what I guess is a hobby,” she said.
In college, where academic pressure and constant digital stimulation collide, coloring offers Jimenez a meditative pause.
“It is so nice to leave the internet for a little bit and to just turn my brain off and do something fun with my hands that doesn’t involve thinking,” Jimenez said.
Research from the National Library of Medicine supports her experience, stating that craft-based activities like coloring can improve mood and life satisfaction.
Jimenez also enjoys knitting, which she learned at age 4 and returned to in high school.
Regardless of skill level, the knitting process is therapeutic. Slow, sequence-based crafts regulate stress, engage the brain and provide a tangible sense of accomplishment, thus boosting self-esteem and overall mood.
For Houston senior Evan Rodriguez, the appeal of analog hobbies has manifested into a love of film photography.
“I started with film because a tuba section-mate offered to sell me a camera for $25,” he said. “Film has a certain magic look to it, and the physicality of the process makes each photo feel more rewarding.”
Studies show that analog photography can boost self-esteem, reduce stress and strengthen social connections.
Other analog pursuits, such as reading and painting, offer students similar benefits. Reading allows for mental escape, focus and imagination, while painting provides self-expression and mindfulness. Both activities have been proven to improve mood, cognitive function and life satisfaction.
Playing a musical instrument combines creativity with cognitive exercise, building patience, attention and emotional regulation. Both Jimenez and Rodriguez emphasized how these analog practices complement their music studies.
Lifelong engagement with music has been shown to slow cognitive decline and support mental health, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Pottery is another tactile hobby with measurable benefits. Craft-based activities, including pottery, have been associated with improved mood and decreased depressive symptoms, offering a hands-on escape from daily stress.
For those who crave movement, hiking and outdoor activities offer a restorative alternative to screens. Nature exposure reduces stress, restores attention and enhances cognitive focus. Research confirms that even short periods in green spaces can improve mood and mental clarity. As science says, touch grass.
Finally, board games provide social connection and cognitive stimulation. Strategic play encourages problem-solving and collaboration, giving students a meaningful way to engage their minds without the distractions of the digital world.
Rodriguez described the overarching benefit of these hobbies in the context of today’s “attention economy.”
“We have a finite amount of attention, so we need to be mindful of where we spend it and how it affects our well-being,” Rodriguez said. “Mindless consumption in any medium breeds apathy, desensitization and poor mental health.”
Analog hobbies, whether coloring, knitting, painting or hiking, are not a rejection of technology but a reclamation of presence. They offer a tactile, mindful and restorative counterpoint to the relentless pace of digital life.
For students navigating the pressures of college, these low-tech practices are proving themselves not old-fashioned, but essential. Next time you find yourself doomscrolling, pick up one of these hobbies. Unplug your exhausted mind and restore its desire for slow, analog, hands-on activities. Your mind and body will thank you later.
