Abhay Patel Week 1 - The Hobbies That Make Me Me

Abhay Patel

Mrs. Smith

English 11AP 

26 August 2026

Blog Q#1

Week 1


The Hobbies That Make Me Me - published (08/26 9:40pm)

Most people probably have a few things they do when they have free time, but I think our hobbies say more about us than we realize. When I think about what I spend most of my free time doing, I notice that my hobbies show different parts of my personality. I think that one of the easiest ways to figure out who I am is to look at what I actually choose to do when nobody is telling me what to do. For me, that usually means playing Valorant, playing cricket, or going somewhere with my friends.


I play Valorant a lot, probably more than I should, if I’m being honest. There is something about being able to immediately go into a game and wanting to win that I really enjoy. Sometimes I can relax and have fun, but then one bad round happens, and suddenly, I start caring about the game too much. But this is a big part about why I like it. I like the feeling of being able to improve and finally do something that I couldn’t do before. Even though it’s just a game, the feeling of winning after trying to secure rounds is really satisfying.


On the other hand, Cricket is different, but I get the same feeling from it. I like being outside, competing, and actually having to actively make decisions for things that are happening around me. When I’m playing, I’m not thinking about school, homework, or whatever else is going on. I’m just focused on the game. I think that’s one of the reasons why I enjoy it so much. It gives me a chance to forget everything else and just play to my hearts content.


Lastly, there are my friends, who I like going out with in general. But rather than just sitting in someone's house and doom scrolling all day, going to concerts or movies are probably some of my favorite things to do together. A concert is always fun because of the music, but honestly, I think I enjoy hanging around with my friends having a good time. Even at the movie theaters, because even when we go to movies that are not the best, we still end up talking about it with each other and making jokes about it. Those are the reasons I remember moments like these forever.


I do not think my hobbies completely define me, but they definitely show parts of me that I might not notice every day. I’m competitive, I like being around my friends, and I like having things to look forward to. Maybe having an identity is not something you can explain in one sentence, but the way I see it, these are things I enjoy doing that make me feel like myself all the time.



















 

Comments

  1. Eli YingSeptember 2, 2026 at 8:07 PM

    Abhay, I totally agree with you that hobbies show a lot about the person someone is! I believe that our hobbies are a window to our internal values and motivations. Someone who plays chess might value patience, efficiency, and foresight, and someone who enjoys learning different languages is probably a very curious and open-minded person. Of course, we should not automatically label people on the streets with any stereotypes, but hobbies nonetheless suggest certain characteristics about a person.

    I really relate to your enjoyment of playing games like Valorant. I don’t play Valorant myself, but I used to play many random simulators and PvP games on Roblox. Playing these games was a great stress reliever and escape for me, with a bonus of the satisfaction of getting better. I enjoy playing badminton too, which similarly serves as a fun activity to relieve stress but also reflects the competitive side of my personality and the side that loves hanging out with my friends. Some of my other hobbies that are really important to me include studying math and playing the piano. Your claims on the role of hobbies in one’s identity becomes apparent to me when I try to imagine myself without one of my hobbies. I feel that the Eli who has never touched the piano, for example, would be fundamentally different from who I am today.

    Your post about hobbies being a window to someone’s personality is really a nice, thoughtful observation to the complex nature of everyone’s identities. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and hobbies with us, Abhay! I found your blog to be really interesting!

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  2. Vihaan PakalaSeptember 2, 2026 at 9:37 PM

    Hi Abhay! I wanted to say that I like your logical approach to determining your interests and thereby your identity. I would say that figuring out what you like to do without anyone telling you is definitely a clear indicator of if you really enjoy it or not. I think what makes us unique specifically are those little things that we enjoy that no one can take away from us.

    I initially also thought to myself that you didn’t consider everything that could represent one’s individuality, like their behavior patterns, background, or personality. However, I did notice that you concede that not every part of someone’s identity can be summarized simply with their hobbies and interests.

    I don’t personally play Valorant, but I know quite a few people who do, and I do admit that it seems like fun. Maybe if I get it we could play sometime! I also enjoy hanging out with my friends (who doesn’t), although our common hangout spots are not usually concerts or movies. This makes me wonder, what movies do you like? Also, what kind of music do you usually listen to?

    All in all, I would say that I like the idea behind your message, and your thoughtful inclusions of different aspects of your identity in particular to get the reader thinking about what forms their identity. I enjoyed reading about all of the things that you like and your ideas! I know we already do, but I hope we can grow together and explore such ideas further in class, Abhay!

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