Reading

 

Why Reading Is A Good Hobby – Reasons To Start Reading

People often ask the question: Is reading a hobby? Let me tell you that it is! Here you will find the ultimate list of reasons why reading is a good hobby!

Reading is a good hobby

To answer the question whether reading is a hobby, we first need to understand what a hobby really is.

A hobby can be defined as any activity that is done regularly, mostly in your free time and for enjoyment.

So, is reading a hobby? You can read books and magazines whenever and wherever you want, in your free time. You can also decide yourself what you want to read, so you can select books and magazines that you actually enjoy reading. So Reading does meet all of the criteria, and we can conclude that reading definitely can be seen as a hobby!

Reading Is a Good Hobby! And One Worth Spending Your Time On

Of course, you also want to know if it is a hobby that is worth spending your time on. Let me tell you that you should consider making it a habit to read regularly. Regular reading has many advantages, reading is a good hobby that can increase your overall knowledge level and help you improve various skills. Of course, it will also just allow you to have fun and escape the everyday life!

Below we have listed the main benefits of reading and all the reasons why reading is a good hobby that is worth spending your time on.

“Sleep is good, he said, and books are better” — from A Clash of Kings, by George R.R. Martin.

Reading Helps You to Relax

One of the most important reasons why people decide to read is because they want to relax. You simply grab a good book and find a quiet location and you are all set. What is more relaxing than spending a few hours getting lost in a novel or reading about your favorite nonfiction topic?

For a while, you forget everything around you – work, school, all the bad news in the world – you will definitely feel more relaxed afterward. Of course, if you read a horror story this might not be the case, but at least your daily problems will feel less important afterward.

You Can Read Anywhere and Anytime

Reading is a good hobby that everyone can do. All you need to read is a book that you actually want to read. You can read your book almost everywhere, of course, I would not advise you to read while driving your car or your bike.

Some of the most common places where people read are in public places such as coffee shops and libraries, relaxed on the couch or in bed, on the bus or train while going to work, or while taking a long bath.

It does Not Cost a Lot of Money

Reading definitely does not need to cost a lot of money. You can find reasonably priced books online in all of the very well-known online bookstores. You can also reduce the average cost of your books if you mainly buy paperbacks, which are considerably cheaper than hardcovers.

Another way to save money and spend less on reading is by buying books in second-hand bookstores.

Reading Reduces Your Stress Level

Because reading makes you feel relaxed and you often read in quiet places where you like spending time, reading will reduce your overall stress level.

Various scientific studies have shown that reading a good book effectively helps you to avoid stress. A recent study by consultancy Mindlab International at the University of Sussex shows that even reading for just six minutes can be enough to reduce the stress levels by more than two-thirds (68 %). You can read an article about this study in the Telegraph.

Reading Makes You Sleep Better

Recent sleep studies show that you will more easily fall asleep after reading a good book. You will also experience a deeper sleep and wake up feeling more energized. In addition, you will feel more satisfied as you have used your time productively. At least you did not spend hours checking Facebook or Twitter.

Reading requires your mind to think, to imagine the life of the character in the book or to try and understand the more complex topics in a scientific book. This will consume your energy if you read at night. In the end, you will get tired and ready to fall asleep.

What does not help you to sleep better is watching TV or checking your phone right before going to bed. So when you read a good book instead you will not be tempted stare at a screen right before bedtime. You will be set for a good night’s sleep.

Plenty of Books to Choose From

There are so many books in the world that you will never be able to read all of them. This means that you have plenty of books to choose from. Everyone can read and everyone can choose which books he or she really wants to read.

“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all “ –Henry David Thoreau

So reading definitely does not have to be boring! Reading is a good hobby and there is a book available for every taste or interest. Are you fascinated by a certain person and you would like to know more about his or her life-story? Then why not read that person’s biography or memoirs? Or do you prefer to read a thriller where you will have an adrenaline rush just after the first page? Then I am sure that you will find the right book – in the Action and Adventure Fiction section on Amazon alone you will find over 200,000 books!

Improve Your Vocabulary

Reading is a good hobby that will definitely improve your vocabulary. Unconsciously, you will remember words that you never heard before. You will see how you can use them in phrases and what they mean in different contexts.

Also, you will improve your grammar, as you learn how to build phrases, where to use punctuation and how to structure entire paragraphs.

Reading Improves Your Knowledge

Obviously, you will improve your knowledge if you read non-fiction books. Whether you read about arts, photography, history, cooking or a famous person, every book will uncover new insights. Every book will make you think about facts you did not think of before. In general, readers are more aware of how things work, why things happened in the past or who famous people really were.

Reading a book will give you the chance to process a lot of information and research in a relatively short amount of time. It is more efficient and probably also cheaper to read a book on a topic than to take a class or follow a course.

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

But even if you read a lot of fiction you will increase your overall knowledge and gather new information. Are you reading a story that takes place in a country that you have not been to? Or does the main character in the book have a profession or hobby that you had not heard about before? All examples of ways in which reading will provide you with new knowledge.

Reading Makes You Look Smart

When you read a lot of books it gives a good impression and makes you look smart. Additionally, you will be able to join much more conversations as you will have much more to say about a broader range of topics. You will be better at expressing how you feel and getting your point across.

“Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it” –P.J. O’Rourke

As reading also improves your vocabulary, you will use difficult, intelligent words more often… This will definitely make you look and sound smart!

It Makes You Look…Sexy

This is particularly applicable for men that like to read. Studies have shown that intelligence if one of the main characteristics that women look for in a man. So if reading improves your overall knowledge and makes you look smart, then it even makes you look sexy!

Reading Increases Your Tolerance

When you read a lot of books, you will learn about people in different situations, with different opinions, beliefs, and lifestyles. This will not necessarily mean that you will agree with everything that you read or learn about. But you will be able to better understand the situations of others and show more empathy. You will learn not to judge without understanding or knowing the story behind certain behaviors and opinions. In this way, reading can and will increase your tolerance in daily life.

Reading will also let you experience a lot of emotions – happiness, fear, excitement, sadness, and so on. By living these emotions while reading and learning from the stories that you read, you will be able to better handle these emotions in your daily life.

Improve Your Memory and Concentration

When you read regularly, you will improve your concentration. Once a story caught your attention and you cannot keep yourself from turning page after page, you will practice focus and concentration. This will be of great benefit in your daily life and activities.

Reading a book is not like reading a short article or an online blog post. A book requires your full attention for a longer period of time. You need to focus on the story and the main characters to fully immerse yourself in it. As the story unfolds, you will soon forget about everything else and keep your thoughts in focus. Unconsciously you are practicing your memory and increasing your attention span.

Reading Reduces the Risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia

I recently read an article by the Fisher Centre for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation that explains how reading can reduce the risk of Dementia. It states that reading books and magazines can help to keep memory and thinking skills intact and preserve brain health.

The study the Centre refers to shows that people who perform mentally challenging activities most often had a slower rate of decline in memory.

Improve Your Imagination – Escape The Daily Routine

Most books do not have a lot of images and pictures. You can only read descriptions of what the main character looks like, the places that he visits or where he or she lives. You can only use your own imagination to creating the corresponding images in your mind.

Reading is a good hobby that will not only improve your imagination but also allows you to escape your daily routine. When you read a good book you can really get lost in the story. A book gives you the chance to escape your daily reality and experience a whole new world!

Reading a book gives you the opportunity to live experiences that you are not used to. You can really immerse yourself in the story and live the life of the main character in the book. Escape your daily life and get into a whole new one. Be the king of a mighty empire for a day, or feel the rush of investigating a murder case that seems impossible to solve. Feel what the character is feeling, understand his problems and concerns, think outside of your own world.

Reading is Fun and Addictive

Of course, reading is a good hobby and has all the above-mentioned benefits. But the most important reason to start reading or to read more regularly is simply that reading is fun.

Reading is not only fun and has a high entertainment value, you will also discover that it is very addictive. Once you finished a good book and turned the last page, you will soon be thinking of the next book you want to read. If that happens, definitely keep reading. You will have lots of fun while improving lots of skills.

You Can Even Make Some Money

If you love reading and reviewing books, then you might even make some money while doing so. Writing book reviews can get you free copies of books to read and review, or even get you a fee for each review. If you want to know more about this, make sure to check our list of hobbies that allow you to make some money by doing what you love.

source: http://thehobbyts.com/why-reading-is-a-good-hobby-reasons-to-start-reading/

 

Cooking

 

7 Convincing Reasons to have Cooking as a Hobby…

This piece of writing is dedicated to those friends, who wish to add charm in their busy Life…

Generally, we all have to struggle for existence and growth that we hardly find time or taste for any hobby.  Work hard –  the only mantra – taught to us from childhood to school days to professional field. Boredom has taken over our mind without permission. Before it occupies our life, Lets’ break this monotony and find ways to Live this beautiful Life with full energy, enthusiasm, excitement and cheerfulness.

Lets’ develop a hobby (any hobby) to regain….Personally I have experienced Cooking as the best Hobby for the following reasons:-

1.      Explores Creativity: – One can be creative to any extent as per taste and available    cooking ingredients. Interesting thing is, You can freely play around with living stuff like fresh vegetables, grains fruits, dairy products etc. Cut, boil, mash or fry them……and still get applauded.

       We can give different treatment to the same ingredients every time to get a new dish.  Prepare Payasam or Biryani or Pulao or Dosa using Rice as main ingredient or make Chickpea in gravy or Chickpea sprouted salad – depending on mood on a specific day or an occasion.

2.      Wider Range: – Cooking has widest range to try with. From Snacks to Bread, Soups to Sweets, Breakfast to Dinner, Rice to Pasta, Indian to Chinese to Italian, to Mughlai. Culinary Art is a vast ocean to explore and experiment.  Its’ aura, fragrance and taste varies amazingly from regions-to-cultures-to-countries.

3.      Not an Expensive Hobby: – Cooking requires very less resources to experiment and to test the waters. We all have basic utensils and ingredients at home. It also does not require a specific qualification to try with…. rather, no qualification. Only passion for tasty food is enough.

Anyways, we require at least 3 meals per day; 90 per month; 1095 in a year. It’s wiser to learn cooking.

4.      Stress Buster: – Cooking is like a meditation. One loves to be engrossed with this and passion for cooking intensifies over the period. Try this when stress, frustration or boredom occupies you. Cooking is also a productive time pass. It gives our mind a break from routine work. It also adds ownership value to your life in terms of hygiene and timings of meals.

5.      Be Independent: – Knowing this art makes us less dependent on others. One can choose to cook whatever he/she likes to eat today. Of course, various cookery shows on TV and Youtube are helping us freely 24*7 in picking and preparing our menu. 

6.      Hobby as Profession: – This is most amazing hobby that can be taken as a profession at smallest or highest level. One can start it from home kitchen or cook at client side or if have enough funds, with a restaurant. You can start with 2-3 specialized dishes to begin with.

7.      Appreciation and Following: – You can make a lot of great friends and fans with cooking, in comparison to other hobbies. Good food is our basic need and we all crave for it and ready to spend a good money to satisfy our taste buds.

 

It brings a feeling of awesomeness, broadens smiles and my heart blossoms, when friends-n-relatives appreciate my dishes/cooking skills. A great sharing value. I have learnt few dishes over a period of time by watching related TV shows and YouTube channels.

My specialties : Pasta Salad, Veg Fried Rice, Cheese and Salad Sandwich, Chickpea, Chilly Mushroom, Corn-Veg-Olive Salad, Rice-Payasam, Shahi-Paneer and Indian Bread (Paranthas), Veg Chipped Rice, Mango Shake and so on….

Take help of Mr. Google to search for your favorite dishes and start with a small step. You will love, I promise.

source:  https://www.thetravellerscafe.in/7-convincing-reasons-to-have-cooking-as-a-hobby/

 

HOBBY

 

Why Hobbies Are Important?

Having a hobby that we enjoy brings us joy and enriches our lives. It gives us something fun to do during our leisure time and affords us the opportunity to learn new skills. We are very fortunate to have so many different options out there today. In fact, there are entire websites devoted to hobbies and interests.

The best way to cultivate a new hobby is to try something new. The world is full of wonderful, exciting activities that we can explore and adopt as our own. Of course, all of us are unique and, therefore, our interests and hobbies vary. But once we find a hobby that we truly enjoy and are passionate about, we become hooked. It becomes part of our lives and captivates us in a very personal way.

There are many reasons why all of us should have at least one hobby, but here are the main advantages:

1.       It makes you more interesting. People who have hobbies have experiences and stories that they can share with others. They also have specialized knowledge that they can teach to anyone who also has an interest in the same topics as they do.

2.       It helps to relieve stress by keeping you engaged in something you enjoy. Hobbies give you a way to take your mind off the stresses of everyday life. They let you relax and seek pleasure in activities that aren’t associated with work, chores or other responsibilities.

3.       Hobbies help you become more patient. In order to develop a new hobby, you have to learn how to do something that is brand new to you. The odds are there will be a learning curve, and you will need to be patient in order to build your skills.

4.       Having a hobby can help your social life and create a bond with others. A hobby is something that you can frequently enjoy with other people. Whether you join a club, play in a league, or just gift others with the fruits of your labor, a hobby is a great way to meet and get closer to people who have the same interests as you do.

5.       It increases your confidence and self-esteem. The odds are that if you really enjoy an activity, you are usually pretty good at it. Any activity that you can excel in is an opportunity for you to build your confidence and develop pride in your accomplishments.

6.       Hobbies help reduce or eradicate boredom. They give you something to do when you find yourself with nothing to fill your time. They also give you an activity that you can look forward to and get excited about.

7.       It helps you develop new skills. A hobby that you really dedicate your time to will lead you to build new skills. As you spend more time at your hobby you will become better and better at it.

8.       It increases your knowledge. Along with building new skills, you will also gain new knowledge through the development of your hobby.

9.       It enriches your life and gives you a different perspective on things. No matter what type of hobby you choose, you will definitely be exposed to new ideas. Hobbies help you grow in various ways, including exposing you to new opinions and to new ways to look at life.

10.   It challenges you. When you pick a new hobby, you will be involved in activities that are novel and challenging. If you don’t find your hobby challenging, then you also won’t find it engaging, and it will be less enjoyable. That means you need to find a better hobby.

11.   It helps prevent bad habits and wasting time. There is an old saying that “idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” If you have good hobbies to fill up your free time, then you will be less likely to spend that time on wasteful or negative activities.

In case you are wondering what my hobbies are: Over the years, I have had numerous hobbies and interests, but I currently have 5 that I am passionate about. They have changed my life in a positive way and provided me with a lot of joy.

1. Reading

I love reading books, especially nonfiction ones. I currently read about 60 books per year on a wide array of topics. For example, I am currently reading a book called The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon’s Last Uncontacted Tribes which focuses on a tribe of native Indians that lives in isolation in the Amazonian forest. The book is over 800 pages long and offers a fascinating glimpse into their lives and culture. It illustrates the importance of preserving our environment and ecology and is a wonderful read.

Every book I read (I try to be discriminate about what I read) teaches me something about the world at large and provides me with a new perspective on life. The books are a wonderful way to transport me to a different place and era without actually leaving home. Best of all, I joined my local public library and download ebooks for free!

2. Cooking

One of my favorite hobbies is cooking. On average, I cook about 5 days per week, often making extra that I can freeze for convenience. Cooking has taught me so much about patience and focus because those 2 are essential ingredients to make delicious food. The more I cook, the better I get at it. Of course, I have also cooked food that did not turn out so well, but I learned from my mistakes and improved each time. I cook food that is healthy that I enjoy eating. Best of all, it is generally cheaper and better tasting than eating out at most restaurants.

3. Watching documentaries

In general, I am not a big TV fan. However, I make an exception for good documentaries. Thanks to Netflix, Hulu, on-demand TV, and wonderful channels like Smithsonian and National Geographic, I have a wide array of exciting documentaries on my watch list that inspire, educate, and excite me. I probably watch about 45 documentaries per year and some of my favorites are Craigslist Joe, Happy, Exit Through the Gift Shop, Somm, and Man on Wire.

4. Exercising

Quite a few years ago, I decided to exercise regularly and it has been a wonderful hobby for me, although some may argue it is more of a necessity rather than a hobby, much like brushing your teeth. However, I really enjoy all sorts of exercise: going to the gym, lifting weights, running, walking, hiking, playing racquetball and soccer, etc. The longer I do it, the more I learn and enjoy it. I have also met a lot of wonderful people who share this passion.

5. Gardening

Edible gardens have become popular in the last couple of years. I started growing my first edible garden several years ago in order to complement my love for cooking. Not only does my garden provide me with herbs and vegetables that I can use in my favorite dishes, it also provides me with a healthy and totally organic food source. I love knowing exactly what has gone into growing the food that I am eating. Additionally, I have learned a lot about what plants grow best in my region, what the best seasons are to grow each of them, and also how much water and sun they need. My edible garden not only nourishes my body, but it teaches me a lot as well.

My hobbies are a very important part of my life. I find they enrich my days and give me a great escape from the regular stresses of life. If you haven’t already done so, I highly recommend that you start to explore and develop at least one hobby that you really enjoy. I guarantee you will be very glad you did.

source: https://www.skilledatlife.com/why-hobbies-are-important/

 

Digital Library

Digital Library: Objectives, Advantages, & Disadvantage

A digital library is a collection of documents and files in organized electronic form, available on the Internet. A user may be able to access magazine articles, books, papers, images, sound files, and videos in the digital library.  It can differ in size and scope and can be managed by individuals, organizations, or affiliated with an established physical library or with academic institutions.

A digital library also called as electronic library or digital repository. This digital library collection content may be stored locally, or accessed remotely via computer networks. 

Objectives of Digital Library 

1. A digital library provides facilities and services to support research, teaching, learning, and scholarly communication across disciplines. 
2. It helps to collect, organize and collate prints and digital information and disseminate at the point of care and for future use.
3. It gives absolute access to information.
4. It acts as a gateway to digital and electronic information.
5. It provides a global perspective and integrates material from many sources in one place. 

Advantages of Digital Library 

1. No Physical Boundary :

The user needs not to go to the library physically. People from all over the world can access the same information. 

2. 24/7 access

A major advantage of digital libraries is that people can gain access 24/7 to its information. 

3. Multiple Access

The same resource of digital libraries can be used simultaneously by a number of institutions and users. 

4. Information Retrieval

The user is able to use any search term to search the entire collection. It provides very user-friendly interfaces, giving clickable access to its resources.

5. Preservation and Conservation

For physical collections, digitization not a long term preservation solution, but succeeds in providing access copies for materials that would otherwise fall to modification from repeated use. 

6. Space

Traditional libraries are limited by storage space but digital libraries have the potential to store much more information. Digital information requires very little physical space to contain them. Also, media storage technologies are more affordable than ever before. 

7. Easily Accessible

Anyone can access the digital library from any place at any time. 

Digital Library Disadvantages

1. Copyright

One author can be freely transferred by others without his acknowledgment, here digitization violates the copyright law as the through content. 

2. Speed of Access

As many computers are connected to the internet its speed of access reasonably decreasing. 

3. Initial cost is High

The infrastructure cost of a digital library that is the cost of hardware, software, leasing communication circuits is commonly very high.

4. Bandwidth 

Digital libraries need high bandwidth for the transfer of multimedia resources. 

5. Environment 

It cannot reproduce the environment of a traditional library. Because many people find reading printed material to be easier than reading material on a computer screen. 

6. Preservation 

A digital library can rapidly become out-of-date and its data may become inaccessible due to technological developments. 

As the use of technology is increasing in the new generation, they can connect with history, tradition, nature, and many other things with the technology. 

source: https://www.hrishiblogbuddhi.com/digital-library-objectives-advantages-disadvantage/

 

Online Learning

 

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Online Learning

As with most teaching methods, online learning also has its own set of positives and negatives. Decoding and understanding these positives and negatives will help institutes in creating strategies for more efficient delivery of the lessons, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey for the students.

 

Discover Everything You Need To Know (Good And Bad) About  Online Education

One of the most oft-used terms after the pandemic is the term “new normal.” The new normal in education is the increased use of online learning tools. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered new ways of learning. All around the world, educational institutions are looking toward online learning platforms to continue with the process of educating students. The new normal now is a transformed concept of education with online learning at the core of this transformation. Today, digital learning has emerged as a necessary resource for students and schools all over the world. For many educational institutes, this is an entirely new way of education that they have had to adopt. Online learning is now applicable not just to learn academics but it also extends to learning extracurricular activities for students as well. In recent months, the demand for online learning has risen significantly, and it will continue doing so in the future.

As with most teaching methods, online learning also has its own set of positives and negatives. Decoding and understanding these positives and negatives will help institutes in creating strategies for more efficiently delivering the lessons, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey for students.

What Are The Advantages Of Online Learning?

1. Efficiency

Online learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students. Online learning has a number of tools such as videos, PDFs, podcasts, and teachers can use all these tools as part of their lesson plans. By extending the lesson plan beyond traditional textbooks to include online resources, teachers are able to become more efficient educators.

2. Accessibility Of Time And Place

Another advantage of online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location of their choice. It also allows schools to reach out to a more extensive network of students, instead of being restricted by geographical boundaries. Additionally, online lectures can be recorded, archived, and shared for future reference. This allows students to access the learning material at a time of their comfort.

This, online learning offers students the accessibility of time and place in education.

3. Affordability 

Another advantage of online learning is reduced financial costs. Online education is far more affordable as compared to physical learning. This is because online learning eliminates the cost points of student transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate. Additionally, all the course or study materials are available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment which is more affordable, while also being beneficial to the environment.

4. Improved Student Attendance  

Since online classes can be taken from home or location of choice, there are fewer chances of students missing out on lessons.

5. Suits A Variety Of Learning Styles 

Every student has a different learning journey and a different learning style. Some students are visual learners, while some students prefer to learn through audio. Similarly, some students thrive in the classroom, and other students are solo learners who get distracted by large groups.

The online learning system, with its range of options and resources, can be personalized in many ways. It is the best way to create a perfect learning environment suited to the needs of each student.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Online Learning?

1. Inability To Focus On Screens

For many students, one of the biggest challenges of online learning is the struggle with focusing on the screen for long periods of time. With online learning, there is also a greater chance for students to be easily distracted by social media or other sites. Therefore, it is imperative for the teachers to keep their online classes crisp, engaging, and interactive to help students stay focused on the lesson.

2. Technology Issues 

Another key challenge of online classes is internet connectivity. While internet penetration has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, in smaller cities and towns, a consistent connection with decent speed is a problem. Without a consistent internet connection for students or teachers, there can be a lack of continuity in learning for the child. This is detrimental to the education process.

3. Sense Of Isolation 

Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. However, in an online class, there are minimal physical interactions between students and teachers. This often results in a sense of isolation for the students. In this situation, it is imperative that the school allow for other forms of communication between the students, peers, and teachers. This can include online messages, emails and video conferencing that will allow for face-to-face interaction and reduce the sense of isolation.

4. Teacher Training 

Online learning requires teachers to have a basic understanding of using digital forms of learning. However, this is not the case always. Very often, teachers have a very basic understanding of technology. Sometimes, they don’t even have the necessary resources and tools to conducts online classes.

To combat this, it is important for schools to invest in training teachers with the latest technology updates so that they can conduct their online classes seamlessly.

5. Manage Screen Time

Many parents are concerned about the health hazards of having their children spend so many hours staring at a screen. This increase in screen time is one of the biggest concerns and disadvantages of online learning. Sometimes students also develop bad posture and other physical problems due to staying hunched in front of a screen.

A good solution to this would be to give the students plenty of breaks from the screen to refresh their mind and their body.

source: https://elearningindustry.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-online-learning