My hobby

Tastes differ. Different people like different things, different people have different hobbies. I go in for sports and dancing. I like to play badminton and I’d been attending ball dances for ten years. Dancing is such a fascinating sort of recreation I must say. Waltz, tango, modern dances are rather tricky you know. I like to watch the pairs gracefully waltzing around, particularly I appreciate TV programmes showing the world dancing competitions. Sport is very important part of our life as well. Many people go in for sports, they are jogging, walking, swimming, skating, skiing, training themselves in clubs and different sections. Physical training is an important subject at schools and at the Universities. Pupils and students play volley-ball, football, basketball. To be in good shape I jog from time to time at the stadium not far from my house and sometimes do my morning exercises. I take care of my physical appearance too. I’d like to be slimmer and trimmer and well-built. And what even more important I don’t get sick often. Sport is not for weak, because you have to learn how to lose and it’s not easy. My favorite proverb says: “A sound mind in sound body”. You see I choose those kinds of leisure activities.

I also like discos, concerts, café-cum-club, theatre and reading. I am interested in computer science as well. Then come films, museums and exhibitions, amateur arts, and finally, TV and classical, rock and pop music plus blues and jazz. I am fond of opera and ballet and never ignore good performances in our Opera and Ballet theatre. I sometimes go to the Philharmonic society.

Most young people know very well how to plan their leisure. To use sociological terminology, their leisure qualifications are rather adequate. This is causing anxiety among some Russian scholars: has the TV really superseded reading? However, close scrutiny shows that there is little ground for worry. In 1964, when television was establishing itself in this country, 22 per cent of young people were interested more in reading. In 1970, when there was a TV set in every household, 49 per cent were for reading, and today, the figure is 45 per cent. Today’s young people could be called the tele-reading generation. In contrast to previous generations, they draw from various ‘channels’ of culture, which complement each other. What we are witnessing is an integration process involving TV-viewing, reading, and other sources of information.

As for me within the general framework of my lifestyle (including study, leisure and earning money – in summer I tried to work as a news-vendor) reading leads the way as a cultural activity, leaving both television and music behind. I can read late into the night. At a time when all are asleep it seems so quiet that I indulge in reading. I’m not a lover of poetry to my regret. Sometimes I devour book after book and I skip as I read.

Russia has a long and rich literary tradition. It leads the world for the number of titles (doth Russian and foreign) published yearly, and a number of readers. Of course I like to be entertained (by watching TV shows, reading detective stories, etc.). But I certainly know how to find my way amid the great variety of cultural values, and I know how to tell genuine art from imitation.

A few more words about music, which play a very important part in young people’s lives. Rock is certainly more popular than classical music. Russian pop groups who play original music and meaningful texts have an especially large following.

Going out to shop is an absorbing affair for me too. At times when I’m short of money I like to go about window shopping, especially if the shop window is nicely dressed. The first-rate shops are tragically too expensive and any purchase there would cost you a pretty penny. I never spend money like water but if I happen to find what I especially want, I spare o money to get it.

My parents give me some cash for my own needs but if I seem to have overstepped my daily allowance, I try to economize and make up an account of what I have to buy. Sometimes I really have to open my purse and come out with my money for my closest friends, but I never regret it.

I am also interested in computers. It is a whole new world. Many people continue careers of their parents but it is not the case with me. My mother is a teacher and my father is an engineer. My hobby is computer games and computer programming. I have a computer at home and can spend hours working at it. It will be helpful in my future profession you know. It is much easier to do things on computer, for example to do sums in Excel or write a composition in Word because you can change the text as many times as you want and you don’t need to rewrite everything. We are living in the age of information and computers are most rapidly changing sphere of modern technology. I think that the future is just filled with computers.

Actually I know how to find antidotes to stereotyped tastes and temptations. I am getting increasingly interested in the leisure activities which encourage self-expression and personal growth.