“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
De Anza students are anything but dull. Some work, some play and some can’t seem to fill all 24 hours of the day. But, no matter who they are or what they do, there is little doubt that they share at least one thing in common.
They all have a hobby.
In some cases, this is possibly all they share. After all, “hobbies” can mean almost anything, from the physical to the intellectual to simply collecting books – whatever fits their personalities. Our sports teams, after all, are made of hobbyists. Why else would they try so hard under the glare of the summer sun?
They enjoy it, of course. The heart-thumping, lightning-fast pace of a good basketball game, or a heavy-hitting football match is a reward in itself for many people.
Of course, they aren’t the only gamers in De Anza. Blisters and calluses form not on feet, but on thumbs, as video gamers frantically wrest for domination of the pixilated battlefield. Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. trilogy has surged in popularity since its initial release, and its latest and last offering has not disappointed its fans.
Some hobbies even prove that video games and sports aren’t mutually exclusive, as with Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution and Roxor Game’s In the Groove franchises.
“It’s great for social interaction and exercise,” said student Takahiro Shiraiwa, a fan of dance games. And his point is fairly self-evident, given the wildfires that have plagued the nearby areas and worsened the local air quality. These games provide a fun alternative for exercising our lungs and moving our joints.
For those adverse to physical strain while under the duress of the summer climate, more intellectual fares might prove more fitting. “[Go] keeps me thinking,” says second-year student Kelvin Tran. “There’s always more to learn from it.”
Of course, there is one hobby, especially, that most students indulge in. It takes no skill at all, yet brings satisfaction to everybody that does it. When you get tired of playing games, making music, watching the latest shows, or reading books, when all other options fail, you can always, always, indulge in a little shut-eye.
Sleeping in is always in vogue.

FACULTY/STAFF HOBBIES

by Sharon Su

Gregory Anderson
Director of Student Success Center
Hobby: Enjoys farming. He shares the fruits/vegetables he grows, such as summer squash, broccoli, pumpkin, 4 kinds of peppers, etc.

Dr. Patton
Director of Student Success Center
Hobby: coats for children in need. Her friend started Coats for Kids which supply coats and shoes for kids.

Professor Molinar
Director of Student Success Center
Hobby: Has been playing the drums for nearly 13 years. He would’t mind starting a band of De Anza faculty/staff/students

Professor O’Brien
Director of Student Success Center
Hobby: He enjoys bird watching. He says once you try it, then you will know how fun of a hobby it actually is. Give it a try.

Professor Jones
Director of Student Success Center
Hobby: He jet skis. Why don’t you go jet ski like him? “It’s a major stress reliever! I love to get out on the lake and just open it up and go!”

Unusual Hobbies
Top 5 most unusual hobbies.
You’ve been warned.

by Jason Chung

MOLD STUFF OUT OF GUM

Before you go blabbing away about how nasty it is when people stick their chewed gum under a table, image what kind of art you can make with that colorful paste. Stretchy, sticky, shape-retaining and tasty, gum is the ideal material for molding 3D models. Gum can be found under most tables and never dries thanks to its spit-retaining properties.

RAISE SHEEP

That’s right, sheep. Well, this one is more for the ladies. If you ever find yourself wanting to knit a scarf for your other half, but think it’s not special enough because every girl has done it at some point, then raising a herd of sheep will up the value of your scarf by ten-fold.

POOKTRE aka. TREE SHAPING

This one requires a lot of dedication. Similar to raising bonzai trees, Pooktre is the art of growing trees into the shapes you want. Imagine the useful things you can grow: Dad doesn’t want to buy you a basketball hoop? Grow one yourself! Grandma wants a new recliner? Grow one yourself! Don’t have a house to live in? Grow one yourself!

MAKE VIRAL VIDEOS

Forget American Idol. You want to be famous? Trying making a video of yourself doing something ridiculous and post it on the Web. If people like (or hate) it, your personal information will miraculously pop up all over the Internet and spread like a wildfire. And the best part is, if you fail to attract attention, you can just keep making more instead of being sent home crying by Simon Cowell.

BREAK GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

In the spirit of the Olympics, why not challenge yourself and try to break a world record? You don’t have to be a world-class athlete to break a world record. If you ever flipped through the Guinness World Records, you will notice they have a record for almost anything you can think of. Given enough dedication, you too can have the world’s longest fingernails