peace in water and outdoors

By Anne Le

Many students often prefer quiet and peaceful activities away from loud or tedious hobbies. Aaron Gonzalez is an incoming freshman at Yerba Buena High School who is 14 years old with passions that he’s had since he was young. Swimming, art, and hiking have been something he’s always been attracted to, gaining both confidence and appeal about these subjects. 

At the beginning age of 5-6 years ago, Aaron discovered his interest in drawing by painting, developing a skill in drawing nature scenes, and stickman sketches; currently trying to advance his skills to drawing bodies and more.

He enjoys drawing and painting but prefers digital, explaining that digital drawing feels less weight against your hand, unlike a pencil, where you have to use weight and force for the strokes. An art piece he created was an image of stickmen, symbolizing a meaning of power and strength. 

Aside from his passion for art, Aaron involves himself with other relaxation hobbies to calm/smooth his mindset, such as swimming since the age of 8 years old. In the beginning, swimming wasn’t difficult for him; he still felt his feet touch the ground underwater, before slowly growing to excel in swimming without needing the bottom of pools/beaches. “It helps me relax and makes me more confident,” he says. A memorable experience for him was swimming in Colorado, an area known for its beautiful landscapes. Aaron used that time to swim with his cousins, able to get away from San Jose to enjoy the views of the mountains and culture.

Another hobby Aaron enjoys that correlates with his art is hiking. Hiking gives him peace of mind and allows him to have insight into many natural and calming views as he hikes, increasing his interest in nature and art more. 

Because of hiking, he drew a meaningful sketch based on nature and the sights he saw while hiking. “ It was a drawing where I took a photo and I sketched out the clouds and backgrounds when I went on a hike,” Aaron says. Hiking gave Aaron a new perspective on art, helping him gain another calming activity. A fond experience he had when hiking was in Mission Peak, where the natural climate there perfect for hiking.

These hobbies gave him enough confidence for a new goal in a career he is interested in which is therapy, a job that focuses on listening attentively and speaking on certain topics. “I would possibly try therapy, I like to hear what people have to say and their opinions on a topic,” he says, indicating his interest in wanting to help others.