Outside the regular routine, most people pursue various interests, which may have little or nothing to do with their career. That being said, professors are not always in lectures, meetings or grading assignments. One may be surprised as to what they do in their leisure time.

For instance, political science Professor David Schultz pursues several hobbies that do not necessarily connect to political science. 

One hobby professor Schultz enjoys is being an avid tennis player. 

“I first played tennis in high school, lettered in it, and then made my college team, but an injury to the foot prevented me from playing,” Schultz said.

Schultz also enjoys amateur astronomy in his free time. 

“I started off college wanting to be a particle physicist, but that did not happen. I did get a masters in astronomy,” Schultz said.

Additionally, he bakes and makes wine. 

“My mother was a professional cook, and I learned from her how to bake. My family has a history in brewing, so I learned that from them. I have won nearly a dozen ribbons in the Ramsey County and Minnesota State Fairs for baking,” Schultz said.

Anthropology Professor Sofía Pacheco-Forés discovered hiking as a hobby while completing her graduate degree in Arizona.

“I had never lived somewhere where nature was so present and accessible, and I wanted to explore my new surroundings. I had this idea that the desert would be empty and desolate, and I quickly learned it was anything but.” Pacheco-Forés said. “It was also nice to have a hobby where I could be active and take a break from school. I just moved to Minnesota last fall, and hiking has been a nice way to get to know the area, especially in the middle of a pandemic. My sister even got me snowshoes so that I can keep hiking in the winter.”

Pacheco-Forés also got into embroidery while undergoing a lot of changes in her life. 

“I got into embroidery after an unexpected personal catastrophe. My life changed very dramatically very quickly and a lot of things felt out of my control at the time. Embroidery offered the combination of creative expression with a calming repetitiveness that really appealed to me. I had never done it before, but I looked up a few basic stitches online and ended up getting really into it,” Pacheco-Forés said.

Her hobbies, while intriguing, have taught Pacheco-Forés to be cautious.

“Both of these hobbies ended up involving various sharp objects that stabbed me at one time or another. I have cactused myself more times than I would like to admit while out hiking, and I’ve pricked myself with needles when carelessly stitching. There’s probably a lesson here about being more observant, but such is life,” Pacheco-Forés said.

Another professor who has several hobbies is theatre arts Professor Laura Dougherty. Partly inspired by actress Judi Dench, she adopted cross stitch as one of her main hobbies. 

“I cross stitch rude words and have moved on to include feminist slogans. I read a story about Judi Dench working on needlecrafts during movie shoots, but she was always stitching swear words, which I thought was fantastic. I was visiting a dear friend a few years ago, just after a cat I had for fourteen years died, and needed something that was calming and stable, and also had just a touch of irreverence to it,” Dougherty said.

Besides cross stitch, other hobbies Dougherty has are keeping score at Red Sox games, writing letters on mismatched hotel stationery, fountain pens, writing letters and collecting wooden spoons from around the world. 

While professors have a passion for teaching, they also have diverse hobbies they are passionate about. Although the hobbies are different and have different stories behind them, these professors found things they find joy in and connect to in their spare time.