Hobbies Are Cool!

By Emerson Driscoll

Edited by Taylor Morgan

Hobbies are often overlooked, especially when we are riddled with so many things in our daily lives. School, balancing relationships or work constantly leave us busy, but what about that slot of time you get every now and then when your schedule frees up? Or a summer evening where you are home alone and all of your friends are booked up? Finding a hobby can be both fulfilling and help us develop new skills. Next time you get a little extra time on your hands, before doomscrolling on TikTok, why not try a hobby that you can get into? Here are a few trendy hobbies that are not your typical pastimes, but rather, ones you can discover. 

Get Active

MOODYSATAN / @K80_marie666 on Pinterest

Make it your mission to find the most underground hiking trail that no one in your town has found yet. Go on a walk, or even a run! So many people have gotten into their running journey recently, especially using Strava, a running app, to track their progress. Anything to get active will be your best friend. Try out the new workout studio nearby—yoga, pilates, a HIIT workout. Diving into being active can be a fun way to find a community and stay in shape.

Cooking & Baking

Try to recreate your favorite restaurant recipes! Get into cooking and baking and improve your life overall. Love that one restaurant but not willing to pay that price point all the time? Just find a similar recipe using TikTok or Instagram Reels!

Arts & Crafts

Creativity can take over, especially with this. Think of a last-minute gift for a loved one, but customized. Not only does this show your love and appreciation for someone, but it is also such a fun activity to do with your friends. You can even take this as an opportunity to create home decor for your dorm or your post-grad apartment! On a day when you are bored, feel free to look up any craft on Pinterest and replicate it, or just use it as inspiration to create your own masterpiece!

Thrifting

Design your clothes and personalize them for you.

Thrifting has been a popular hobby for years and a great alternative to fast fashion and expensive clothing, but it can often be hard to find pieces that immediately catch your eye. Take this as an opportunity to let your creativity run wild. Change up that baggy $2 pair of pants and turn them into capris you can pair with ballet flats. Want to personalize a plain shirt? Add a cool patch you found at a small business. Want to add a funky touch? Mix it up with different patterns. You can even try sewing; there are tutorials on all social platforms. Cultivate a closet you love, that’s the goal here.

Learn A New Language

Going from a busy schedule to a freed-up summer or a post-grad job drought, waiting for a job is the perfect time to take up a language. Remember taking language classes throughout high school and never returning to your skills? Now is your chance to get back into it. Not only does it keep your brain occupied, but it can also come in handy while traveling or with a job opportunity down the road. It’s also very rewarding when you continue to improve your skills!

Share Your Opinions

Recently, the moment you scroll on TikTok or reels, you are met with reviews on all the most popular restaurants in big cities or small towns nearby, and a ton of these rankings are on Belli, a very popular app where you can rate restaurants, bars, etc., and create a community around it. Make it your mission to try the most popular restaurants everyone raves about, or find that one place no one talks about and see how good it is! Post-grad is the perfect time to get out and explore your city, especially if you are new to it, and get a gauge of your surroundings. With great meals and experiences along the way!