What do you usually do in your free time? The pockets of your day that are just for you? Can you name at least one thing that brings you joy that isn’t scrolling on your phone? If you can’t, then it’s time to find a hobby.Â
But how do you even find one to begin with? Most people, when trying to find a hobby, end up buying a million accessories in order to start doing what they believe to be their next hobby. This only leads to overconsumption, and feeling too overwhelmed by the idea of creating than to actually start creating.Â
Cheap hobbies that anyone can start practicing are cooking, writing, reading, drawing, painting, exercising, and dancing. Two of my favorite and most approachable hobbies are painting and drawing. While watching my favorite shows, I enjoy using my sketchpad and markers and loosely doodling what I see on the screen. As for reading and writing, I highly recommend checking books out from the library on campus or online on Libby. You can check ebooks out from your locaI library for free online, and read them on the go on Kindle, instead of scrolling on your phone. You can also write on apps like Substack for free, as well as in a journal when you find the time (I prefer to journal before bed). When cooking at home, try to find a new recipe, or bake a treat for friends the next time there’s a get together. Take advantage of the gym near you, or do exercises at home that you find interesting. Incorporating these new skills into your daily routine bit by bit, is the best way to integrate them into your life permanently.Â
The key to building any hobby, is to start small and build a consistent habit of doing whatever skill you are trying to master. For example, I used to be a cellist. I started playing in the 4th grade, and stopped around 9th grade, due to COVID and procrastination.I didn’t think I would ever pick up the cello again. I felt dumb for not feeling as proficient as I had been, and did not like practicing because of this.Â
At the beginning of my second semester of my sophomore year (aka now), I finally moved my cello into my apartment. It then took two months to build the courage to book a lesson. Essentially, I had to look past my fear of not being good, and put time and effort into rebuilding my hobby. I have had to learn to set aside time to practice, and let myself make mistakes without cringing.Â
A good mantra to keep in mind when practicing your hobbies is “practice makes progress.” You’re not striving for perfection, you are building a strong foundation to show up for yourself even if you don’t feel like it.Â