Autumn has arrived with its crunchy leaves, cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice everything,
and crisp breezes. The forecast shows rain and chilly temperatures, and you find yourself unable
to spend your days lounging around on the Main Green or exploring the lively city of
Providence. It’s time for cozying up next to the radiator, reading a book, watching the leaves
turn through your window, sipping Chai, carving pumpkins, baking apple cinnamon rolls, and
learning new things.
As we return to campus for a new year at Brown University and get back into the swing of
college life along with the hustle and bustle of classwork, it’s more important than ever to take a
little time for ourselves. It may seem like you are already drowning in a sea of homework and
upcoming exams, and that you have no time for anything except studying relentlessly. But, these
five hobbies are easy to learn, inexpensive, and can even boost your mental health!
Make Collages
Collages are a great way to make your own art with very little effort. Think about it, you
already have all the supplies you need: magazines, newspapers, flyers, postcards, napkins, ticket
stubs, junkmail, whatever you can think of. All it takes is some scissors, glue/tape,paper, and
there you have it!
For my friends who are less inclined to the material route, digital resources like Canva,
Pinterest, Shuffles, and Photoshop (free for Brown students) are also perfect for making
collages. This way, you can add whatever you want from the internet to your easy masterpiece.
You can even make a college collage with images from your Brown experience!
Sew and Upcycle
Sewing is not only a useful practical skill, but it can be a really fun way to add a personal
touch to your clothing. There’s a reason why every college packing list includes a sewing kit.
Though it may seem daunting to start at first, there are tons of resources around you to get
started. Check out YouTube for tutorials on handsewing, machine sewing, and even no-sew
upcycling hacks!
You may be thinking, “Grace, I don’t even have a sewing machine. How am I supposed to actually sew?” Well, that’s where the Brown Design Workshop (BDW) and the Creative Arts + Technology Spaces (CATS) come in. Included with your student status, Brown provides free introductory sewing and embroidery classes that help you get acquainted with the hobby. After you’ve completed your training, you have essentially free-reign on the campus sewing machines! These spaces provide the basic materials, and more options, like colorful thread, are available to
purchase at the RISD bookstore. Another hack is to check out the thrift stores for fabrics you like
at a bargain price, and get creative!
Build a Personal Website
The indie web is coming back, and you can join in on the fun too! There are tons of
resources to support you from free building platforms like Neocities, Cardd, and Strawpage, to
beginner-friendly HTML and CSS tutorials on YouTube, and even templates for you to use if
you’re more into the design than the coding. Create your own cyberspaces and personalize them
to your heart’s content while learning useful computer skills ♥ !
Start a Journal
As the saying goes, if you’re underthinking, read, and if you’re overthinking, write! Start
with a simple journal, paper or digital, and personalize it with fun colors, washi tape, stickers,
highlighter, and anything else to make it fun. Think Barbie Diaries to make journaling not just a
time for meaningful reflection but also to express yourself.
Here are a few prompts to get you started: three things you are grateful for, rose bud
thorn, thoughts, wishes, lists, favorite things, fears, tasks, etc. Pinterest also has tons of
journaling inspo, so don’t be afraid if you run into writers’ block.
Draw, Doodle, Color
You’re sitting in lecture as the professor seems to drone on and on, but instead of picking
up your phone, you pick up your pen and start doodling in the margins of your notes. Remember
those childhood days spent drawing detailed eyes, the infamous ‘S’, flowers, funny faces, and
filling in the spaces in letters with your highlighter? Instead of getting sucked into the vicious
cycle of doomscrolling, bring yourself back to your not-so-long-lost creative side.
Pick up a coloring book at the bookstore or download one from the App Store and center
yourself by making spreads without having to be good at drawing. If you want to try your hand
at creating more advanced art, apps like ms paint and procreate are great places to start without
having to buy a bunch of supplies. There are so many muses all around us just waiting to inspire:
a rotund bunny, a majestic tree, the sidewalk cracks, a fluffy cloud you can almost see a dinosaur
in, your friend, the sunset, and infinitely more. Don’t stress about being perfect, just enjoy
yourself!
Hopefully these five hobby ideas have inspired you to let your imagination and artistic
side run wild. These are just a few of many ways to destress without bedrotting or doomscrolling
during this busy school year. Ask for help, use tutorials, and don’t be afraid to mess up. Stay
creative!