So far, living life as a young adult in the digital age has taught me that our generation is lacking hobbies. As a child, my classmates and I spent our free time engaging in various creative outlets: playing an instrument, collecting trading cards and bracelet making, just to name a few. Nowadays, I feel that the unique, creative hobbies that set us apart from our peers have been lost. Somewhere along the way from childhood to adulthood, we traded our curiosity for convenience. I’ve found myself wondering when and why these hobbies disappeared. More importantly, how can we bring them back?
We can easily blame the internet and social media for taking up our time. Doomscrolling — the act of endlessly consuming negative or mindless content online — has become a clear issue. However, I believe social media is an issue for another reason. It not only steals time away from our hobbies but it has made them performative acts rather than personal joys. Rather than engaging in something because it simply interests us, so many of us are stuck in the never-ending cycle of trying the newest trending hobby, only to get bored with it in a few months. We no longer create for the sake of joy; we create for the sake of an audience.
In addition to social media, I believe that our generation’s ambition has changed how we approach our hobbies. In an economy that glorifies productivity, many of us have turned our hobbies into side hustles to make ends meet. When tasks meant to fill our time outside of our professional lives become our professions, it’s hard to feel satisfied. Suddenly, something once relaxing comes with deadlines, income goals and pressure to perform.
Now, I don’t have all of the answers; I’m a young adult struggling through this day and age just like all of us. But I think we can all make conscious efforts to enrich our lives and bring back some childlike joy. We need to be honest with ourselves and ignore our online personas. What do you truly enjoy doing? What did you love doing as a child? And why?
We shouldn’t pursue hobbies just to seem more interesting online or to make extra money (though both can be valid at times). We should do them because they simply make us happy. Hobbies should excite you, not exhaust you. They shouldn’t be for internet approval or to look the part. They should ground you, remind you of life’s mundane pleasures. Do something just for yourself, even if it’s embarrassing. Read that cringey book. Build a set of Legos. Make a terrible-looking craft. Real hobbies don’t need to be impressive; they just need to be yours. After all, doing something for pure enjoyment will always make you more interesting than carrying a journal around for years and never using it.