As we age, we are constantly adding more stress to our lives from paying rent, finishing classes, finding jobs and maintaining a social life. It almost seems like we never have any time left in the day. I feel as if the narrative when you enter your 20s is that you are too old to start something new. Maybe that’s our internalized fear: we are going to fail or mess up at something we do for the first time. It could even be the pressures of never allowing ourselves the freedom to do something for the fun of it rather than being the best at everything we do. It is scary picking up a new hobby and may even feel intimidating if you do not know where to start. I believe that picking up new hobbies can spark so much joy in your life. It is important to do things that make you happy regardless of fears or society’s age restrictions on certain things. You are never too old to learn something new. Here’s a list of hobbies that are perfect if you are looking to get into something creative or fun to do on your free time.
Crocheting
Crocheting is such a fun hobby to learn because it is very rewarding when you complete a project. You can create so many cute items like tote bags, coasters, sweaters, and even hair bows! Heres how to start.
- Get your supplies! You will need yarn, crochet needles and a phone or computer to look up tutorials.
- Once you have all your supplies, the first thing you need to get comfortable with is how to hold your needle and thread with both hands. This will ensure that you are crocheting correctly with the proper hand placements. This is the most difficult step but you will get the hang of it with some practice!
- After learning how to hold your needle you can practice different stitches! The first stitch you should learn is how to do a chain. A chain is the foundation for every crochet project. Once you can comfortably do a chain, then you can practice other stitches on top of it.
- After you have learned a few stitches, you can look up in-depth tutorials on how to crochet certain things. the easiest crochet projects to start with are tote bags and granny squares. It is important to start with simple projects, work your way up, and follow videos that give slow, in-depth instructions.
Now, you can make cute crochet projects! The nice thing about crocheting is that you can always improve your skills by continuously making more advanced projects, which makes crocheting a perfect hobby.
reading
Reading is a more simple hobby, but it can be just as rewarding! There are so many great things about reading, one of them being that there is something for everyone. There are thousands of books in the world, so it is important to choose to read things you think you will like! Here’s how to immerse yourself in the reading world.
- If you are completely new to reading, I would recommend hopping on YouTube and watching some beginner book recommendation videos. My favorite YouTubers to watch for book recommendations are Hailey Pham, Sara Carolli, and Destiny Sidwell. Although many people think reading is easy, it can be very difficult to find a selection of books that you will like to read. Some books are more complicated than others which could cause burnout if you decided to read those first.
- After thinking of a genre of books you are interested in and possibly a few names of books you want to start reading, it is time to hit the bookstore. You can go to Barnes and Noble or a local bookstore in your area.
- Once you have your books, start reading! The more books you read, the more addicted you are going to become by looking at reviews, following new releases from your favorite authors, and seeing what other people are reading.
- Once you start reading a lot you can invest in a Kindle and can even create a Goodreads account. Goodreads is an app that helps you track all your books, and you can even set goals for how many books you want to read!
Reading is such an evergreen hobby and interest that you can have for the rest of your life. It can help you enter another world or even educate or inspire you!
photography
This is a recent hobby that I have gotten into. This is such a fun thing to start learning because it is such a great way to feel artistic while also capturing everyday moments.
- First, you have to decide what kind of camera you are looking for. There are so many different brands, types, and price points. It is important to look for a camera based on what you want it to do, such as if you want to shoot mainly photography, video content, or a mix of both.
- Once you know your price point, kind of camera, and brand you can start researching. I did most of my research on YouTube and TikTok while also looking up each individual camera on the brand’s website to compare and contrast the specific parts of the cameras with each other.
- It is important to be patient because finding a camera that is right for you can take a lot of time and can be a pretty big investment but it is so worth it!
- After purchasing your desired camera, it is time to learn how to use it. It is important to understand the three main features of a camera: ISO, shutter, and aperture. Once you understand how all those components work individually and together then you are ready to shoot your content!
You are never too old to enjoy doing things, and don’t let the world tell you otherwise! Life is too short not to start something you have always wanted to do, so go out there and start learning new things!