Being a busy college student means that you often have to sacrifice something in order to have time for everything else. Grades, sleep, a social life, work, hobbies—one or many of these things may be put on the back burner to compensate for having more time for other responsibilities. I have always found it difficult to maintain my intensive hobbies long-term with school and work. In high school, my main hobby was practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. However, the cost, distance from college, and big time commitment made maintaining this hobby difficult. I knew that I needed my next hobby to be something cheap, beginner-friendly, and convenient. I have always wanted to become more in touch with my creative side, but I was also stuck with where to start. I didn’t know what materials to buy, how to haul them back and forth, or when I would have the time to even do them aside from right before bed when I’m already tired. So, I watched a ton of Instagram reels and I finally figured out a few fun yet practical hobbies for busy students.
- Crochet
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This is definitely my hyperfixation right now. Crochet is very beginner-friendly, for both your time and money. To get started, all you need is a crochet hook, some yarn, and someone to teach you. The materials only cost a few dollars to begin learning, and you can either find an experienced friend or search up random YouTube videos with step-by-step tutorials. Crochet is incredibly versatile and useful. With practice, you can transition from basic projects like mini heart keychains or coasters to cardigans and tote bags. Practicing crochet stitches can be done anywhere on the go; I have personally done it mindlessly in class. You can even do it watching a show or while walking around campus, just have the yarn sticking out of your pocket or backpack!
- Sewing
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I am tired of my clothes not fitting exactly how I want. One of the worst feelings is finding the prettiest top or dress and then when you put it on, you have to constantly pull it or use a ton of pins to cinch the waist. I have been wanting to get into basic sewing for a while and have decided to finally start looking into it. I spoke with my friends experienced with sewing and they said basic adjustments such as adjusting the waist or hemming pants are not as difficult as you would think. Hand-sewing is an accessible option for small adjustments and only requires cheap materials like thread, measuring tape, scissors, safety pins, and water-soluble markers. If you are serious about the hobby and want to be more efficient or do bigger projects, consider purchasing a sewing machine for about $100. While it seems like a lot, when you consider how many alterations you could DIY or even the full outfits from scratch/recycled thrifted items you could make, it definitely pays off. This is a very convenient hobby as it’s functional, doesn’t require expensive materials, and it’s fun to create things specifically tailored to you!
- Embroidery
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Compared to crochet and sewing, embroidery is probably the easiest hobby on this list. All you really need is thread, embroidery hoops/clothing you want to modify, transfer pen/paper, and embroidery needles. Like crochet and sewing, you can easily find quick videos on basic embroidery stitches and projects. If you want, there are pre-made embroidery paper designs that you can stick on your clothes, copy exactly with your thread, and then dissolve in water. The learning curve is significantly less than crochet and sewing, and like both of the aforementioned hobbies, the required materials are small and cheap. Some fun beginner projects that I am excited to try are adding mini bows or flowers to the pockets of my jeans!