Everyone could afford to spend a little less time on their phones, right? I find that towards this mid-point of the semester we’re in, all I want to do when I get home is scroll on TikTok.
However, hobbies are so important, and an amazing way to stay offline and fill your free time– something everyone can benefit from. However, it can be intimidating to pick up a hobby from square one. Here are a few of my favorites to give you inspiration for days with less screen time.
- . Watercolor
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The most important thing I have learned from hobbies is that you don’t have to be good at them. Watercolor can seem very daunting at first, especially if you are not artistically inclined. Even so, it is the most relaxing and pretty way to get into painting.
I have a tiny travel watercolor set, with a little palette and a booklet full of watercolor paper. Paintings can be quick and take 15 minutes, or as detailed and meticulous as you like.
I love picking a random picture from my camera roll (beach pictures are my favorite!) and trying to paint it out.
My other favorite is making watercolor cards for people. Birthdays, Valentine’s, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day are all perfect occasions for a watercolor card. My personal formula is a cute little painting with a corny joke on the outside and a nice note on the inside.
- . Reading
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Possibly one of the most popular hobbies, but popular for a reason! There is nothing like getting lost in a good story.
I struggled a lot with not wanting to read after spending all day in class or doing homework, but quickly learned I was trying to read the wrong type of book. You’re never going to want to crack open a classic, dense novel if your brain already feels fried from the day.
My easy solution to this is to keep searching for the type of book that gets you excited– and I am a firm believer everyone has a book like this. My personal favorite is fast-paced mystery books that keep me hooked from the first page.
- . Walking
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Walking is truly free therapy. As the weather starts to get warmer, there is such a benefit to getting outside and walking more.
During my first semester at school, I stopped going on walks because I thought, if I’m already walking to class, what’s the difference? But there is something so healing and relaxing about taking twenty minutes at the end of your day to walk and decompress from your day. It’s a feeling that you just can’t get rushing to and from class.
With the mid-semester slump in full swing, it’s important to do things that both engage and relax your mind outside of schoolwork. These are just a few of my favorite ways to fill my free time.
Even when I feel like all I want to do is lie on my phone for hours, taking twenty minutes to do something else is a savior for my mental health.