When was the last time you did something for the pure enjoyment of it? Not because you had to for school or work or with the expectation of perfection, but because you wanted to for pleasure. Moreover, when was the last time you tried something new? You don’t have to be good at your hobbies; you just have to enjoy them.
Trying Something New
As a busy university student, it’s rare that I take time out of my daily routine to try something new just for the sake of it. But it’s important to make time for play, be unafraid to step outside your comfort zone, and reconnect with your natural sense of curiosity.
This past summer, I bought myself a watercolour kit from Homesense. I spent no more than $25 and got a pad of paper, a few brushes and sixteen tubes of paint. It has become a simple way for me to create and allow myself to be a beginner again. The first time I sat down to paint it was a little bit awkward. I didn’t know how much paint to use or how much water to mix, but there was something freeing about making mistakes on paper that no one would ever have to see. It is about the process and not the outcome. It’s not a big time commitment or investment, but it has been a great way to rediscover fun.
Being Okay with Being Bad
Hobbies should be a chance to break free from the perfectionism cycle that many of us are stuck in. Learning to be okay with not being the best at something and still enjoying it is important. Since coming to university, I’ve met so many people with incredible talents, hobbies and experiences. Everyone has their “thing” that they grew up doing, whether it was a sport, an instrument, something artistic, or maybe they’re an avid reader. It can be inspiring seeing people who are so good at so many things but it can also foster a sense of comparison.
I’ve fallen into the trap so many times of avoiding things simply because I thought I’d be bad at them. I can’t even count how often I’ve tried to justify myself by saying things like, “Yeah, I like to draw, but I’m really bad at it,” or “Yeah, I like to dance, but I was never in competitions.” You don’t need to be perfect at everything you do, and your hobby isn’t any less valid just because you aren’t a master at it.
At the beginning of the semester, my housemate asked me to join her soccer intramural team this fall. When I told her that I’ve never really played soccer, she reassured me that it was okay and none of the girls on the team are experts, they were just doing it for fun. Since joining the team, we have lost every single game, but the joy of being outside, running around, and meeting new people has made it an activity that I look forward to every week. The funny part about being bad is that you actually do get better the more you do it.
Hobbies Aren’t Meant to Serve You
Hobbies aren’t supposed to be something that you turn into your side hustle to make you money or a skill to make you the most learned and experienced person– they don’t owe you anything. Let them be a break from school and work, where your mind can forget about productivity and just enjoy.
I saw an interesting YouTube video recently called “The grindification of hobbies” that talks about how people have made hobbies – the one area of life you can be bad at and get messy with – into something that has to be productive. You have to be working towards something bigger or else it seems like a waste of time. You should be able to enjoy skateboarding, for example, without having to master every trick and gain a following on social media for it, but just because you like the way the board feels under your feet and the wind through your hair. We should learn to be okay with spending time doing something for enjoyment and not for achievement.