I can’t be the only one who is getting really, really tired of looking at a screen of one size or another lately. Whether I’m “doom-scrolling,” re-watching the same TV show, or just trying to find something to watch, I am often spending needless amounts of time in front of my screens. I tend to justify it as acceptable, given that it’s how I spend my free time outside of homework, but it can’t be good for my brain. So, in the fall of 2025 and carrying on into 2026, I have decided to find more tactile, crafty, creative things to spend my time doing. This is big for me, as all my life I have been a self-proclaimed “uncreative person.” As I age, I have gained a particular dislike for the idea that free time is best allotted to exercise—it seems like if it isn’t posted on either LinkedIn or Strava, it doesn’t matter—so I am increasingly seeing the value of creative outlets.
After making a new friend who is very crafty, I took inspiration and started collaging more often and delved into other crafty activities too. Collaging is a great choice for a low-stakes project that requires next to zero skill or resources. All you need is an old magazine (easy to find at a thrift store) and a glue stick, and you’re set! I even made a collage for a small class project in the fall, and a zine for another class where I got to channel my creative juices into something academic—a rarity for me! Zines are an increasingly popular creative and informative project, conveying messages of all kinds in styles of all types. A little birdy told me there may be a Her Campus UVic Zine Night coming up this semester…stay tuned!
This collaging habit led my friend and me to follow the viral TikTok trend of collaging a deck of playing cards. Though I have been pretty slow-going on this project, it is a great one for coming back to after some time away. A great strategy that I found was making each number in the deck the same theme, like sevens as fish or threes as birds, for example. On my list of collage-esq projects to-do is another TikTok trend, the Altoid tin “wallet” or trinket containers. I have the tin awaiting me, though I have yet to decide what I want its theme and/or function will be.
Another project I’ve started is hand-sewing a bookmark out of fabric scraps. I am by no means a talented seamstress, though I can throw a basic stitch or two, and that is all you need. Bookmarks are a great, small craft and can be made through various mediums, not just sewing.
If I’m not amazing with a needle and thread, I am definitely horrible with yarn. After multiple attempts in past years and over the recent holiday break, I have grown rather annoyed with knitting, although I know that one day I will give it another shot. I dream of knitting scarves and even sweaters, but for now, I must master getting past casting on!
Though I can’t knit, can’t paint without it looking like the masterpiece of a four-year-old, and am generally not the most creatively inclined, I continue to discover ways to strengthen those muscles and enjoy myself at the same time. Thanks to my crafty friends and, unfortunately, my phone, I draw inspiration from various places and love the feeling of completing a project. Nowadays, too, as someone who loves to give gifts but doesn’t want to spend a wad of money, making things is a great option for presents.
So, if you’re like me and you find yourself feeling and speaking too “brainrot-ish,” maybe a collage, some paints, or an empty Altoid tin (who knew!) could be just what you need.