I use the term hobby here loosely because, while these do not seem like typical hobbies, to me they are all something I enjoy doing in my free time to relieve stress, entertain me, and have actually all been proven to be good for your brain!Â
I’m not a crafty person, so typical hobbies like knitting, crocheting, or painting have never piqued my interest. I’m also your typical broke student, so I don’t want an expensive hobby, and because I am a student, I’m tired and don’t want to have a hobby that requires me to overexert myself. Many of my suggested “hobbies” are very simple and can be done anywhere, anytime, and from your cellphone or laptop (except for one, but it’s worth it, I swear).
Let’s begin!
- Letterboxd – Free
Do you watch movies? Yes? Then you need Letterboxd. This free app allows you to log movies you have seen, make a list of movies you want to see, and rate and review movies. I have spent oodles of time reading other people’s reviews and laughing my head off or sometimes even tearing up (many of the reviews for Up). Sometimes I feel lazy when I spend time watching movies when maybe I could be more productive, but this app made me feel like I am just consuming art, and it’s okay to be thoroughly entertained by art! I always liked watching movies, but now I look forward to reviewing and rating the movie I just watched and seeing what other people thought of the movie. Now watching a movie makes me feel like I have accomplished something because I get to add another movie to my list of watched films! I hope you can see how I am maybe stretching the use of the word hobby, but now I can make using this app a “hobby” that goes along with my love for watching movies.
- The Landing – Free
For those of you who felt that Letterboxd didn’t count as a real hobby, this one definitely does! The Landing is another free app that essentially gives you a blank canvas for you to do whatever you please. People make collages, mood boards, manifestation boards, inspiration boards for outfits, room decorating inspiration, and so many more. You can upload your own photos whether that is from your camera roll, online, Pinterest, or use the photos and stickers already on the app to create your board. The Landing is a great place for any sort of self-expression and has definitely brought out the creative side of me and it feels good to create something and see my visions come to life. Did you know being creative is good for your brain health? Another reason to try this out.Â
- Goodreads – Free
Ok. Another maybe fake hobby, but it’s still fun! Reading has been proven to be beneficial for us as it can boost cognitive function, reduce stress and depressive feelings, help fight against developing Alzheimer’s disease, and has actually been associated with living longer. So why aren’t we reading every day? Reading is a super simple hobby, and if you’re getting books from the school or local library, it’s totally free, but we often lack the motivation to read. That is where the Goodreads app comes into play! This app allows you to mark books you have read, books you are currently reading, and books you want to read, as well as allowing you to create reading challenges for yourself (this is where I think it becomes a hobby). I created a reading challenge for myself, only 10 books for the year, but I realized some years I have only been reading maybe 2-3 books, so 10 was a big jump. The hobby part of it is that I am reading, which is a hobby itself, but then I spend time recording how many pages I read, rating and reviewing it when I am finished, and encouraging myself to reach my goal and then start over and make a new goal.Â
- The New York Times Games – Free
This one is very simple and also free! It is just going to the NYT website and playing their games. The ones I do daily are the Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword. Little games like this are exercises for your brain, and it also feels good to complete them and get them right! This seems like such a small and pointless “hobby”, but really, how different are these games from doing a physical puzzle which is a very common hobby? I like having something to look forward to each day and complete, and then being able to give my brain a pat on the back (LOL) for being so dang smart.Â
- Hot Yoga – $$
Last but certainly not least, is hot yoga, which is my personal favourite hobby for a gazillion reasons but I will only share a couple. I discovered hot yoga about 2 years ago in the middle of winter, and let me tell you, walking into a warm (ok it is hot, not warm, but I don’t want to scare you away) and dimly lit room with calm music playing was the most peaceful experience. Hot yoga gives you a great sweat, and the yoga itself is not overly challenging (I had never done yoga before taking these classes). I leave each class feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. I often have people ask me how I deal with the heat and sweating but here is how I explain it: we don’t like being wet from say being sprayed with a hose because that is not the proper environment, but we are fine being wet when we are swimming because it is the appropriate environment, and you’re prepared to be wet and everybody else is too. It’s the same with hot yoga. I walk in knowing I’m supposed to be hot and sweaty and so is everybody else, so the heat does not bother me. I could give you a massive list of the benefits of hot yoga, but here are just a couple: reduces symptoms of stress and depression, increases flexibility, preserves bone mass, promotes heart health, and improves your mental focus. Hot yoga is not free and can sometimes be a bit costly, but there are a couple of workarounds. Hero Yoga (where I go!) in Waterloo has a first free class as well as community classes every Friday where all you pay is a small donation (could be $2). They also have ambassador programs where you clean the studio rooms 4 hours a week in exchange for free classes!Â
The point of doing any of these suggestions is that you’re doing something enjoyable and dedicating time to yourself. I know the winter can bring on a nasty case of the winter blues, but trying even just one of these “hobbies” could really help boost your mental health! Best of luck!Â