How do you spend your time away from work or school? Do you have any hobbies or activities that you enjoy?

Keeping hobbies is not just about staying busy in your downtime, they allow you to spend time alone and find enjoyment in time away from others. While socialization is important, sometimes we all need time to ourselves to destress, especially as students who spend most of our time around our peers.

Children have an easier time collecting hobbies than adults do, yet it is more crucial for adults to have de-stressors and time away from work and life overall. If you don’t have a hobby, don’t worry! Life is stressful and can be busy at times, in this article, I will explore ways to find time and how you can find the perfect hobby.

So, really, what is a hobby? A hobby can be anything a person does in their free time for enjoyment, while it can be done socially, it is typically something that you would also do on your own time. Literally, anything done in your free time can be considered a hobby, from reading a book to watching TV! As long as you find enjoyment in it, it can be a hobby.

As a student, I’ve found that keeping hobbies is what helps to manage stress levels and can be a great way to cure boredom. Since quarantine in 2020, I picked up many hobbies, and find that now I cannot even find the time to be bored anymore. Even before quarantine, I was always emersed in activities or searching to find something more.

However, having too many hobbies, from reading, knitting, listening to music, and watching movies, I have found it hard to manage them all. While for most of them, I can do more than one at a time, it is challenging to make decisions about what I want to do at what time. Despite this conflict, I use my hobbies as a way to escape and enjoy time alone.

How can you make time to explore and enjoy hobbies? Wake up earlier in the morning (I know it can be hard, but waking up and doing something you enjoy is more beneficial than you may think), take some time before bed, or even, if possible, bring your hobby with you! Of course, this isn’t possible for every hobby, but I have found this is what helps me stay engaged in it. Bring a book with you, even if you don’t think you’ll have time, you’d be surprised by the amount of time you could spend reading a few pages rather than scrolling on your phone. Another thing I have even done is carry my knitting projects around if they were small enough. While this can also be impractical at times, bringing your hobby with you can allow you to have a mental escape when you might not know that you need it.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that it is never too late to find a hobby. Finding a hobby requires learning a new skill, and it can be hard to get past the idea that you can’t learn something everyone knows how to do. With this, it is critical to remember that you will not be as good as someone who has been partaking in an activity for years. I was able to get past this mental block when I started knitting. I started two years ago, and at first, all I could make was single-colored panels that never became anything useful. Even now, I surely cannot do anything complex, but once I was able to understand simple knitting terms I was able to make a sweater in no time. (by no time, I mean I few weeks.)

One thing to remember when it comes to hobbies is that you should enjoy it. If you find that you are becoming stressed or upset trying to learn, move on to the next one! There are so many options to choose from, you do not have to stick to the first one you try out.

Now, let’s delve into finding a hobby. Where do you start?

What are your interests? Do you enjoy keeping up with fashion trends? Then you might enjoy upcycling old clothes or designing new ones! Did you read a book in your English class that stuck with you? Check out #BookTok for some similar recommendations.  There are so many online communities devoted to just about every hobby to help you get connected with others who have similar interests.

Looking for something creative? Don’t be afraid to get out of the house. There are so many classes offered by craft stores, and likely at your local community center or extension office to help you learn or connect socially. The great thing about taking a class is you do not have to commit to one, and you never have to go to the next meeting if you don’t enjoy it.

Afraid of spending too much money on something you don’t like? Ask around and see if your friends or family know someone who does the hobby you are interested in, most times, they are more than willing to help you learn or will offer up old supplies. Or shop secondhand, thrift stores and eBay are a gold mine for abandoned hobbies, in fact, I get most of my yarn and knitting supplies from second-hand sources for next to nothing. Don’t invest money into something until you are passionate about continuing it.

How to stay committed: Life can get busy and hobbies can be abandoned just as quickly as they were picked up. In order to avoid abandonment, use the previous tips to ensure that you are picking something perfect for you. You should feel excited for downtime to indulge in your new hobby. In the beginning, it might be helpful to take designated time out of your day to fully commit to learning this new skill, but this can be tricky. Lessen your goals and expectations, aim for once or twice a week if you don’t have a lot of free time. Another great way to stay committed if you want to feel accomplished in finishing something, track your progress! There are so many apps out there like Goodreads and The Storygraph which can track progress of books and show your statistics throughout the year. Keep a journal, or even create a designated social media account to post your progress or projects.

If you find yourself stressed from a busy week, designate time on the weekend to yourself to learn something new. Remember, have fun! Listen to music or put on a movie while you are learning. Research has proved that having something you enjoy doing can be linked to lower levels of depression and stress.