It’s like a yearly ritual: resolutions. Promises made, and, all too often, promises broken. But this year, instead of proclaiming a resolution you’re not likely to keep, how about picking up a new hobby? There are plenty of activities out there likely to create a very positive impact in the life of anyone, young or old.
Art
From colored pencils to oil paints on canvas, artistic expression comes in many forms. One of the great things about art as a hobby is that it’s essentially free to start creating! Pencil and paper sketches – even the ones in the back of your notebook – are skills you can practice without having to make a large investment.
Art is a fantastic way to visually depict one’s feelings and emotions, and it can be a wonderful hobby that many spend years on honing their skills. And with the internet at your fingertips, an astounding amount of artistic knowledge and direction is easily accessible. From painting, drawing, sculpting, sketching, and plenty of others – art comes in many forms, and it’s a great hobby for people of all ages.
Music
Much like visual art, music is also a meaningful way to convey how we feel and think. Musical skills and the ability to create music are wonderful hobbies that many enjoy their entire lives. Whether you like to sing or play a musical instrument, practicing music is a passionate hobby that can be very fulfilling.
Although traditionally people would focus on vocal and instrumental ability, modern technology, computers, and the popularity of electronic music have greatly expanded the realm of musical knowledge and ability. Whether you’re interesting in mixing beats or learning guitar chords, music is an excellent hobby to pursue for anyone.
Photography
Photography is a great way to capture our favorite memories, but it’s also a fun hobby! In recent years, photography has become more popular because modern technology allows many people to have a camera on them at all times – their cell phone!
Photo-sharing apps are a great way to get feedback on your pictures, and many choose to pursue the hobby even further with full size cameras and lens setups. Photography is a fascinating hobby and a clever way to show off your visual eye for detail.
Exercise
It can be hard to start exercising regularly if you’re not used to it. But once you get in the habit, you might be surprised by how much fun it is. There are plenty of choices, too. There are leagues for every variety of sport, operating at intense, competitive levels and as casual recreational get-togethers.
You also have group-type exercises such as yoga and pilates. And if nothing else you can just go for long walks. Exercise does wonders for the cardiovascular system and hormone levels, which is why they so frequently make us feel so good. Just be sure to guard against injuries and personal safety!
Reading & Writing
Alright, so technically that’s two things, but we’re willing to cheat on our list because reading and writing just go so well together! Reading expands our minds and makes us more intelligent, empathetic beings – and writing allows us to express our own thoughts and emotions into words that can convey those feelings to others.
And not surprisingly, taking up reading and/or writing as a hobby will directly carry over into your school life, as these are both valuable skills that are required at all levels of education (as well as your entire life). Whether you just want to read more books or start writing your own novel, literary expression is a great hobby in any shape or form!
Learn a Language
It’s a mighty big world with an awful lot of people, and a great many ways of communicating. Now it’s true that language courses are a standard requirement in high school, but chances are that no one asked your opinion on what to learn or how to learn it. But try looking at it in a different way. View it as a way of learning a new culture.
Imagine reading a classical Chinese novel in the original Chinese, or watching Japanese movies without subtitles, or listening to Italian pop music. Anything is possible, and there are loads of resources online to get you started, while it won’t be hard to find folks to help you practice. And because you’re only making the effort out of personal interest, you might end up having lots of fun, and wind up with a useful skill to boot!
Build an Online Persona
We all spend a lot of time online nowadays, but how much thought goes into the average post? The truth is, when you apply for a job, or even a college (who are we kidding, when you make friends too), you are likely to be searched online. Try searching yourself. What do you find? Are you pleased with the results? Would a potential employer get a positive impression of you by clicking on all those links? Well guess what, you have some control over those search results.
The key is to put content online that will show up in a search of your name. Start a blog, create an image gallery, and of course there are social media accounts like Twitter and Instagram. Make it a long-term project to shape an awesome personal online brand that everyone will think is awesome. Along the way you’ll learn all about digital marketing, which is definitely a useful skill!
These are just a few of countless potential hobbies that are available to someone looking for a worthwhile spare-time activity. One thing that’s very much worth noting: lists of hobbies are often very similar to lists of ways to reduce stress. That’s right, having a hobby can reduce your stress levels. Yet another reason to consider a hobby! So give it some thought.
