January 19, 2021, by Charli
New Hobbies For When Lockdown Gets Old
Bored, maybe?
Well, you’re far from the only one.
It’s almost an entire year since we were first plunged into lockdown. No doubt we’ve all exhausted the banana-bread-making, Hamilton-watching, pub-quizzing selves that emerged last March, back when spirits were high and we thought we’d be done by Christmas. If you’re anything like me, the only thing that will have remained is a certain music/video app that’s always particularly tempting right when it’s time to go to sleep…
But I digress.
If you, like me, are bored of staring at screens 9-5 and being forced to do the same in your social life, you might just be looking for a new hobby. So here’s a list of ideas! Because, let’s face it, we could all do with some new hobbies now that lockdown is getting real old.
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Learn to knit or crochet
The fantastic thing about these crafts is that you can do them in bed, on the sofa, or even walking about the house (as long as your pockets have enough room for a ball of wool). It’s incredibly easy to get started with your new hobby – all you need is a crochet hook or two knitting needles, whatever colour wool you fancy, and a willingness to get over that hour-long learning curve; and then you’ll be set. It’s cheap to start, easy to learn, and super therapeutic to do! Just don’t do what I did and jump straight into a medium-difficulty cuddly toy pattern – I’ve been crocheting toy llama legs since Christmas…
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Write something. Anything.
This may not be your cup of tea at all, which is more than fair, but you might just be surprised at how nice it can be to jot some thoughts down on paper. It doesn’t need to be good, or even readable! Perhaps you read a really good book recently that you want to note down some thoughts on. Maybe you want to start some sort of Corona-diaries, for discovery by historians hundreds of years in the future… Or maybe, like the scores of teenagers on social media, you’ve discovered an all-consuming love for a certain Harry Potter character and want to write a hundred stories about him falling in love with you too… Whatever floats your boat. Either way, it doesn’t have to be an all-consuming hobby, but it might just be a nice way to pass an hour every now and again.
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Cook!
Yes, I know, we’re all sick of banana bread. But have you thought about trying to cultivate a personal recipe-book of quick, cheap and easy meal ideas? We have to eat every single day, after all. Why not try and turn it into a hobby? Maybe you’re attempting Veganuary – why not take a look at some of the recipe ideas featured in last week’s blog https://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/studentlife/2021/01/12/meaty-recipes-for-veganuary/? Or have a scroll through some chef websites or watch some videos. You’ll soon find yourself brimming with ideas!
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Soundtrack your walks
It’s so, so important for us to keep up a daily routine. It’s the one thing that can help us keep our feet grounded when the world has shifted. For me, that means going out for a walk. And sometimes, there’s nothing nicer than a walk by yourself, taking the time to listen to something just for you. Whether it’s an old favourite album, a new playlist you’ve not heard before, or even a podcast you thought sounded interesting, plug it in and give it a listen. It can be hugely cathartic to take some time out in the fresh air, focusing on nothing but your direction and the sounds in your ears.
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Read something new
If you’re an avid reader (or were, once, before academia got too heavy), I’d whole-heartedly recommend investigating some of the ‘cheap reads’ out there. Whether you’ve got a reading device, or just a convenient app on your phone, have a browse of some of the newest stories out there. There’s a whole host you can get for free or for 99p; and if you’re unsure how good they’ll be, just take a look at the rating. As well as new books, a lot of the old classics are available for free. So whether you want to be cultured or just read the latest trashy romance; go forth and have fun with it! You never know what you’ll find.
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