I Tried 5 New Hobbies in 2020 — Here’s Why You Should Give Them a Shot
There’s something for everyone…
When the whole quarantine and work-from-home situation first started around March of last year, it was sort of fun to see the different hobbies people found to keep themselves busy. We thought it would just be a short-term stay-at-home kind of thing, but now, almost a year later, here we are. Still. So those “fun” little hobbies you may have picked up in 2020 might be even more important to maintain now, as we wait to see what the new year brings. If you haven’t found your latest passion yet, I’ve got 5 suggestions to help keep you busy at home in 2021.
- Baking
There were a lot of sweets baked in the last year. A lot of cookies, cakes, bread. I personally became very well acquainted with banana bread, pumpkin bread, and a traditional Polish sweetbread that my grandma used to make. Something about baking just makes you feel glad to be at home. Warm bread makes you feel like everything is going to be okay.
Especially now, where most parts of the U.S. are stuck in the dreariest part of winter, why not try baking something new to warm up the house? Pinterest has all kinds of tasty and simple ideas, give it a shot. You may find you have a knack for baking sweet treats!
2. Watercolor Painting
I had limited painting experience back in high school, but had pretty much abandoned the art since then. Back in the day my medium of choice was watercolor paint, so I thought it would be a fun and easy hobby to pick back up. However, fun and easy are two very different things.
Painting is a lot of fun as long as you don’t take it too seriously. I think that’s why those Paint and Sip classes where you drink mimosas and try to copy Bob Ross are so popular. However, I prefer the comfort of my own home to paint and sip.
Painting, however, is not necessarily easy. At least not at first. It took some time to get comfortable with how to use the colors and brushes and not just end up with a puddle of mud on my page. After a few tries (and some YouTube tutorials) you start to get the hang of it though. Next thing you know, you might come up with a new piece of art for your wall. No need to order something off Etsy, it’s time to hang up an original by you!
3. Dance Class
In-person dance classes did not come around until much later in 2020, but I have to say, online dance or yoga classes are not the worst way to start! You get to follow along in the comfort of your own home, and that’s pretty cool. Honestly, why didn’t we think of this years ago? It’s the best of an at-home video workout, but at a set time with real people that helps keep you committed. Even if you’ve never danced before, see if you can find a beginner’s virtual ballet class, and give it a shot! It’s a great way to stretch and get moving.
4. Embroidery
Embroidery is back in a big way, but it might not look exactly like your grandma’s cross-stich hanging on the wall. Nowadays, people are using the art of embroidery to create all kinds of works of art — some are more tame than others. That’s the fun of embroidery, if you can stitch it, you can do it!
Also, embroidery looks super classy and fancy and difficult to learn… but it’s really not! Just by learning a couple of basic stitches, you can create your own masterpiece. Who knows, it may be come an heirloom your family passes down for generations to come. “Grandma made this during the Great Pandemic of 2020,” they’ll say, admiring your amazing embroidery hoops, hanging long after you’re gone.
5. Bullet Journaling
This is definitely a hobby that has been a lifesaver for me and I think everyone should give a try. Journaling is so therapeutic and being able to write down your thoughts on paper gives you the power to look at them, release them, and move forward. Bullet journaling is also great because of the creativity it allows. Just go on Pinterest and search “bullet journal ideas” and you’ll see what I mean. You can create lists, track your month or even your year, and come up with all kinds of cute doodles to decorate your journal pages. There’s absolutely no limit to what your bullet journal can be and what it can help you accomplish. And I think that’s just the kind of motivation I need going into 2021.
If you’re still looking for a new hobby to carry you into the new year, why not give one of these a try. They’re all easy to get into, require relatively few materials or monetary investment to get started, and can all be done from the comfort and safety of your own home!
