Graduating college can be a stressful time in your life. Moving out of your beloved college home, starting a new chapter in your life, and not being able to see your friends constantly can introduce a natural void. The healthiest way to fill this void of learning how to be on your own is to develop new hobbies to be passionate about. As an incoming graduate, I discovered that there are endless enjoyable and unique hobbies available at little to no cost. With all the other stress in your life, introducing yourself to a new hobby is the perfect getaway, and can help get you excited about the little things to come post-graduation.
Painting
Painting is a great hobby to incorporate into your life because you get to personalize everything you create. You can go from creating a big project, to a small design, and there are no limitations or time constraints to each project you start. My favorite thing to do is to go on Pinterest to get inspiration, and then recreate them. I am currently obsessed with the paintings that use putty on the canvas, creating a textured effect. My next painting project will be using putty to create that same effect, and then paint daisies all over the canvas (those are my favorite flowers). The best part about this hobby is that you can stop whenever you want, and then pick it back up whenever you want as well. The versatility of this hobby makes it so much more enjoyable and peaceful at the same time.
gardening
Gardening might be my new favorite hobby (sorry painting)! The most beloved thing of mine is flowers. I love receiving them, I love giving them to people, I just love them. The variety of flowers that exist is endless, and it makes any area around your house look beautiful. It is a great hobby to pick up because not only are you spending more time with nature, it is also a good, stressless thing to do. It is also a great escape from the full-time job life, especially if you are working remotely. Getting that daily dose of fresh air, especially in warmer weather, is necessary for your mental health. You can even spice up your garden by planting vegetables and herbs, and then incorporate them into your meals. Not only will this be delicious to eat, but also a healthier option as you are the one harvesting your own vegetables!
picking up a sport
Incorporating a new sport or picking up an old one comes with so many benefits, especially when working around a full-time job. Especially post-graduation, you are at your prime athletic capabilities and after sitting at a desk all day, it is essential to have this outlet as a way to stay physically active. Staying active helps clear up any mental fogginess and can help keep you focused afterwards. It also allows you to be able to keep connections with friends and family that you may not be able to see as much due to your job. Sports such as tennis or golf are easy to do with friends, and can make for some great friendly competitions. I personally want to try playing tennis after graduating, especially because it can be played indoors and outdoors.
Cooking & Baking
Cooking and baking are probably the easiest hobbies you can pick up. You can choose the difficulty of each recipe you want to create and even add your own flare to it too. The best part is, you cannot mess it up! Experimenting with different ingredients and recipes adds a uniqueness each time you cook and you can even shock yourself with the outcome. You can turn cooking from an annoying thing you need to do in order to not starve, into something enjoyable that you want to do. Since it is something you have to do in general for each meal, you might as well start spicing up your meals, and who knows, you might even surprise yourself with your capabilities.
Finding a good hobby to stick with can be difficult at times. You want it to be effortless, enjoyable, affordable, and refreshing, especially after sitting at a desk all day long. These four hobbies are just the ones that I find interesting and easy to try, especially when you are first getting adjusted to a full-time job. This list is extremely limited, as there are endless varieties of hobbies. It’s time to find yourself a fun hobby to try!
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