National Hobby Month

Author’s Note: Research is credited to National Day Calendar, Oxford Dictionary, Harvard Health and Healthline

January is the start of the new year, and the most popular month for making or breaking habits, setting goals and basically making a fresh start.

Whether or not you are a New Year’s resolution type of person, the new year is always a great time to do anything you may have been putting off for a while.

January is National Hobby Month, which fits the criteria of starting something new. If you have been looking for a new hobby to try, or wanting to pick up on one you may have lost a while back, or even improve on one you are already doing, there’s no better time to start than now!

The definition of “hobby” is “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure,” as quoted from the Oxford Dictionary. A hobby can benefit your overall health, be it physical, mental, emotional or social, depending on what activity you chose. They can improve your mood and boost happiness and creativity.

In case you are out of ideas for hobbies, and maybe just don’t have the energy to search the internet for ideas, I did some research for you and came up with a few ideas that may or might not be a new idea for you to try.

Reading

This is one of my top favorite things to do of all time, so I’ll admit I’m biased. Reading can be very relaxing, and is relatively simple, in terms of hobbies. Libraries offer an infinite amount of reading material to choose from. Thanks to technology, you can check out, read and return ebooks from the comfort of your own chair. If you’re having trouble finding something to read, make a Goodreads account online or through the app (both are free) and take a quiz to get personalized recommendations. You can also track the books you’ve read and find reviews from other readers.

Gardening/Houseplants

If there are two things I have a lot of, it’s plants and books. Houseplants are a welcome companion all year round, but especially in the wintertime. Houseplants are for sale at nearly every chain grocery store, from Hornbacher’s to Walmart, and varieties depend on the season. Succulents tend to be simple to care for, as they require minimal watering but love the sun. Before purchasing, do some research as to what plant would be best suited for your space. Gardening is a more seasonal hobby, but planning a garden can take up a winter. Research seeds and plant varieties you would like to grow. Often, gardeners place their seed orders in early March to have them available for spring planting. Plan what you want to grow and research how much sunlight and water each variety would need, as well as what plants go best together. If you’re planning a vegetable garden, you can get a jumpstart on recipes or other uses you would like to experiment with later on.

Try a New Sport

If you’ve been on the lookout for a way to get active, why not try out a new sport? Activities like pickleball and basketball are extremely popular and there are courts all over town to accommodate them. The NDSU Wellness Center also offers space to play indoors, everything from racquetball to ping-pong, rock climbing to swimming. Invite some friends to come along with you, or meet new people along the way.

Cook or Bake

If you’re a baker, try cooking. If you’re a cook, try baking. Make something new, or experiment with a new cuisine. Not only will you learn your way around the kitchen, but you can also have something to eat at the end.

Learn to Crochet

Crocheting has picked up in popularity recently, and I have to say, I see the appeal. Pick up a crochet kit at Hobby Lobby or Michael’s stores. You can also check out YouTube for free videos. Like cooking and baking, you have something useful as a final product, whether it be a hat, a bag or a cute stuffed animal, there are infinite possibilities to try. My sister has picked up this hobby recently, and has even made blankets and hair scrunchies.

Birdwatching

This is a hobby that one can do all year, every year, even indoors. If you’re a beginner, all you really need is a bird feeder and bird food in front of your window, and your hobby will come to you. There are apps to track the birds you see. There are also books and internet resources to identify each species. There are plenty of new feathered friends that migrate in and out of the area throughout the year, so you never know what you’ll see. Fargo-Moorhead also has a strong birding community that hosts events throughout the year, such as seasonal bird counts and “The Big Sit,” a reference to their sitting together and recording every species they hear and see during that time.

Stretch Your Brain

Keeping the mind active might not be everyone’s first choice after classes and homework and other responsibilities pile up, but for some, working the brain out can help shut out all the other pressing issues of the day. Do jigsaw puzzles, pick up a Sudoku or crossword book at the store, or learn a new language on Duolingo. All are relatively inexpensive and can expand the brain, giving you a different view on the world, and helping you learn something new along the way.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of hobbies. There are millions of hobbies out there, and there is something for everyone. Maybe you want to collect stamps or take up jogging or be creative, like painting or scrapbooking. There are no wrong answers! Even on a tight schedule, one should do their best to make time for relaxation. Your brain needs a break, too, and you might find yourself with a mood boost and something new to look forward to. If there wasn’t anything here to pique your interest, do some more exploring. You never know what you’ll come up with.

Leave a Reply