r/Hobbies

Better question: how do I convince myself that I’m not wasting time or money?

I want to play and make music, but I have no instruments of my own (and my laptop is on the brink of death). I'm in concert band (percussion) in college (never studied music theory, it's basically a no-cut program), but its hard for us to reserve spaces just for practice because other performing arts groups who have shows/ performances get priority). And then after college, I'll have nothing.

I already feel enough guilt when I waste time. I just can't see myself dropping hundreds of dollars on something I'm not good at when money is tight. Plus, I could spend that time learning skills to help me get a job. How can people just collect shoes, travel everywhere, or buy art /metal/ woodworking supplies every week and not worry about other expenses? Money doesn't buy happiness, but it can make you comfortable. I love listening to music; I'm not obsessed in like knowing anything and everything about an artist's life and all the albums out there, I just love how the notes somehow come together perfectly in many ways. I'd love to dabble in music theory and make something of my own (with real instruments) to have something I can be proud of, but there's a huge opportunity cost that frequently clouds my enjoyment.

No, I don't go on vacations or to movie theaters or restaurants.

Edit: yes, I understand that a job is what makes you money, but you can have multiple stream of income, or make a few extra bucks by doing something you enjoy (which is what I’m getting at). You can also enjoy your job. I kinda just hate how I was put out of everything as a kid (when stuff was “free” to us), and now I have to pay to get back into things 😅

Everyone copes differently when life gets hard. Was there a hobby that helped you get through a difficult time whether it was gaming, reading, hiking, painting, cooking, or something else? What made it so helpful, and do you still do it today?

So im kinda trying to change my life, one of those is being less of a shut-in, another is being more fit, so i figured i should find a hobby to combine these two goals! I've seen jump-in volleyball games nearby but im kinda socially anxious so being shirtless and doing a competitive sport thing like that kinda turns me off. Rock climbing looks super fun, but the subscription for a gym near me is $80 a month which is a bit much for me. So far im leaning towards maybe a running or biking club? i have a decent bike so no cost there. I just wonder if theres much chance for social interaction? What physical hobbies have led to yall finding new friend groups?

I have issues with my sleep sometimes and I'm tired a lot but I'd still like to find something to do, either something that helps me ignore being tired or is easy to do while tired.

I'm curious what hobby you think everyone should try at least once in their life. It doesn't have to become a lifelong passion just something worth experiencing. What made it memorable, and why would you recommend it?

I spend 10 hours a day in front of a screen for work, and I feel like my brain never fully shuts off. I’ve been trying to find a hobby that forces me to be 100% offline, no phone, no computer, just physical stuff. What are you guys doing to actually get some peace and quiet in your head?

I'm a pretty active person and a lot of my hobbies revolve around people or sports. Problem is when I'm alone or no one is about at home I really struggle with how to fill my time. I used to play video games casually as a kid which was how I spent a lot of my time but not so much now. I'd love to hear peoples suggestions of what they lose their time in and genuinely love doing. I'm not looking for particularly productive hobbies but just something you can pick up, inside and enter a bit of a flow or get lost in for a few hours solo.

Cooking, drawing, sewing, arts and crafts stuff have never interested me enough to stick.

30-40M

Are you able to pursue your hobbies during the workday? Many people dedicate all their time to work, but others believe you should give work only what's required and keep the rest of your time for yourself.

I'm 19. While I do have an odd relationship with age, I do definitely feel too young for many adult groups. The ones near me tend to be filled with 25-30+ year olds if they're not specifically for 70+ year olds.

I may try out cosplaying as I know many people around my age enjoy it. There's a convention next week but... not too sure what I'll do there on my own. I don't have a big budget to make my already niche cosplay recognisable lol.

Just aomething like that seems fun :)

All of my hobbies are brain hobbies. I read, write, sketch, collage, craft, embroider, watch movies. But I don’t want to be stuck in my mind. I would love a hobby that uses my body, but I’m not sure where to start. I’ve never done a sport and I’m not very competitive or confident in my athleticism.

I would appreciate ideas! I live in a climate with all four seasons, suburban community.

Making art, music, writing, physical stuff, idk what else. I want a hobby that involves making stuff rather than being an activity or consuming content. I struggle in two ways with this

1. Finding something interesting. Nothing has really stuck out as interesting
2. Getting over the initial learning hump to then make anything

Just looking for suggestions :)

I make exploration videos around the UK, the problem is, I genuinely cannot tell whether anyone actually wants that sort of content anymore. It feels like travel videos now only work if it is Japan, Dubai, a £500-a-night hotel, someone spending loads of money, or a list of places TikTok has already decided are hidden gems….

Part of me thinks ordinary UK towns are far more interesting than people give them credit for. The other part thinks I am putting real time into making videos about places nobody cares enough to click. So be honest, would you ever watch someone explore a random British town properly, including the boring bits as well as the interesting ones or is this type of travel content completely saturated now and I should probably accept that people do not care and go back to my day job?

Examples of my videos in comments (for context on type of video)

I have depression and it has been hard to answer the question: What do I like doing?

Throughout college, I was in service oriented programs and made neat little presentations talking about things that mattered to me. I volunteered at a garden.

When I was a child, I hand-sewn clothes for my dolls (poorly lol) and liked to sing and do musical theatre. I also loved to read.

Since I got diagnosed with depression, it has been hard to get into things. I have been doomscrolling nonstop and it has been hard to get into hobbies without quitting because I don’t excel the first time. How do I get a hobby?

I tried making zines, but I feel uninspired. I went to my friends to see how I can get into their hobbies. In college, I went to trails and walked around and explored my area. I feel boring and dull, now that I feel that I got nothing going on.