Need A New Hobby?
By Layla Troyer
Imagine this: it’s Saturday- you’re sitting at home, scrolling on your phone. It’s the same thing you do almost every weekend. Your parents ask you, “Why do you sit around all day?”. You shrug; you don’t know either. If you think about it enough, you might realize it’s because you don’t have any hobbies.
Many students can relate to that imaginary scenario. School has completely taken over our schedules, and with it, our time to develop hobbies. You may feel like you’re missing out. If so, here’s a list of hobbies and how to get started.
Photography
Photography can be simple and fun, but can also develop into a more serious hobby. You can use your phone, an instant camera, a film camera, or a digital camera.
Phone: Try out different angles, lighting, and filters. You can easily print your pictures at your local Walmart.
Instant Camera: Pictures from this kind of camera aren’t very high-definition, so the aesthetic is in the semi-blurry, almost vintage look of the pictures. Instax and Polaroid are some excellent brands to buy. I have my own Instax Mini 7. You have to buy film, but you don’t have to worry about printing since the pictures are instant. Shake each picture for 1-2 minutes for it to develop.
Film Camera: This kind of camera is the most finicky. It’s an older style, so most photographers like it for the look of the camera itself. I own a Smena 1, but my personal favorite Film Camera is the Yashica Electro 35mm GSN Rangefinder. You need to buy film for it, load the film into the camera, and then you can start taking your pictures. Go to your local CVS to get your pictures developed.
Digital Camera: Many photographers prefer this type of camera for its clear picture quality and its easy-to-print pictures. It doesn’t need any film, and you can easily get the photos printed and mailed to you from Walmart. Plus, there are many styles of digital cameras. I own a Nikon J1, and I love the crisp pictures it takes.
Origami
Origami is the art of paper-folding, and it is most often associated with Japanese culture. In modern usage, the word "origami" is a term for all paper-folding practices, regardless of their source. Here’s how to make a simple origami butterfly, step by step.
Step 1: Print your origami paper using this website:
https://www.gatheringbeauty.com/origami-paper, or just use regular printer paper cut into 7x7 inch squares.
Step 2: Fold your paper in half (white side on the inside) to create a mountain fold.
Step 3: Open out and fold in half again, this time the opposite way.
Step 4: Open out and fold along both diagonals, making two more mountain folds.
Step 5: Flip it over so the colored side is facing down.
Step 6: Bring the sides in to meet at the center.
Step 7: Fold the centerfolds in and collapse them to make a triangle. This is called a waterbomb base.
Step 8: Fold the top layer of both corners to meet in the center.
Step 9: Flip it over and lift the bottom corner up. You want to fold it past the top edge so the tip of the triangle extends over the top.
Step 10: Flatten the center, but do not flatten the edges of the crease.
Step 11: Fold the tip of the triangle over and crease. (If you're using thicker paper you may need to use a little glue to hold this flap down.)
Step 12: To finish and shape it, fold the butterfly in half.
Now you can enjoy your origami butterfly!
Rock Collecting
Rock collecting (also known as amateur geology or rockhounding) is the non-professional study and hobby of collecting rocks, minerals, crystals, geodes, or fossil specimens from the natural environment. To some, it may sound boring at first, but rock collecting is a great hands-on opportunity and can help you learn more about Earth's geology. Here are some ways to get started.
Start out small by picking up rocks that catch your attention throughout your day. You don’t have to go on long walks or hikes to find rocks. There could be some interesting ones right outside your doorstep- literally. Some other easy places to check are around your driveway or in your backyard.
Once you have a collection going, sort them into different categories so you can stay organized. It’s best if you have some sort of container at this point. If you want, you can add labels to each section.
If you’re at a gift shop, they may have some rocks, minerals, or geodes to purchase. In most cases, the rocks would either be fake or not worth very much. Yet still, it's fun to pick out your favorites and buy them just because they look cool to you.
Recently, I was at a gift shop where there was a sign that said, “Fill this bag with as many rocks/minerals/crystals as you can fit! As long as you can close the bag, you can buy it for $8.99!”. The price was a little steep in my opinion, but I decided to try and fill a bag to see how much I could get. They had many different types of rocks. Once the bag was full, I ended up with a lot of cool-looking rocks (some of which may or may not be fake, I’ll have to do some research), so I bought it. Here’s a labeled picture of what I got:
Here’s a link to a guide on which rock is which: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dd0adfe4b02556f1a7538d/t/54e8f145e4b08db9da84889f/1424552261489/Mock+Dig+Polished+Rock+Identification+Poster.pdf
In the end run, having a hobby is a healthy way to relax instead of just lounging around all day. Don’t get me wrong- some days, all you need is to rest and recharge. But, if you often find yourself with nothing to do, why not try something new?