I Dabbled In Eight Different Hobbies Last Year So You Don't Have To

Puzzles are wayyyy more fun than you think!

1. Puzzles

Danielle Letkewicz

When the pandemic started, my boyfriend and I bought a few puzzles during the initial lockdown. And we really enjoyed doing them! I thought they were a great way to make the time fly by. The only negative thing I have to say about puzzling is that I sometimes developed a headache from working on them. That's probably my own fault, though. Some of the patterns were very ~loud~.

Score: 8/10

2. Paint by Numbers

Danielle Letkewicz

I love, love, love paint by numbers! They're so relaxing and beautiful. I took photos after each of my painting sessions so that I could see my progress, which helped keep me motivated. I have completed and framed four pictures since picking up this hobby. It can be quite expensive, though. The kits are normally $15-$20, and the frames that I've purchased have been around $20-$30. My favorite place to get my paint by numbers kits is Michaels and I've had great luck finding frames at Ikea!

Score: 9/10

3. Growing herbs

Danielle Letkewicz

The idea of growing your own herbs is exciting. It's even more exciting to go a nursery and buy pots and the herbs of your choice. I'll tell you what's not exciting, though: your herbs dying within the first month of your journey with them. I royally screwed this one up! I followed the super basic instructions on the cards provided by the nursery and thought that my herbs would add flavor to my dishes for as long as I shall live. I should've done more research and tried harder to keep these babies alive.

Score: 5/10

4. Baking

Danielle Letkewicz

If you're like me and didn't bake much besides the occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies growing up, then you probably don't know just how hard baking can be. I read the instructions 678 times when I bake something new and I still second guess myself the entire time. Eating your finished product is great, but the anxiety and mess aren't worth it for me. I'll still bake, but not as a hobby. (Featured above is some type of Greek chocolate orange almond bread that I made — it was absolutely delicious)

Score: 6/10

5. Knitting

Danielle Letkewicz

Okay, I love knitting. It was fairly easy to learn how to cast on and knit using the English method (I watched A LOT of YouTube videos), and yarn isn't too expensive. I made a couple of scarves and a hat before I realized how bad my neck pain was getting from knitting constantly. I don't have the confidence to not watch myself, so my neck didn't really get a break. I do plan on knitting again when the colder months start to approach. Overall, this is a relaxing and rewarding hobby that I fully recommend.

Score: 8/10

6. Reading

Danielle Letkewicz

I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't leisurely read for four years before picking it back up in early 2022. I stopped reading for fun due to being a full-time student and working full-time. However, now that I'm settling into my current position, I have found time to start reading again, and I. AM. LOVING. IT. How did I forget how much I enjoy reading? I've read five books in the last three months and two of them I read all the way through in one sitting because they were so thrilling. Buying books can be pricey, but a library card isn't! Find a library near you here. 

Score: 10/10

7. Drawing

Danielle Letkewicz

I've always been pretty artistic, so when I started exploring hobbies, I wanted to try sketching/drawing. I bought a large sketchpad from Target and, for Christmas, my boyfriend got me fancy pencils. I drew flower patches, bicycles, and other random things. To be honest with you, while my drawings weren't half bad, I noticed that I wasn't really loving the process. My hands always got so dirty from the dust and I had to erase so often that I started to get frustrated. I liked what I made, but I didn't like what I had to do to get there.

Score: 6/10

8. And finally, painting (not by numbers)

Danielle Letkewicz

This is my most recent attempt at finding a sustainable hobby. I began by painting Yuji Itadori for my brother and then I tried painting something that I would like (feminine art). I enjoyed creating both pieces. I think they turned out super well and I've discovered that I love gifting handmade art to the people I care about. I most recently gave my boyfriend a painting of Fry from Futurama on the Scooty Puff Jr. and he loved it. Painting doesn't get a 10/10 because you have to buy supplies constantly and cleanup isn't easy. It's quite rewarding, though!

Score: 8/10

What hobby should I try next? Let me know in the comments!

This post is an entry in BuzzFeed’s 2nd Annual Community Summer Writers’ Challenge, where you can earn $$$ for creating your own lists and quizzes published through September 15, 2022! Check out alllll the details here.