Top 10 Non-Bookish Hobbies
1. Video Games
I have been playing a lot of Pokémon throughout my life, and the Crown Tundra DLC just released. I have also been really into Animal Crossing all year, as well as Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Classics that I haven't played recently but own and recommend are Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver and Knights of the Old Republic! My next adventures will be the new Mario 3D World and Red Dead Redemption 2.
2. Boxing
With covid, this hobby has been pretty much non-existent, but this used to be my favorite way to exercise. I love the challenge and the camaraderie of my gym, as well as the awesome instructions and tips from my trainer. I actually just moved (across the country from Massachusetts to Washington), so I'll know I've returned to my normal when gyms open back up and I can find a new place to box here in Seattle.
3. Sailing/Kayaking/SUPing
I grew up near the water and I have many fond memories of the family going to lakes, rivers, bays, oceans--you name it-- in order to hang out on the water. I love sailing the most, particularly on small one or two person boats like Sunfish. Kayaking and Stand Up Paddle-boarding are close seconds.
4. Makeup
I'm really into expressive exploration with how I present myself, including my makeup. I love wearing bright colors on my eyes and lips and I really enjoy experimenting with combinations and techniques.
5. Writing
I spend a lot of my time every day writing, though the genre is always changing. I write a lot of literary theory and critique in my academic work, as well as political posts for my activist work, as well as jokes and poetry just for fun!
6. Movies
I'm a huge film buff. One of my minors in college was actually International Film and Cultures! I love studying shots and scripts and thinking about how represented themes are affected by a country's own values and priorities. That being said, I like to kick back, relax, and watch movies for fun too!
7. Arts and Crafts
I feel like I'm always picking up and dropping hobbies in this field-- it's really hard to stick to one! I really like to draw and I brought some sketch/inking pens with me in my move but I have not actually used them in several months now. I took up knitting in 2nd grade, found my old needles in my parents house before I moved, and have started picking that up again. Not sure how long that will last... I have a needle-point project that is half finished that I should probably return to again soon...
8. Baking
I love eating yummy things, which means I find myself in the kitchen baking yummy things quite often. My perfected recipe is chocolate chip cookies, but recently I've been making tons and tons of blueberry muffins!
9. Candle Collecting
Candles just smell so delicious! I have one lit right now as I've been working on this post. I think what I love about them the most is how easily they can transform my little desk area into something homey, or adventurous, or exotic. I feel like I'm being teleported somewhere else when I've got a candle lit!
10. Skiing
This is my oldest hobby. I started skiing when I was barely three years old! I enjoy most snow sports but I especially love the exhilaration that comes with skiing, as well as the familiarity of a home mountain and the adventure that comes with going to a new mountain on vacation. The technical skill required has always been something I have been proud of myself for, and it's fantastic exercise. Because of covid, this will be the first winter since I was two years old that I won't be skiing and that's a totally wild reality for me right now.
