
Since the semester officially ended on the 29th of May, you might find yourself with much more free time than before. One way you can use this free time is to find some new hobbies or revive some of your old ones! 😊
Below are some of my hobbies I’d like to get back into, and some new ones that I’d like to finally give a go! I hope they will give you some inspiration to get back to some of your old passions or take up some new ones. 😉
1. Playing the guitar

I’ve have been trying to learn to play the guitar for the past couple of years. While sometimes studying, part-time work and other commitments got in the way, I tried my best to keep up with it. I’ve taken some beginner lessons through the Edinburgh City Council website: www.joininedinburgh.org. They have a huge range of activities you can join and most of these are half price if you are a full-time student. While as an MSc student I still have my dissertation to do, I’m still trying to find the time to practice and hopefully play my favourite songs in no time! 😊
2. Learning languages

During the 1st and 2nd year of undergrad, I’ve taken Japanese Language as my outside course. I’ve always wanted to learn this language and was really happy that I had the opportunity to do so. While the course was intense, I really enjoyed it! Unfortunately, with the demands of honours years, I’ve started to spend less and less time with it and ended up forgetting a lot. However, I’m trying to get back to it more now. I still have my books and of course some apps to help me remember. 😊
3. Reading

Do you ever find yourself only reading things related to your degree and not really having the time or energy to read all those books you have on your list? I’ve noticed that this happened to me more and more these days. I’ve always been a bookworm, but I’ve started to read less and less for fun and relaxation during the semester. Now with more time on my hands, I finally started to read some of the books I’ve been always interested in but kept putting off. I’ve almost finished How to Stop Time by Matt Haig and would really recommend it! 😉
4. Cooking

I’ve always felt that cooking is not really for me. It’s not that I’m that bad at it, but I was never really interested in it, and never learned how to actually be efficient at it. And since I was never really efficient, it always felt like a chore rather than something to enjoy. However, these days that we had to spend more time at home, I’ve found myself trying to cook more, and trying to find ways how to make things the right way. Of course, video chatting with my mom or grandma was the biggest help, but I also found some helpful tips online. Now I’d like to get more into cooking and baking as well, so I’m trying to find some helpful books or courses online. 😊
5. Photography

I’ve been always fascinated by the work of photographers, but never really had the courage to get into photography myself. I would always enjoy taking pictures on holidays, at gatherings, or just walking around in Edinburgh! (I have a lot of pictures of my fav sight, the Castle. 😉) But I’ve never studied the ways of proper photography. I am not sure about what the best angles are, how to best work with different light settings, or how to make the best out of different kinds of cameras, be it digital or film. Since I enjoy being behind the camera and have been told that I have “good eyes” for taking pictures, I have finally found the courage to try and learn more about the different techniques. I have also started to save up for a more serious camera. 😊
What are some hobbies you’re planning to give a try or get back into? 😉