Hobbies are a valuable way to balance the many obligations of life and provide one with a way to channel self-care, community and a bit of fun! Read more about some fun and quirky activities that are also cost-effective.
Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking is surely a timeless hobby that caters to the sentimental homebody. Before there were graphic design engines like Canva, Photoshop, or Corel, there were: paper, scissors, old magazines, glue and a bit of spare time.
The process of scrapbooking has a legacy of being uneventful and restricted to toddlers or seniors, but that narrative is purely subjective, as neither glitter nor glue discriminates based on age. Scrapbooking is a mindful activity that promotes creativity and relaxation.
Scrapbooking is a great hobby for those looking for an activity that is low in cost and commitment, but high in creative possibilities. Scrapbooking can begin online with sites such as Canva, Kittl or Project Life, which are all available online for free. Have a preference for paper and texture? No problem! Many stores sell all the supplies and stationary products you might need.
Pro-Tip: Scrapbooking is sustainable! Local thrift stores like Second Chance Thrift Store and Old Friends Vintage and Thrift offer materials like recycled magazines, newspapers and stickers, which make for a great addition to a page!
Birding
The saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together.” Have you ever seen a bird (she asked knowingly)? Well, if the answer is yes, then you have briefly engaged in the age-old hobby of birding. Don’t be fooled, birding has a reputation for being fairly unexciting in comparison to bungee-jumping or Beatnik poetry, but bird watching is free and, though this may shock some of you, Kamloops certainly has many of them. Usually, birding is practiced outside during a leisurely stroll or a hike, though it can also be enjoyed from a park bench with a hot chocolate in hand.
Despite being in the midst of Canadian winter, many birds have migrated elsewhere or tucked themselves in from the cold, yet birders continue to observe! In Kamloops, 30 to 50 species of birds continue to call the cold-weather home, including the Downy Woodpecker, several types of finch and dark-eyed juncos.
The best part about birding is the community. The birding community is fairly active and hosts events that include naturalists, researchers and citizen scientists. Some events include bird counts where birders identify and count local species in a given area.
Locally, the Kamloops Naturalist Club offers bird counts, guided tours, and other ornithology-related fun and games!
Volunteer
Is helping the community a hobby? Absolutely, it is! Volunteering is an amazing hobby that is transactional – meaning that the time invested with an organization also helps you. Advocacy and volunteering involve meeting like-minded individuals, while also giving back to a cause you care about. Many volunteer opportunities are also beneficial for those who want to pursue a career in a specific field.
The easiest way to start volunteering is by choosing a cause that matters to you. When it comes to finding an organization to join, the sky’s the limit, and the scope can be city-wide, provincial, or maybe even to another part of the world!
Municipal – City Volunteering
The City of Kamloops website is a great resource to find local ways to give back to the community. The scope of volunteering can range from local crime prevention and engagement within the region to helping local businesses.
Provincial – Federal Volunteering
Outside of Kamloops, opportunities to engage in Canadian issues can be found online.
Gov.bc.ca lists many opportunities for those who want to connect with non-profits such as Spark Animal Care, the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Alzheimer Society and more.
Volunteer Canada is an organization that hosts a site featuring both national and international ways to get involved. Opportunities vary from government social media management to (to…what?)
All it takes is an application, some documents, time, and commitment to making a change.
Learn a New Language
Before anyone panics, no, The Omega is not going to tell Duolingo to harass anyone for a Spanish lesson. Though research in the field of psychology has demonstrated that learning a language is great for memory and improves cognitive processing.
More importantly, learning a language doesn’t have to be boring. Aside from modern languages such as French, Italian, and German, there are a plethora of others. Some are older, so-called dead languages, such as Latin, while others may be based on works of fiction, like Elvish, Dothraki, or Klingon. You may be thinking, “How am I supposed to learn Dothraki?” Well, the Internet is a magical place with an abundance of resources, some paid, some free, for you to utilize.
Learning a new language can be a fun activity to learn with friends, in a club or even by joining online forums and discussions.
Balloon Twisting
This hobby is certainly unique! For those who are unfamiliar with the art of balloon twisting, it is recognized more commonly as a career, but it is also a very fun and impressive activity that takes practice and precision.
The best part about balloon twisting is that materials are fairly inexpensive, and all one needs is a balloon pump and a bag of balloons specifically for twisting! All materials can be found at a local Walmart, Michaels, or from various dollar stores.
Whatever hobby you choose to take up, remember it’s all for fun and games. Pick something you think you’re going to enjoy and don’t worry about how the end product will turn out. Just enjoy yourself and don’t be afraid to make mistakes!