8 Corona-Proof Hobbies to Pick Up Today

By Marina Krivonossova on February 22, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way all of us live. Classes have changed, work opportunities have diminished, and the hobbies many of us used to have are no longer safe. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been struggling with adapting to the new environment that requires us to stay home or be by ourselves most of the time. But an inability to go out with friends, hang out at clubs, and participate in team sports is no excuse to give up on hobbies! Here are eight corona-proof hobbies to pick up in your free time — both at home and outside.

(Image via pexels.com)

1. Knitting or crocheting. Though they were once deemed pastimes of older women, knitting and crocheting are actually universally useful hobbies. Regardless of what gender you identify as you can most certainly benefit from learning how to knit or crochet. Because you know what unites all of us? Clothes! And when you learn to knit or crochet, you suddenly have the power to make clothing for yourself that you actually like. Do you have a hard time finding sweaters in your size at the store? Or do you hate how every sweater sold commercially seems to have the same standard style? Or maybe you’re fed up with the lack of nice scarves available for purchase? If you like creative hobbies with a useful outcome, then knitting and crocheting are most definitely worth looking into! You can access free knitting and crocheting beginner guidelines here to get started today.

2. Writing. I don’t mean writing boring essays for school. I mean writing creative stories, blog posts, poems, or journaling — basically anything your heart desires. Writing is an incredibly useful skill to have, and even if you never seemed to enjoy it at school, that doesn’t mean writing isn’t for you. Try your hand at different styles of writing and experiment with different topics. Let your imagination wander and see what kind of writing you can come up with! Who knows? Maybe by taking up writing as a hobby, you’ll discover that your passions lie in storytelling, blogging, journalism, or another writing-oriented field.

3. Zumba. Not in the mood to sit around and lounge all day, just because you’re stuck at home? Perhaps it’s worth looking into Zumba! Zumba can be described as “…a fun, high-intensity cardiovascular workout involving a mixture of traditional Latin dance, such as salsa and mambo, as well as martial arts, belly dancing, and water aerobics,” (Powell 2016). It’s basically a type of dance workout that you can do from the comfort of your own home. It can help you get out the energy that’s built up from sitting around all day, and it’s a great way to stay in shape without having to hit the gym or leave the house. And, while there’s plenty of paid Zumba programs out there for more committed Zumba-ers, there’s also lots of free instructional content available online for beginners and more seasoned dancers.

(Image via pexels.com)

4. Yoga. Want to stay in shape but not interested in dancing around the house? Then yoga might be the hobby you’re looking to pick up. “Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in ancient India,” (Yogapedia 2020), and it includes an athletic aspect to it. Yoga helps you increase flexibility in your joints and muscles, all while allowing your mind and body to relax and feel rejuvenated. All you need for yoga is a mat and some instructional videos to get you started. Just as with Zumba, there’s many paid programs available online, but there’s also lots of beginner and advanced content out there as well.

5. Learning a new language. You know what you can never have too much of? Languages in your brain! And that’s a fact. Now that you’re spending more time at home thanks to corona, one of the best things you could be doing is learning a language. The best thing about language learning in contemporary times is that it doesn’t have to be boring. You don’t need to read a textbook, go to a boring lecture, or take an exam. You can read foreign comics to learn new words. You can watch foreign movies with subtitles to get a better understanding of the language. You can play fun online games, and you can connect virtually with those who speak your target language. Before you know it, you’ll be speaking a new language without even realizing that any active learning took place!

6. Photography. Contrary to what you might think you know about photography, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on fancy equipment and photo editing software to engage in this hobby. In fact, if you aren’t able to invest in a new camera, there’s plenty of online guides on how to engage in photography with the use of nothing but your smartphone. Photography isn’t always about having the fanciest camera. It’s often about knowing what angles work, what lighting is right for a shot, and how to employ other useful tactics that money can’t buy. Plus, engaging in photography can even motivate you to go on more neighborhood walks, hikes, and other solo, socially distanced activities you can safely enjoy during the pandemic. If you’re interested in learning some beginner phone photography skills, check out this link, or feel free to look up other relevant sources online. The world is your oyster when it comes to photography!

(Image via pexels.com)

7. Cooking or baking. Many of us live in regions where restaurants have shut down partially or entirely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, so enjoying delicious food has become somewhat of a challenge. But just because you’re not going out to eat anymore certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be eating the best of the best! Take advantage of your extra time at home to learn and practice interesting cooking and baking recipes that you might otherwise hesitate to try. Always loved sushi, but were afraid to make it? Big fan of tiramisu, but have no idea if you can actually make a proper one? Now is the perfect time to try! Either invest in a book full of recipes relevant to your tastes or try looking up some free recipes online. Cooking and baking have been my absolute favorite corona-proof hobbies, so I highly recommend them to everyone.

8. Gardening. You might feel like this isn’t the activity for you if you don’t have a backyard, or if you’re like me and don’t live in a place where the weather is necessarily the nicest year-round. However, gardening is perfect for everyone — even those of us who might initially feel limited by our environments! Start off with some potted plants that thrive indoors. You can even look into growing edible plants, such as garlic and bell peppers, that do surprisingly well when planted in the comfort of your own home. Gardening is a great way to relax, feel at one with nature, and grow your own food. There are really so many benefits to gardening, that it’s silly not to try it out!

Have you picked up any new corona-proof hobbies during the COVID-19 pandemic that you had no idea you would ever try? How did it go? Share some inspiration with other readers by writing about your experiences below!

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