January is National Hobby Month, which is a perfect reminder to celebrate the things we love doing outside of our busy routines.

It can be hard for college students to carve out time for hobbies between classes, studying, and everything else. But making time for what we love keeps things balanced and helps recharge our energy.

Cooking

I wasn’t a stranger to cooking when I started living on my own for the first time. As a child, you could find me in the kitchen helping my mom with anything — whether it was peeling potatoes by hand or shucking corn, I loved to help in any way I could. As I’ve grown, my love for cooking has grown too. I love to cook for anyone I can; I honestly think it’s my love language. There’s something therapeutic about the routine and the freedom for experimenting that cooking offers. Not only is a home-cooked meal good for the soul, but it’s also a great way to save money on eating out all the time.

Reading

If you told younger me that I’d love reading, I’d probably laugh in your face. Back then, reading was something I had to be forced to do. But over time, it’s become one of my favorite pastimes. Now, I can’t get enough of it. It’s amazing how a good book can pull you out of daily stress and take you to a completely different world. I’m all about e-books — everything I read goes on my Kindle. It keeps things compact, and it’s so much easier to travel with. Whether it’s fiction, fantasy, or something inspiring, reading is the quickest way for me to relax and escape the chaos of life for a few hours.

Collecting Vinyl

We all know someone who owns a huge collection of something – and for me, it’s my vinyl records. Over the past four years, I’ve accumulated over 50 different albums on vinyl. Not only are they fun to play, but some even accrue value. The most valuable one I have right now is my Folklore “In the Weeds” vinyl, which currently goes for around $350 online (trust me, I did not pay that much for it!). Music has always brought me joy, and vinyl collecting is my way of expressing my musical outlet. My setup is something I’ve worked hard on, and I’m looking forward to investing in better speakers soon! My favorite vinyl is the Twilight soundtrack—it’s a classic for me, and some (me) would even say it’s the best movie soundtrack of all time.

This month is a great time to dive into hobbies and remember why they’re worth making time for. Whether it’s cooking, reading, crafting, or getting lost in music, National Hobby Month is all about embracing what brings you joy. Here’s to discovering (or rediscovering) what makes you feel happy!

Be Well, Auburn.