When you're a college student (or anyone else really), it can be easy to get so caught up in your routine and classwork that you find yourself having no time to do things that you enjoy. Or when you do get a moment to yourself, you realize you don't have the money to do much other than watch Netflix (the account that's paid for by your parents, of course). However, it doesn't have to be so hard. There are plenty of hobbies you can pick up for little cost and lots of fun, and here are a few of them.
1. Geocaching.
It may sound strange at first, but geocaching is an easy hobby for anyone that has a smartphone, or any other GPS device (that's really all you need to get started). Geocaches are small objects, anywhere from the size of a chapstick tube to the size of a shoe box, and it includes a log sheet where you write your name and the date you found it. If they are large, there may possibly be some hidden treasures left behind by past geocachers. You can create an account and log them electronically as you go. There is even an app you can download that will show you a real-time map of your location and the geocaches' locations, as well as comments and hints from past finders.
They can be hidden all around -- in places you may pass every day. Once you start finding them near you, it is a fun little secret. If you want to know more about this fun, cheap, easy hobby, you can go to geocaching.com or download their free geoaching app to your smart phone (no, they didn't pay me to say that, it's just really that cool).
2. Arts and crafts.
If you don't think of it as little kids arts and crafts, it can be really fun to make something with your hands that you can keep, use or display. This hobby is a bit general, so it could include all different types of arts and crafts.
Personally, I enjoy making practical things (jars, bowls, dividers, things to organize my desk and life) that look cute and serve a function. I also like to make them out of old things, or "recycled materials," as they say on Pinterest, where you can also find lots of great ideas.
Organizers are just one small idea among many. You could make literal art, such as paintings, drawings, sculptures or jewelry, or home decor or pottery. This hobby is great because it's an activity in which you have the freedom to decide. You can express yourself and get creative. The best part is that it requires little to no money, and you don't have to be good. Art is open for interpretation, so don't let the fear of "looking bad" stop you from exploring this new hobby.
3. Photography.
It's true that nearly anyone can be a photographer today because we all carry a camera with us if we have a phone. That's why this hobby is great if you don't want to spend a lot of money. Taking photos can be a great way to capture memories, or to fill spare time by getting artsy with it. If you really want to get into it, you can look up basic photography rules and tips online. If you wanted to take it even a step further, you could get those photos printed. Most online companies (Shutterfly, Mpix and sometimes even Walmart) give promotion codes for free prints to first time users when you create an account, and also sporadically for current members. You may have to pay a few dollars for shipping, but photography is still a great hobby, as cheap or expensive as you can afford to make it.
4. Writing.
Writing is an easy, cheap and fun hobby that anyone can pick up in their spare time. Whether you write poems, children's stories, fiction, research journals, a diary or an informational news article, writing can be an outlet for feelings, ideas and boredom. You don't have to be "good" by any standards, (other than your own) or grammatically correct, which is something that is very important for new writers to remember. If you are having trouble thinking of ideas, you can always search writing ideas. Whether you go old fashion with a paper and pencil, or type on a computer, writing is a fun hobby that requires little to no money, nor extra materials.
5. Learn to solve a Rubik's Cube.
If you don't already have one lying around your home or your parents' house, these little toys are cheap to buy. Although these cubes may seem super hard and confusing, you don't have to be a genius to solve one. Seriously, anyone can learn to solve a Rubik's Cube with enough time and practice. The algorithms used to solve one can be found online -- there are even YouTube videos that can teach you step-by-step -- for free.
