With warm weather comes time for students to relax, enjoy themselves, and investigate new and interesting ventures beyond the academic world. However, students rarely have a surplus of money to spend on these hobbies, so they end up needing to put their plans aside. Here are some interesting activities that you can pick up without breaking the bank!
Photography
It’s already part of many teenagers’ everyday lives, but taking pictures of friends can blossom into a versatile skill. Photography allows us to capture and share memories for years to come without without needing to learn from scratch. A phone always works, but cheap starter options for actual cameras include disposables and Polaroids, which range from $15 to $100 as opposed to $500 or more for a single-lens reflex camera. After the small expense of printing the photos, your hobby can yield beautiful products to use for anything from gifts to scrapbooking to decorating.
Calligraphy
As one of the oldest creative pursuits in the world, calligraphy has more and more purposes as time goes on. It offers an easy way to impress the people around you, and it can be extremely worthwhile for personal, school, or business ventures. The necessary pens and paper usually total $20 or less, and a tutorial book costs around $10. Practicing this skill opens the door to creations that anyone can enjoy, and it also helps save money later on because your own intricate cards or prints don’t cost you anything! Make your creations your own with unique fonts, personalization, or accompanying drawings.
Making jewelry
Oxford uniforms make it difficult for students to show their style, but the freedom of summer can seep into the school year through personalized jewelry! Bracelets, necklaces, and rings offer lasting artistic expression that can still be admired with a red polo and khaki pants. An upfront expense of around $30 should cover a large amount of beads and string, and more specific supplies, such as jewelry glue or chains, won’t cost much either. This is probably the most profitable hobby on this list, since it can easily be sold after you develop unique procedures or themes in your crafts.
Learning a new language
Without the burden of schoolwork, one of the most time-consuming real-world skills can be a fun and methodical pastime. Diving into a new language can not only give you a productive pursuit for the summer, but it can help form long-term connections in future careers and personal relationships. It might require some saving, since most apps take subscriptions of $10 to $15. Options include Rosetta Stone ($11.95 a month for a year), Babbel ($8.95 a month for a year), and the infamous Duolingo (free, but Super Duolingo costs $12.99 a month or $59.99 a year). The many available languages on these platforms open the door to more in-depth vacations, a stronger resume, and a better understanding of our diverse world.
Summer break is a chance to pursue the interests that school leaves no time for, and putting in the effort to learn these new skills makes it that much sweeter. These new hobbies can help you broaden your horizons and take advantage of your freedom!
