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From painting and crochet to clay and keeping a junk journal, OTwo Editor Polly Rogers discusses what hobbies you should take up this autumn
With the return to college comes the return to academic pressure; essays, referencing, readings, and after a while, you find yourself becoming a ball of stress. What if there was a way to get away, even just for a little while? Here are some ideas for easy and fun crafts and hobbies. Unlike your lab reports or case notes, these creative outlets can be messy, and mistakes aren't just allowed but welcomed. Providing a relaxing yet productive release, they more than balance out the perfection required for the more pressing and important tasks on your to-do list.
Painting
Inexpensive and small to store, a little tray of watercolour paints could hold more joy than you would think. Watercolour is a messy medium where nothing is permanent; you can wash away your mistakes, tweak and change with ease. Sketch beforehand for structure, and then add colour; it's the most relaxing and stress-free form of painting. If it dries, just dampen it and keep going. Obscure seascapes and skies are a watercolour must; playing around on paper, you can see how the colours swirl and form.
Clay
Going back to my Play-Doh days of childhood, air-dry clay is a fun and useful malleable art form to help you relax through creation. You can purchase it in almost any craft shop for less than a tenner and end up with the cutest and quirkiest little pieces. It can be moulded into anything at all: a blob or a swirl, a creature or even a shape. Your imagination (and maybe some Pinterest inspo) is your limit. When dry, you can paint and varnish to keep these pieces as permanent knick-knacks, jewellery dishes or candle holders.
Crochet
With skinny scarves back in style, I'm personally planning to pick up this hobby between readings. Crochet is an easy-to-learn skill that, like knitting, weaves wool into items. Where it differs from knitting? It's not as rigid and precise; there is a flow and some leeway when it comes to tension - if you drop a stitch, it isn't the end-all, be-all. If you were a Rainbow Loom expert, this should come easy to you as a grown-up (in age...). With so many resources online, all you need is a hook and a ball of thread to get started. Best of all, you can make yourself clothes and accessories! Be it a bag, hat or even a scarf, it's really up to you.
One little tip I would give you is to remember that Ireland is cold, and while it's a way to unwind, it’s also a great investment of your time. Learn to crochet, and your wardrobe will thank you.
Junk Journal
A diary meets a memory box, in a DIY format. A junk journal is a way to decompress and reflect, while allowing you to splash glitter on Pritt Stick and shove gems, stickers and bows onto a page. The way we crafted as kids was carefree; there was no pressure to make a perfect picture. It was whatever we wanted to do. We could be impulsive and scribble - cut up a cereal box and spell out our name. Whatever you want to make - do!