Adult Hobbies are (Still) Hard

A few years back, I wrote an article called “Adult Hobbies Are Hard”. It was all about the struggle to find something fun to do as a grown-up—something that’s not too expensive, doesn’t take up all your free time, and actually keeps your interest for more than a week. Spoiler: it’s harder than it sounds.

Fast-forward to now, and guess what? Adult hobbies are still hard. Life hasn’t gotten any less busy, hobbies haven’t gotten cheaper, and I’m still here searching for something fun, fulfilling, and, sustainable. Some hobbies have stuck around (looking at you, plant collection), some were short-lived experiments, and a few… let’s just say they were creative attempts to keep myself entertained.

So, in the spirit of revisiting this never-ending quest, I thought I’d share an update. What’s worked? What hasn’t? And what ridiculous thing did I try this time? Let’s dive in—because adult hobbies are still a journey, and it’s rarely a smooth one.

1. Plants: From One to Forty

Let's start with the most expensive, the most time-consuming, and the hobby that takes up the most space. Plants.

When I moved to Lincoln nearly seven years ago, my mom gave me my first plant--a succulent. At this point, I have over 30. I'm not really sure what happened to be honest. Yes, I bought some of them, but a few were given to me, and I've also propagated a handful as well.

I've also killed my fair share of plants - which is probably a good thing. If every plant I'd ever had was still alive, I'd probably have well over 60 at this point.

When I started on my plant journey, I didn't consider all the extra supplies beyond pots and house plant soil:

• Several Fertilizer and Soil Types
• Orchid Bark and Perlite for extra drainage
• Trellises, Stakes, and Moss Poles
• Moisture Meter (Thanks for buying that one, Mom!)
• Shelves and Grow Lights

I never imagined spending Friday nights watering and pruning plants for hours—but when I fall behind, that’s exactly what happens.

What started as a hobby has turned into a lifestyle.

2. Paint-by-Numbers: A Test of Patience

A few months ago I decided (on a whim, of course) to purchase a paint-by-numbers kit on Amazon. I thought it would be a fun thing to do in the evenings to keep my hands busy rather than scrolling on my phone.

While it definitely accomplishes that goal, it's also going to take way longer than I could've imagine. I'm currently around 15 hours into the project, and I've only gone through 7 of the 24 colors.

It’ll (hopefully) look amazing when it’s done, but stepping back after hours of painting only to see minimal progress? That’s frustrating.

I'll definitely finish this one (it might take six months), but I don't think I'll buy another one.

3. Snails: A Slimy Adventure

It all started with snail TikTok. I became obsessed—how could slimy little creatures be so cute and fascinating?

After months of research, prepping a terrarium, and gathering the necessary supplies, I got my snails.

I knew how to be a responsible snail owner —being one isn't for the weak. Fun fact: snails can lay hundreds of eggs each year. Responsible owners must destroy (read: crush) excess eggs to prevent an invasive snail takeover.

Being a responsible snail owner isn't as easy as it sounds. It's a whole lot of crushing eggs and playing snail god.

Now, I currently have four snails, and none of them are the original three I purchased. Meaning clearly I have not responsibly crushed every single egg lain in my terrarium. I am on my third generation.

What happens if you miss a clutch of eggs and they hatch? Well in the wild, not all snails make it to maturity, so the next step of a responsible snail owner is to identify and humanely euthanize (again, crush) the runts. Crushing the eggs wasn't difficult for me, but I had a harder time with the live snails.

While the snails have continued to be a fun conversation topic, I really don't get any additional enjoyment out of having them anymore. After Kiwi (my largest and friendliest snail) passed, they’ve simply become a responsibility. But don’t worry—they’ll live out their days happy and healthy in their terrarium.

Honorable Mentions: The Almost-Hobbies

Writing on Vocal: My goal for 2024 was to write at least once per month - and I succeeded! We'll be continuing this push into 2025, with the added goal of writing more fiction. Let's get back to our passions!

Bread Baking: Does it count as a hobby if the bread maker does all the work? Probably not—but I’ll still take credit for the delicious results.

Selling Things on Facebook: Is it a hobby or just a never-ending purge of stuff I don’t need? Either way, I’m now an expert at listing items, haggling over prices, and ghosting buyers who ask, "Is this still available?"

Dog Walking: Calling it a “hobby” might be a stretch since it mostly involves me bribing my dog to keep going instead of turning back home every block. It’s less about exercise and more about negotiating skills.

First Dates: Before I met my boyfriend, I went on a lot of first dates—emphasis on "first." Whether you'd call it a hobby or a life crisis is up for debate.

Doom Scrolling: I’ve somehow turned doom scrolling into a hobby—mindlessly absorbing chaos on my phone instead of, you know, doing anything productive. Maybe one day I’ll put it down… or not.

Reading: I read two whole books in 2024. That's two more than 2023. Here's to reading more in 2025.

So, there you have it—a glimpse into my ever-evolving journey of finding hobbies as an adult. Some stick, some don’t, and some are more about keeping myself entertained than anything else. But hey, at least I’m trying, right? The search for fulfilling hobbies might be endless, but it’s also kind of fun in its own chaotic way. Who knows what I'll try next?