Try Something New This Summer: Hobbies To Pick Up In 2023
Summer is here and you’ve finally got a good few months to enjoy yourself after a hard year of study at university.
If you are planning on sticking around and staying a bit at your student accommodation to see more of the city, or you are heading back home (or even somewhere else) for a couple of months, what do you plan on doing?
Taking the time to genuinely rest and recuperate is important, of course, but there are a whole host of new summer hobbies that you could pick up for 2023, ranging from the artistic and creative to the physical and the thoughtful.
There’s no pressure on whatever you do. A summer hobby could be something you take seriously and do for years to come, or just be a bit of fun, something you’ve always wanted to try and have some spare time now to do so.
On that note, let’s look at some of the best summer hobbies you could get into this year.
1. Learn A New Language
There is no better time to learn a language than your summer break from university.
It takes plenty of time and practice to learn a new language, and with the extra hours that you have available during your long break from university, this is the perfect chance to do so.
Apps such as Babbel and Duolingo are a great way to build up a positive habit, and they are designed to make learning fun, like playing a game and keeping your streak going every single day.
It is possible to make great strides with a new language if you practice and test yourself every day.
And, this retention of language is even better if you practice speaking in the new language to a real person, so it can tie in with the next of our potential summer hobbies.
Not only is it a great pastime for the summer, but being able to speak another language is a great skill to have for the future.
2. Go Travelling
Put that new lingo to the test by travelling abroad this summer.
Travel might not seem like a ‘hobby’ as such, but taking up travelling as a summer hobby is a great way to see more of the country and more of the world.
Travelling as a student during the summer months is a great thing to do.
Interrailing is one option, travelling around different areas of Europe by train, meeting new people, staying in hostels, learning new languages, and embracing art and culture that expands your mind and horizons.
From city breaks to mountain treks and beach holidays, there are so many travel possibilities.
Just remember that if you do end up on a beach for a couple of weeks that you apply plenty of sun cream and that you’re aware of the dangers of tanning.
3. Take Up Journaling
If you are not journaling already, it is a fantastic way to develop your mind and to understand your emotions.
Whether you decide to keep a straight up, traditional diary where you write down everything that has happened to you and acts as a memory book of your summer story with your friends, or you want to explore deeper feelings and theme with what you write, a journal is always beneficial.
You can take it with you wherever you go and use it as an outlet to explore complex feelings, act as a therapeutic aid, or just as a way of remembering little details that have made you smile during your break.
Although it is one of the best summer hobbies to take up, journaling is also something that you’ll cherish as you enter your next year of study and into post-university life as an adult, a support to your life that you can look back on.
4. Practice Baking and Cooking
Life skills that will serve you well at university and beyond, baking and cooking are great summer hobbies to get into because they are a lot of fun.
If you’ve never done either before than the summer is a great way to start.
In our experience you will find one or the other extremely relaxing and the other stressful.
If you are very lucky, you’ll enjoy both baking and cooking.
Try it out this summer, bake a cake that you’ve always wanted to try as a present for a birthday party, or put together some dishes for a picnic or barbecue with friends.
Baking is very precise, with recipes that must be followed to the detail, whilst cooking is something where you can be a bit more creative and go with the flow.
Again, this comes down to what type of person you are, but there is so much scope within both baking and cooking to have fun and learn new skills.
5. Learn Photography
Photography is such a creative, fulfilling skill to undertake, and the summer is a season where you can take this up as a hobby and have so many different things to photograph.
The flowers are in full bloom, the light is at its best, and you can take photos of all the summer activities you get up to, either alone or with friends.
These can be close-up photos, or of stunning large landscapes, there are many different types of photography that you can practice, from portraits, landscapes, to abstract photography and architecture.
It is enjoyable whether you have any experience and skills or not, with photography classes taught by professionals a fun way to learn more and meet new people, or you can practice on your own.
Camera phones are so good now that you learn tricks on your phone before you progress to buying a physical camera to take out with you.
6. Get Active This Summer
Taking up a sport or regular physical activity doesn’t have to be a chore.
Instead, it can become one of your fun summer hobbies. Getting and staying fit whilst having fun is a fantastic thing to do.
Think of some of the best summer sports that feel great when you play, such as tennis, cricket, taking a football to the park with a group of friends for a kick around once a week, or going out into nature and getting into hiking in the wild.
There are loads of opportunities to get fit and to have fun, exploring new sides to yourself, releasing those endorphins to feel great whilst you are at it.
If you already have a regular workout or exercise regime, the summer provides you with a good chance to move things outdoors.
Whether running, yoga, weights, or something else you train, take advantage of the good weather to move your workout outdoors to get that dose of vitamin D.
7. Try Sketching and Painting
A light breeze flowing around you as you take your sketchbook out and start doodling or drawing those beautiful summer things around you.
You don’t have to be a seasoned artist, or even any good at drawing, to get into sketching this summer as a hobby.
It is the perfect time to clear your mind and sketch away, whatever is around you, whether it’s the city skyline in the distance, a close-up portrait sketch of an insect or a flower that’s in your garden, or of your friends, family, and loved ones in front of you.
A plain piece of paper and a pencil in your hand opens up a whole world of possibilities, it’s fun, breezy, and clears your mind to help you relax during your summer break.
Indulge your creative side in a pretty cheap way, with pencil and paper by your side and blank page to draw on.
8. Have A Green Thumb
You might already have a few plants, or have experience with flowers in a back garden, or window boxes at home, but the summer is a good place to practice if you have no experience or if you want to expand your green repertoire.
There are loads of good resources out there to help you figure out how to get a green thumb and develop your gardening skills during the summer months, including the type of flowers you can plant and what works best for different locations, gardens, yards, and homes.
Gardening can be so relaxing, which is exactly what you want out of your summer break.
When you’ve got the time to leisurely work in the garden, or plan for plants and flowers for your home next year, it can really take the stress away and clear your mind.
One of the perfect summer hobbies out there for you to undertake as a student.
As you can see, there are quite a few different summer hobbies that you could take up this year.
Whether you want to test yourself with a new language, get outdoors and more active, travel, sketch, or more, you can find things to do that are fun, creative, help you relieve some stress, and keep you occupied during your summer break.
Just remember to always include some genuine rest as part of your summer plan, so that you can come back fully recharged for university next academic year.