Are you a college student looking for a hobby to keep you busy this semester? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
As a recent college graduate, I’ve picked up my fair share of hobbies during my 4 years in college. School can be long and stressful and having some hobbies is a great way to relax and have fun.
What Are Some Hobbies for College Students?
For college students, some fun hobbies include playing sports, hiking and gaming. Hobbies that can make money are social media, flipping items and learning finance. Some more relaxing hobbies are drawing, painting and learning to play an instrument. There are so many different hobbies to try out in college.
In this post, I share 27 hobbies for college students.
27 Hobbies for College Students
Fitness
If you’re in college, fitness is a great hobby to pick up. On campus, there will be a gym that will either be free or very affordable.
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of working out once a day or a few times a week. Not only will it keep you busy, but it will make you look better too.
A good way to start is to go with a friend. At first, the gym can be intimidating. Working out with a friend will make it more fun to exercise and you will feel more comfortable.
Photography
Nowadays, if you have an iPhone or a phone with a good camera you can do photography. Photography is a great way to keep busy and even make some money.
An affordable way to get into photography is to buy a second hand camera. On Facebook marketplace, you can find cameras for really reasonable prices.
A good way to start, is to take pictures around campus. Eventually, you’ll improve and can start working at parties, school events and doing individual photoshoots.
Photography can start as a hobby and become a very good side hustle.
Sports
If you’re in college, a great hobby is playing sports. Soccer, football and frisbee can all be played in a field of grass. Get a few friends together and start playing.
If you’re playing on campus don’t be surprised if other students ask to join in. You can turn a game of soccer into a weekly activity.
Sports are a great way to stay active, meet new people and have fun.
Poker
Poker is a really fun hobby with a big learning curve. It’s quite easy to start, all you need is a deck of cards and a poker set.
When I was in college we would play poker every Thursday. It was a great way to get together with the guys and have a good time.
It’s pretty easy to learn the basics of poker, if you put the time in you can become very good.
Painting
For those who are more artistic, painting is a great hobby to try. It’s quite easy and affordable to start. Pick up some cheap and paints, a cheap canvas and start painting.
If you want to improve, you can take a class or learn new techniques online and on YouTube. Students that paint oftentimes find it a very calming and relaxing hobby.
Eventually, once you develop a style that others enjoy, you can even sell paintings to other students for their dorm rooms.
Finance
Learning finance may not sound fun, but making money is. Finance is a great way to set yourself up for the future and to understand investing.
Online, there are so many ways to learn and understand investing. You can watch YouTube videos, read on reddit and join discord groups.
If you were ever interested in finance, there’s no better time to start learning then right away.
Video Games
Gaming is a great hobby to pick up because there is something for everyone. Whether it’s competitive gaming, playing with friends or playing on your own it’s a great way to pass some time.
If you have some friends that are also into gaming, try playing competitively with them. It’s a fun way to actually work in a team and it will bring your friend group closer together.
YouTube
If you want a hobby that can make you money in the future, try doing YouTube. On YouTube, you can talk about sports, makeup, fashion, gaming or really anything you’re into.
If you have a passion for something, YouTube is a great way to share that passion. You can record videos on your iPhone and edit them using iMovie.
If you make consistent videos and you keep improving your content, eventually you will build an audience.
Social Media
Learning social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook is a great hobby to express yourself, and can even become a side hustle. We all use social media, so why not try to learn how you can turn social media into a business?
Online, there is plenty of good content that will explain how to grow an Instagram and TikTok page.
When I was in college, I knew a few people that would run meme accounts and gaming accounts on Instagram and they would make money doing it.
Baking & Cooking
Being in college is a great time to learn how to cook. When I was younger, I would alway rely on my mom to make me food so I never knew how fun cooking can be.
There is plenty of helpful content online where you can learn how to prepare and cook food. Cooking can be fun if you find exciting recipes that you actually enjoy eating.
The best part cooking and baking is that you get to eat the delicious recipes, and maybe even share with your friends.
Swimming
Most colleges have a pool for students to use on campus. Swimming is a great way to stay in shape, improve your cardio and can be really relaxing.
If you’re looking for a cheap and easy hobby, swimming is a great one to try out!
Reading
I agree, reading can be boring. It took me years to finally find a book that I was actually into. Lesson learned – reading can be fun if you are reading the right book.
Personally, I have a passion for business, so I began by reading business books. Not only was I learning, but reading made me smarter and more knowledgeable.
Recommendations:
- Rich Dad Poor Dad
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
At your college, you will have a library with plenty of free books. If you are looking for a hobby, take a book out and try to read it.
If you prefer to listen to audio books, consider signing up Audible.
Music Production
If you are into music, music production is a cool and fun hobby. Learning what goes into making a song and how to produce music is a valuable skill to learn.
If you have a laptop or computer, there are many programs that you can use to try music production. Once you get the basics down, consider collaborating with other students who are also into music.
Music production can be a very fun hobby to learn and is a great way to meet people who are also into music.
Learning an Instrument
A hobby that will pass the time with a huge learning curve is learning an instrument. Whether it’s the piano, guitar or a violin, it is something you can learn from inside your dorm room.
If you are just getting into the hobby and you are trying not to spend too much money, check out used instruments on Facebook marketplace.
Learning a Language
Learning a language is a great hobby that can come in handy in the future. Knowing multiple languages can be a very valuable asset to have on your resume.
Learning language is time consuming but also rewarding. If you put the time into learning a language you will notice yourself improving.
In the future, if you travel, learning a foreign language will be super beneficial. As someone who knows how to speak French, when I was in France a few years ago, it was a lot easier and definitely enhanced the experience since I understood the language.
Drawing
If you are artistic, drawing can be a very fun hobby – all it takes is a few pencils and a notebook. Drawing is a great hobby to pass the time and is super affordable for college students.
If you want to get into drawing, on YouTube there is plenty of content that will teach you tips, tricks and techniques to improve your skills.
Hiking
Hiking is a great hobby for those who are active and adventurous. If you live near hiking trails, I encourage you to explore them.
A great way to stay active and be in nature is to pick up hiking as a hobby. For more challenging hikes, you will need to train at the gym.
When I was in college I took hiking as a gym class and it gave me a greater appreciation for nature. It was super cool to be out in the trails and explore.
Hiking is quite affordable and if you have a few friends that are into hiking as well, it can be a great way to create some fun memories.
Urban Exploring
If you’re adventurous and like excitement, urban exploring is a great hobby to try out. Exploring abandon buildings or the city you live can be super fun.
Urban exploring can be both dangerous and at times illegal, so be careful! The thrill is not worth any serious consequences, so be cautious when urban exploring.
Magic Tricks
Magic tricks are easily one of the best ways to impress people. As a hobby, learning magic tricks has a huge learning curve and is super cheap to start.
For magic tricks, you can begin by buying a deck of cards and learning how to do basic tricks from YouTube. When I was in college, one of my good friends knew some magic tricks and it was super cool.
My friend was able to turn his hobby into a business by performing at birthday parties, events and for special needs children.
It may sound weird, but learning magic tricks can be a really fun hobby that will impress others.
Flipping Items
Flipping items is a great hobby that can turn into a very profitable business. Clothing, shoes, phones and laptops are great items to flip to other college students.
Flipping items is pretty easy to learn. By using Facebook marketplace, you can look up items and get an idea on how much they sell for.
If you spend a bit of time watching and researching the market, you can buy items for good prices and sell them for more.
When I was in college, I had a friend that would flip laptops as a side hustle. It was a lucrative business that made him a lot of money as a student.
With just a little bit of capital, you can start with one item and eventually have an inventory of products to sell.
Camping
For those who love the outdoors, adventure camping is a really fun hobby. Going camping with some good friends will be a great time.
Camping is a great hobby to pick up and you can make some really awesome memories.
Skiing
If you live in a colder climate, skiing is a fun hobby to try. Skiing tends to be seasonal but is a super fun activity.
If you live near some ski hills, skiing is worth trying. It’s exciting, fun and you’re outdoors.
When I was in college, I had two buddies that loved skiing and got season passes. They would go once or twice a week and to this day they still talk about how fun it was.
Spikeball
Spikeball is a super fun game that you can play anywhere on campus. If you want to exercise while playing a fun game you have to try spikeball.
Spikeball can be found on amazon and is super affordable. You need 4 players and some grass to play and it’s a really good time.
Spikeball can be folded up and put into a drawstring bag. It’s easy to transport and it won’t take up much space in your dorm room.
Writing
If you enjoy writing, consider freelance writing. If you are fast, efficient and good at writing you can make money by helping students with assignments or doing freelance writing for websites.
I had a friend that would help others with English assignments as she was really good at writing. She would charge a bit of money to help create outlines and edit peoples assignments.
If you enjoy writing consider doing this as a hobby.
Dancing
If you either enjoy dancing or want to become a better dancer consider trying it out as a hobby. If you are a good dancer, it will come in handy at parties in college.
You can learn and improve your dancing skills by watching YouTube videos. Online, there are plenty of step by step tutorials for different dance moves.
Bike Riding
If you enjoy the outdoors, bike riding is a really fun hobby. Hopefully, by the time you’re in college you know how to ride a bike but if you don’t it’s never too late to learn.
Biking around campus or the city you live in, is a great way to explore and exercise at the same time.
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is a fun hobby with a huge learning curve. If you want something that will be challenging but also rewarding try skateboarding.
Once you get the basics skateboarding becomes really fun. Trying to do tricks can be frustrating at times but overtime, you will improve and it’s satisfying when you nail a new trick.
Final Thoughts on Hobbies for College Students
If you’re in college and looking for ways to have fun it’s a great time to pick up new hobbies. In this post, we went over 27 hobbies that are actually fun. Hopefully these recommendations make your college experience more exciting.
What’s your favourite hobby to do while you’re in college? Please let me know in the comments below.