Guest article by Cheryl Conklin of Wellnesscentral.info
While hobbies can be fun to learn and practice on your own, they can be particularly fulfilling and fun to learn with a group of friends. While not all hobbies support group learning, there are many that can be easily tailored to group practice and learning. This opens up quite a few doors and allows hobbies to turn into social events. This can be specifically useful for those who have a hard time making new friends or socializing.
Here are some hobbies you might want to invite your friends over for.
Gardening
Gardening is a wonderful, relaxing hobby you can do on your own. However, when you invite friends over, it can become a great social gathering, and you can get a lot more done than you ever could on your own. If you already have a group of friends to garden with, you can easily invite them over to your house to get your planting or harvesting done. If you don’t have room for a garden or do not know anyone who might enjoy gardening with you, you could consider starting a plot at your local community garden, where you can both help your community and meet others who love gardening. If you don’t have a community garden, Money Crashers has a whole article about how to start your own.
Camping
Camping by yourself can be a bewildering event if you have never done it before. It takes a lot more skill than you might expect to set up a tent and start a fire. However, by inviting a few friends along, you can make it a fun event. Super Feet points out that camping with a group of friends means that you can pool resources, which can make camping far cheaper than it would be otherwise. Plus, you can also carpool and divide the chores of the campsite. You’ll need gear such as tents and backpacks, but consider bringing a canopy tent along as well. These tents can protect you from bad weather, and some even have screens to keep bugs away.
Board Games
Can board games really be considered a hobby? We think so! There is a huge selection of board games on the market today, even when just compared to five years ago. In today’s board game world, you even have legacy games, which are meant to be played over multiple sessions. If you are looking for an excuse for you and your friends to get together regularly, this might be just what you need to get started.
Knitting
The repetitive nature of knitting makes it a perfect hobby to do with friends. Once you learn the basics, it is very easy to shift your mind to the conversation and let your hands do the work. Plus, there are lots of projects you can do together with a group of friends, such as making a tablecloth or a larger blanket. Knit nights are a common occurrence, and with knitting becoming increasingly popular, there are bound to be some in your area.
Cooking
Cooking is always more fun when you’re with others. Even if you aren’t very good at cooking, there are plenty of easy recipes you can try. Or, if one of your friends is particularly good, you can work with them to get better! Plus, the best part is that you get to eat whatever you make when you’re done, which makes this hobby double as a dinner party.
Finding a hobby to do with your friends can be great for your social life. After all, hobbies give you an opportunity to work with others in a friendly, cooperative manner. If you have a mental illness or struggle with substance abuse, this can be particularly refreshing. One of the hardest parts of being in recovery is feeling like you’re alone or feeling uncomfortable around others while you’re in a fragile emotional state. Having a hobby can help you set the tone of your social encounters as well as keep them short and sweet.
Who said hobbies were things you had to do by yourself? The next time you decide to garden or play a board game, invite over a bunch of friends and have fun!
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