POPSUGAR Hobbies

Suddenly Birding Is the Hot-Girl Hobby of the Year

Emma Glassman-Hughes — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 06:00:02 -0700

For Captain Ahab, it was a white whale. For Quint from "Jaws," it was a great white shark. For Bonner Black, it was a roseate spoonbill, a wading bird with bright pink plumage and a long beak that resembles a piece of flatware. The Nashville-based musician was driving on the backroads of Costa Rica a couple months ago, eyes fixed on the surrounding greenery, when her friend in the driver's seat exclaimed "FLAMINGO!" Before she knew it, Black had jumped out of the moving car, catching only a passing glimpse of the roseate spoonbill - not even long enough to raise her phone for a picture - before it flew off.

"I love that that was how I saw it because I just got it for a second, one perfect second," she tells Popsugar. "That's how moments are, that's how time works. Soak in life as it comes, and then let it go."

Black only resembles those famous literary hunters insofar as her obsession has driven her to some light madness, at least enough to jump out of a moving vehicle. But unlike Ahab and Quint, she's not out for blood. In fact, quite the opposite. She's part of a growing movement of amateur birdwatchers, and she's one of this new generation's brightest stars. Her birding videos, which amassed 15 million views across platforms in 2024, have helped turn a wholesome (if otherwise overlooked) pastime into the hot-girl hobby of the year.

Experts Featured in This Article

Corina Newsome is a wildlife biologist and a conservation scientist at the National Wildlife Federation.

Now, it could be because I'm a nerd, but lately my feed has been flooded with birding content. I'm scrolling through informational rants about bird dialects, freak-outs about barred owls, hungover visits to shorebird festivals, and best friends interrupting their sexcapade recaps with excited birdspotting - all of which have brought me flickers of joy in an otherwise scary and depressing digital landscape. I've also noticed something about the videos I'm being served: none feature David Attenborough lookalikes (god love him). They're made by creators who are at least 60-70 years younger, usually pretty funny, and sometimes very gorgeous.

"I feel like I got my sparkle back from birding."

Birding - the act of watching, listening to, and sometimes tracking birds in the wild - has long been considered a hobby for the well-to-do, and a form of leisure that has a slight "geriatric tinge," as Black cheekily puts it. But the face of birding is changing, thanks to the internet and social media and even the pandemic, a period that saw a surge of enthusiasm for birding among people who might never have otherwise had the time or motivation to deepen their intimacy with the natural world. And the momentum hasn't slowed since.

Black first started birdwatching as a joke, the way someone might take up underwater basketweaving or fencing. She'd recently started making music and content full time, juggling brand deals on social media while also nursing a broken heart after a bad breakup. She was feeling burnt out and passionless and wondered if she could jolt herself back to stasis by trying out the most random hobby she could think of. So she bought a $40 pair of binoculars and a Tennessee bird book, "and within a month I was just addicted to the chase," she says. "I feel like I got my sparkle back from birding."

Now her online persona is a mix of touring musician, avid birdwatcher, and birding memelord, often combining all three by incorporating birding outings into her music touring schedule. She's just as likely to be found in the wild, taking fans on exclusive bird-related treks before or after her shows, as she is on TikTok and Instagram, asking people questions like which birds they wouldn't let their sister date.

It's online where birding has really taken off. There are thousands of birder Facebook and Reddit groups full of threads where people discuss a shared love of birds and fight each other over specific bird identifications. Birder romance has even cropped up as the latest niche category of romantic fiction, and "Birding With Benefits," a novel, was recently picked up by Hallmark. (According to Black, it features some great X-rated scenes.)

"Watching birds connects you to the rest of the world, wherever you are."

Some birding affinity groups have been around for years. Black Birders Week, for example, was started in 2020, after an infamous confrontation in Central Park led to a white woman falsely accusing prominent Black birder Christian Cooper of threatening her life. Atlanta-based conservation scientist Corina Newsome was instrumental in the formation of that first summit and still attends each year when she can.

Newsome knows the feeling of being underestimated and misjudged in a birding context because of her gender, skin color, and age. In the early days of her career, she was often the youngest and only non-white person in her cohort. "People would question my knowledge a lot," she recalls.

Lots of more inclusive birding groups have emerged since the Christian Cooper incident, she tells Popsugar, "to provide a space where you are not the only one of your identity and where you can feel comfortable to ask questions that may be perceived as being novice." Because, she adds, "if birds knew how elitist people were being about looking at them, these people would be embarrassed."

When I caught up with her, Newsome had just finished a stint as a guest educator at a summer camp in Colorado where she used birding to teach Black kids ages 14 to 17 "the importance of identifying living things in their surroundings." It was her fourth summer at the camp, and every year she says the teens are "obsessed." This year's kids were especially intrigued by her lesson on hummingbirds and how they can migrate all the way from Mexico or even further. "Watching birds connects you to the rest of the world, wherever you are," she says.

As a biologist, Newsome sees the widespread popularity of birding as not only a conservation win but a social justice imperative. Birders, regardless of their "skill" or dedication levels, are citizen scientists. Every time they log a bird that they spot - whether they're using the Merlin bird identification app or Ebird, two birdwatching databases run by Cornell University - they're collecting data that trained scientists like Newsome can then use to write grants or direct additional resources to wherever those birds are found, whether it's a Nebraskan plain or a city block in Atlanta.

"Professionals like me use this data to figure out where to go, so if our communities don't have data, we skip over them," she explains.

Of course, not all birders are diligent note-takers who set out to discover a brand new species or somehow reverse climate change with a pair of binoculars and a dream. And in fact, Newsome says, a big part of why birding is so popular now is because of its simplicity. "If you like looking and listening for birds, then you're a birder," she says. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that. "Personally, I am constantly in a state of birding. I bird every time I can see or hear outside."

"It's like a treasure hunt, there's a dopamine hit."

Still, she believes birding might actually change the world, especially as we live through what she calls "an environmental emergency." "The increase in popularity of birding gives me a lot of hope, because people record what they see, and a lot of these new birders live in cities," she says. Cities are home to a surprising array of wildlife, and will play an important role as climate change worsens. The more we optimize cities for biodiversity, she says, the more we invest in tree cover and shade and even things like coastline restoration and flood management - all important infrastructure for city-dwelling humans, too. "The more we record where these [birds] are, the more these things get illuminated."

So yes, birding is a powerful tool for climate resiliency and racial justice. But it's also just . . . really fun. For Newsome, "it's like a treasure hunt, there's a dopamine hit," especially during migration season, when you're bound to spot some unexpected critters.

Black feels the same way. She's what they call in the birding world a "lister," a playfully derogatory term for someone who obsessively keeps a list of every bird they've ever seen. "Last year I saw 304 species. This year I'm going for 350," she tells me.

It's that energy - that all-in feeling - that immediately had her hooked when she first started birding all those years ago. "If anything, being in the birding community has reminded me how much we're all kindergarteners at heart," she says. "We all just want to be accepted, we just want to be excited about something. We all have wonder."

Emma Glassman-Hughes (she/her) is the associate editor at PS Balance. In her seven years as a reporter, her beats have spanned the lifestyle spectrum; she's covered arts and culture for The Boston Globe, sex and relationships for Cosmopolitan, and food, climate, and farming for Ambrook Research.

Taylor Swift Is Giving "Granny Hobbies" the Recognition They Deserve

Taylor Andrews — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:45:02 -0700

It used to be the case that the moment you hit retirement, you officially became a part of an exclusive club - a club filled with plenty of life wisdom, Werther's Original candies, and perhaps most importantly, "granny hobbies." Knitting, crocheting, sewing, and playing mahjong were all activities reserved for people once they hit the geriatric life stage. But now? Granny hobbies are finally getting the recognition they deserve from everyone, no matter their age.

On the Aug. 13 episode of "New Heights," Taylor Swift shared that she's on her "granny shit" in her free time. "All my hobbies could be characterized as hobbies you could have had in the 1700s," she says. "I like to sew - I specialize in children's purses and baby blankets. I love to paint, I love to cook, I have a different baking obsession every six months. Right now, we're very deep in a sourdough obsession."

But Swift isn't the only one partaking in the trend. On TikTok, many content creators are showing off their newfound granny hobbies, too. Content creator Alex James posted a now viral video showing all the sweaters she knit last year. "Maybe I'm brave enough to try knitting a sweater finally," one commenter said. In another TikTok, a different content creator shared her most popular crochet pattern. There's even some viral videos on how to start gardening as a beginner.

So, why are younger generations suddenly leaning into hobbies that used to be reserved for their grandparents? It may be that people are tired of their phones. After years of being glued to the phone and doomscrolling through bad news, people are craving something slower - something that doesn't involve staring at a screen for hours. Granny hobbies, with their repetitive, hands-on nature, offer the perfect escape. There's something deeply satisfying about creating something tangible, whether it's a cozy sweater, a ripe tomato, or a perfectly crusty loaf of sourdough bread.

Take this as your sign to go full granny mode.

People also want new ways to practice self-care. Because many zillennials don't have hobbies at all, granny hobbies have become easy, low-effort interests to pursue.

In addition to being a productive way to pass time, these granny hobbies also come with mental health benefits, too. One study published in the National Library of Medicine found that knitting helped people with eating disorders manage their anxiety, with 74 percent of the participants stating that it had a "calming" and "therapeutic effect." In a different study published in the National Library of Medicine, researchers found that crocheting made almost 90 percent of the 8,391 individuals in the study feel calmer. Gardening has also been linked to an increase in quality of life, as another study showed the positive association with gardening and reducing depression, anxiety, stress, and mood.

There's also a social aspect to the granny hobby renaissance. What was once a solo activity is now becoming something people are doing to find community. Those already in their granny hobby era are connecting with other individuals who are also interested in playing with balls of thorn. They're throwing parties, having game nights, and hosting cookbook clubs. And let's be honest, nothing bonds people more than a game of mahjong.

At the end of the day, the rise of granny hobbies is largely due to people wanting to find joy again. In a political climate where the future seems unclear and people's rights are on the line, making something with your own two hands can help you feel more in control. These hobbies offer a kind of fulfillment that not even the current administration can squander.

So if you've been wishing you could learn how to sew or you have been influenced to dive into the world of sourdough starters, take this as your sign to go full granny mode. Your mind (and your screen-time report) will thank you.

Taylor Andrews is the senior balance editor at Popsugar, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.

This "Snail Mail Swap" Is Rewriting Adult Friendships

Emma Glassman-Hughes — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 06:15:02 -0700

At 42, Lacey Richter's social life almost stalled out. She lives in Austin, TX, where she's raising a teenager and runs a kids' retail shop, and lately it seemed her circle was shrinking.

"It's really hard to make friends when you're older. You're just working and parenting and you're literally just tired," she tells Popsugar.

Of all things, it was a fateful Instagram scroll that cracked her world back open. In January, one of her dopamine-follows, Australian craft evangelist Martina Calvi (@martinamartian), announced the start of a snail mail swap, encouraging her followers to comment on the post in search of new pen pals. It was the second year in a row Calvi had offered something like this, and Richter's first time adding herself to the mix. She commented on the thread - one of nearly 7,000 - identifying herself as a "small business operator/taylor swift super fan/single mom to a teenage girl & handsome cat fella." A few months later, she had three consistent pen pals in her rotation.

The snail mail swap community that Calvi kick-started casts a wide net but appeals to a particular kind of journaling and letter-writing enthusiast. In our screen-obsessed world, snail mail itself is nostalgic, but the mail these pen pals send is far more elaborate than the simple handwritten notes that many millennials grew up sending to faraway camp friends back in the 1990s and early aughts. Many of Calvi's fans are crafters themselves, so they adorn their mail with stickers and trinkets and sometimes original art and designs.

It's snail mail for the digital age: as much about the aesthetic of the contents as the messages they contain - prime fodder for photographs or scans that can be shared as "inspo" on social media. And in that way, Calvi has opened the door for thousands of chronically online types to embrace an analog hobby that straddles both the on- and offline worlds.

"The snail mail swap started as a way to bring people together through tangible creativity," Calvi tells PS. "I'm passionate about offline community-building, and something about letter-writing is so nostalgic and intentional and completely at odds with the instant nature of communication online."

There's a belief that there's value in sharing more than what can be gleaned from a post on a screen.

The swap - and the thousands of pen pal relationships it's sparked - have been a reminder for Richter of how isolating social media overuse can be, and how draining it is to rely on social media as one's primary mode of connection. But the swap is not an especially anti-internet or luddite approach. The pen pals likely would never have been introduced without social media, after all. Many of them now follow each other on Instagram, and some post about their snail mail escapades. Still, there's a belief that there's value in sharing more than what can be gleaned from a post on a screen - and that there's a different, more personal way to share it.

"I hadn't sent letters in such a long time that I forgot you don't get the letter back in a day," Richter laughs. "It's not the instant gratification that we're used to."

She grew up pen palling with her kindergarten best friend several years before the proliferation of social media, and remembers the whole thing feeling different. It was very old-school, she says, whereas now she gets to relive it, but with "even more cool things than there used to be."

For her current 21-year-old pen pal, however, a world with social media is the only world she's known. Richter cherishes their generational divide, having received letters from that pen pal about moving in with her first longterm boyfriend, and about figuring out her passions at college. "It feels so pure, she just has her whole life ahead of her," Richter says. "It's really sweet to read about, and to tap back into that kind of feeling myself."

Another of Richter's pen pals, however, is at a more similar life stage to her own. Jessie Turbiville, 31, is a fellow mom, business owner, and Texan. She grew up pen palling through an American Girl program in the early 2000s, and has been dedicated to the analog arts ever since. Though she's now married, Turbiville was single and 18 when she was pregnant with her daughter. Richter and Turbiville have connected over their shared experiences with everything from single motherhood to therapy and running a business.

"We have a quiet understanding that no matter what capacity we're each in, whatever is sent is welcomed and appreciated as enough."

"It's hard to find and connect with women (sometimes just in general, ha) who are a little ahead of you - willing to share what they've learned and what they're still figuring out," Turbiville wrote over email. "Pen palling with Lacey feels easy. It's like we have a quiet understanding that no matter what capacity we're each in, whatever is sent is welcomed and appreciated as *enough*."

While it's a fluke that all of Richter's pen pals are based in or near Texas, many thousands of commenters came to Calvi's post from all over the world. In this way, the snail mail swap has allowed people like Sanyukta Shandilya, one of the swap's more prolific and committed pen pallers, to "travel" the world vicariously. Based in New York City, Shandilya regularly corresponds with people on multiple continents and collects the treasures they send her, like collages, photos, candies, tea packets, family recipes, and postcards.

When she told her Italian pen pal that she's always wanted to see Italy, she received dozens of recommendations in the mail about the most over- and underrated spots to visit. Another pen pal, based in Mexico, sometimes sends Shandilya original photographs with Spanish writing on the back, which Shandilya plugs into Google Translate. She also has longstanding exchanges with pen pals in Australia and one in Hong Kong.

Shandilya returns the favor when she can, too, like last year when she visited her parents in India for three weeks. The packages she sent out right after that trip were some of her favorites, filled with regional Indian stamps, cloth coasters she picked up from a flea market, and newspaper clippings with lines about her hometown. It was on that trip that she discovered a whole trove of old postcards she'd received in her childhood from her dad, who was away for long stretches of time for work. Those cards had meant enough for her to hold onto them for over 20 years.

Turbiville and Richter keep everything they receive from their pen pals, too. Turbiville has an elaborate filing system for the originals and even scans and saves digital copies of all her snail mail, often posting the spreads on her Instagram, which Richter follows. Richter secretly always hopes her mail will make the cut, which motivates her to ensure all of her sends are extra cute - even the letters that are a little bit more emotional.

Recently Richter was working on a letter to Turbiville as the anniversary of a loss loomed, she says. She wanted to share some of how that was making her feel, but first asked Turbiville if she'd be comfortable receiving mail from her that dealt with some heavier stuff. Turbiville gave her the green light, and assured her she could tell her everything.

"It's this weird safeness that you feel. There's no judgment," Richter says of her pen pal connections. "I can't wait to write this super serious letter and then put Hello Kitty stickers all over it."

TikTok's "Chaos Party" Is For Mischief-Makers Only

Emma Glassman-Hughes — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:40:02 -0700

With so much chaos swirling around us today - political chaos, climate chaos, "Love Island" chaos - it's time to take some chaos into our own hands. And before you say it: No, I'm not talking about hosting an orgy. (Though I love where your head is at.) I'm talking about throwing your own version of what one TikToker has christened a "chaos party," or an elaborate theme party with a robust list of nonsensical rules that will have your guests losing their minds from all the fun (and quite possibly frustration) that is sure to ensue.

The chaos party - a very different take on another internet favorite, "hostingcore" - got the world's attention this week when high school math teacher Kimberly Clark revealed how she masterminded one several years ago with her college roommates. What she described in her original video was a house party for which all 70 attendees received individualized "missions," to be completed by the end of the night. Some missions involved starting a conga line; others involved thwarting said conga line. Some required doing a load of laundry with five items of clothing from five different people. Some involved pickpocketing guests in the living room and hiding the treasures in the couch.

The irony of this party devoted to chaos was that it was anchored by a long list of rules. Clark said she and her roommates communicated those rules via a big poster hung on the wall, dictating when guests could speak (if the lights were off, they could only hum), what guests could wear (hats were required for entry into the "jazz room"), and what guests had to carry (something in each pocket, easy bait for the pickpockets).

While elements of this party sound like my personal nightmares (when did casual small talk and hiding awkwardly in the corner go out of style?), commenters on Clark's videos seemed delighted by the whimsy. Many expressed their delayed FOMO for not having been invited, and their remorse at not being part of this friend group. Some lovingly called it "diabolical" and "calculated." And some even dared to envision other iterations of the chaos party, like the dreamer who commented: "ok this but everyone's task is to clean a random part of my home." Inspiring.

In subsequent videos, Clark laid out even more details about how the party came to life, divulging that in the days leading up, the whole thing was shrouded in mystery. The event title on the original Facebook invite was just "[event]," and there were very few clues as to what guests could expect. Someone who appears to be one of the old roommates commented on Clark's video: "you're forgetting that we only posted the rules 24 hours before the event and until then it was just a blank event on fb."

Even with nothing but the blank event, Clark said 70 of the 100 people they invited RSVP'd, leaving her viewers to wonder how the roommates were able to confirm so many guests before any information was even shared. Clark replied in the comments: "Yeah we had a reputation for great parties."

Indeed, the chaos party was not Clark's first rodeo. She and those roommates apparently hosted other legendary college parties, too, like a "Skype Interview" party - before Zoom was a thing. The dress code was "business on top, party on the bottom." They threw a middle school–themed party where everyone wore "middle school clothes" and played a platonic version of "seven minutes in heaven" in the closet. And on leap day 2020 they threw a "Frog Loko" party. (Don't ask me to explain that one.)

While all of them sound fun, the chaos party theme was a particularly prescient reflection of the chaos of our current times. And while a lot of what's happening around us can feel, well, out of our control, one thing we can do is reclaim a bit of that chaos for ourselves, harness that energy, and use it to throw an epic party.

My Book Club Swapped Wine For Weed - Here's How It Went

Elliott Harrell — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:25:02 -0700

I've smoked weed exactly once in my life, and I hated it.

I was a freshman in college and the experience, fraught with intense feelings of panic and paranoia, meant it wouldn't be another ten years before I flirted with marijuana again, this time in the form of a few nibbles of a weed cookie. While I escaped all of the negative side effects from my first experience, I was so chilled out that I was practically glued to a chair for hours. It wasn't a feeling I loved, and I concluded that marijuana in any form was probably not for me.

So when my friends found out that I'd started drinking THC drinks - containing the same active ingredient in marijuana that will get you high - they were floored. I'd seen THC drink options pop up on a few local restaurant menus, which prompted a rabbit hole expedition to learn more about them and subsequently led to me giving them a try.

The promise of getting a buzz sans booze appealed to me. As someone who likes a glass of wine a few nights a week to unwind, but who is also trying to shed a few pounds and becoming more health-conscious, it seemed like drinking a THC beverage could kill two birds with one stone.

Through trial and error, I've found that having 2-3 milligrams of THC combined with 4-5 milligrams of CBD makes me feel like I've had a fairly hefty glass of wine. I get the same sort of head-buzz I would with wine - except without sleep disruptions or that subsequent morning drag.

My friends were intrigued, but the general consensus seemed to be that they were scared to try them. I threw out an idea to the group: with our next book club meeting approaching, would they want to try the THC drinks together? There would be safety in numbers, and having a shared experience might make those who were curious more amenable to giving it a try. The answer then was overwhelmingly yes.

Leading up to the book club, there was a certain level of giddiness among the group. And on the night of, I arrived slightly early to ice down the drinks. I had promised everyone that I'd bring a low dose option to try to mitigate any potential for someone to experience unpleasant side effects from having too much.

As we sat gathered around, some with various flavors of Cann in our hand and some opting just to observe, it struck me that we were acting exactly like high schoolers about to have their first sip of alcohol at a big house party.

I remember my first drink, holding a Smirnoff Ice and excited by the prospect of trying it but also nervous for how it would make me feel. I'd asked several other friends in attendance who'd already had their maiden drink what I should expect, if I was going to be drunk, and whether I would be hungover in the morning.

The same questions I had asked over 20 years ago were now coming to me as the only experienced person in the room. I fielded questions and concerns about how long it would take to feel an effect (30-40 minutes), how long the effect would last (90 minutes to two hours), and whether they were likely to enjoy the experience (yes). Timidly, they started to sip on their drinks.

As they did so, I posed a question: "What would your partner say if you told them you were going to go have a few glasses of wine with your friends?" Predictably, the answers were supportive. But the next question made them bristle, as I asked, "What would your partner say if you told them you were going to go get a little high with your friends?" I quickly followed that with, "Did you tell your partner you were trying THC drinks tonight?"

I had asked my husband the same questions, too. He thought for a second before admitting that it would make him feel uncomfortable if I told him on the way out the door that I was going to go get high with my girlfriends. He couldn't put his finger on why exactly it was jarring and uncomfortable, even though he conceded that my usual glass of wine would have a similar effect.

We've made drinking alcohol a widely accepted societal norm, and it's even considered acceptable to occasionally completely overdo it while drinking. The pervasive "mommy wine culture" means no one blinks when girlfriends get together to drink a few bottles of wine.

THC in any form, though, feels like it still carries a heavy stigma even though these industrial hemp beverages are legal in a majority of states. Considering alcohol's known negative effects, it's a frustrating double standard that it's more widely accepted to drink.

The women admitted they had been nervous to tell their partners they'd be trying a THC drink for fear that they wouldn't approve, with one telling me flat-out that she wouldn't be telling her husband. All of them said they would, however, tell their husbands about drinking anything alcoholic with friends, without pause.

As the night went on, they started to feel the effects of the drink. I had been nervous that they would all hate it and that I would feel responsible for ruining their night, so I let out a big sigh of relief when the positive reviews came rolling in. They, too, become excited about the benefits I'd been pitching them. And as parents of small kids, none of us can afford to feel remotely sluggish in the morning.

As for the book club discussion itself? Well, we're a book club that probably does more chatting than deep-diving, and not everyone reads the book all the time to begin with (hi!), but we did have a lively conversation about "James," a current bestseller that reimagines the story of Huck Finn.

Our book club tends to get more spirited as the second and third glasses of wine hit, with our voices getting louder and louder. This time around, however, the discussion was definitely more chill and our tongues weren't quite as loose as they typically are.

Will we get together on a regular basis to drink THC? I bet so, although I suspect it will take some time to get to that point. In the meantime, there'll be plenty of new releases to keep us busy.

Elliott Harrell is a Raleigh, NC-based freelance writer with two little girls who runs a sales team by day and writes about things she's passionate about, like women's health, parenting, and food, at night. In addition to PS, her work can be found in The Everymom, Motherly, Business Insider, Eater, and more.

The $5,092 Cost of Being a Formula 1 Fangirl

Jordana Comiter — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 06:05:01 -0700

Welcome to Show the Receipts, a series where we ask interesting people to share exactly how much it costs to get shit done. No matter the task, we're tracking every last dollar from start to finish. Up next: being a Formula 1 "fangirl."

As a young girl, Kristen Foster never imagined becoming an F1 fangirl one day, but in many ways, it was inevitable. She grew up as what she calls "Formula 1-adjacent" - her dad and brother were devoted fans of the Australian racing series V8 Supercars, and naturally, her favorite movie was Pixar's "Cars."

"I was destined to fall in love with motorsport," she tells PS. After diving into Netflix's "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" in early 2022, she quickly became obsessed. And around this same time, the sport was undergoing what's since been referred to as a "fangirlification." By March 2023, she attended her first Grand Prix, a pivotal moment that actually turned her newfound hobby into a career.

"I noticed that the sport was gaining popularity amongst young people, particularly girls, yet the sport wasn't as welcoming for that demographic at the time," she says. Determined to change that, Foster began creating F1 content on TikTok because she "wanted to make young girls feel welcomed and valued in the motorsports space."

But being an F1 fangirl isn't just a small hobby; it's a full-time fandom. "It honestly does remind me of the cult following of One Direction or Justin Bieber," she says. But like most passions, it also comes at a high cost.

"Formula 1 is known as a luxurious heritage sport," which "comes at a high price point," she says. And with any high-profile event, you often have to dress to the nines: Formula 1 even recently announced a partnership with Louis Vuitton, and over the years, it's solidified its status as a fashion-forward event. "What I wear is a big part of it," Foster says, "and I spent a fair bit on the outfits."

So how does it all net out? Below, we've asked Foster for a glimpse into her F1 fangirl expenses. Full disclosure: Not all F1 fangirls are also content creators like Foster, but the below numbers reflect a year in Foster's life, including the cost of attending the Australian Grand Prix, investing in new creator equipment, and experiencing Glamour on the Grid (a prestigious, exclusive event she describes as the "F1 Met Gala").

Here's the full price breakdown.

Task: Being a Formula 1 fan
Occupation: F1 content creator and freelance graphic designer
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Timeline: January-December 2024

The Receipts

Australian Grand Prix 2024 access: $378 for a four-day grandstand ticket
Airfare: $366
Australian Grand Prix accommodation: $1,323 for four nights
Food and drink: $95 during Grand Prix weekend
Merch: $536
Australian Grand Prix outfits: $800
Glamour on the Grid event attire: $473
Glamour on the Grid makeup: Free using a loyalty reward program
Glamour on the Grid accommodation: $504
F1 TV subscription: $22 per year
Red Flags Podcast Patreon membership: $129 per year
Creator equipment: $466
Total: $5,092

Note: currency has been converted from Australian to US dollars.

How I Did It

As a content creator, Foster has enjoyed some perks, including receiving merchandise from a few of her favorite teams. However, the majority of the expenses tied to her F1 experience come out of her own pocket. Here, she shares her insights and offers advice for those looking to become an F1 fangirl and attend a Grand Prix.

PS: What was the most surprising expense from the year?
Kristen Foster: Accommodation. Last year was super intense, and I booked my accommodation the day the race weekend was announced, which was six months in advance. I don't think it's worth splurging on accommodation because track days are so long that by the time you get back to your hotel, you're having a shower and going to bed. You don't really enjoy the hotel side of things. This upcoming year, I'm staying in the suburbs to save money there.

PS: Where were you able to save?
KF: Merch. It's expensive, but there are all kinds of retailers that can offer pieces that bring the price points down. Abercrombie offers a bunch of team merch, and I usually get my stuff from there. A tee at Abercrombie would be around $31, but if you got the merch from the actual team, it would be upwards of $75.

In terms of budgeting with the food at the track and everything else, my mindset is knowing that it's going to be pretty expensive [at the race]. I made sure I had a big breakfast before I went to the track, but the food at the Aus GP is really good as they collaborate with local restaurants, so I was willing to spend the money to really enjoy it.

PS: Which expense was worth the splurge?
KF: Getting grandstand tickets rather than a general admission park pass. You get a designated seat for the weekend. In Australia, if you're in a grandstand area, you're likely to get a screen on the other side of the track. The cars drive by so quickly that you literally get one second of real-life action, but then you can watch them on the other side of the screen, so I definitely think a grandstand pass is worth the splurge.

PS: What advice would you give to other F1 fangirls about finances?
KF: I definitely think there are ways to go about it cheaper. For your first Grand Prix, you could get away with getting a general admissions pass. They tend to be cheaper, it just means that you don't have a designated seat and have to stand for the entire four days. You also probably don't need an F1 TV subscription because you can watch it mostly on YouTube, which is free. The F1 subscription is to watch the archived races or get more specific detailed knowledge from experts, but I wouldn't say it's necessary to get into the sport.

If you want to be an F1 creator, you can save money with the creator equipment. I would say that's not a big necessity, but it was something that I wanted to do to improve my content, and I have heard feedback that my content is better when I use the things that I've bought. But you could definitely get cheaper alternatives on Amazon.

Final Thoughts

For Foster, looking back on her costs was eye-opening - but it also reinforced a lot of takeaways that she's already applied to this forthcoming season. (Yes, she is re-wearing some of her outfits, including the $233 orange Adidas Sambas she got to rep her favorite team.)

"There were learning lessons, but I definitely think it was worth it overall," she says. "Last year was the first time I went to the event as a content creator, so I really wanted to invest in the moment and make the most of the weekend. I don't have any regrets."

While she's stuck to the Australia Grand Prix for three years now, she's already begun saving for her next race and is hoping to travel a little further next time. The dream? The Monaco Grand Prix, which, yes, comes with a "hefty price tag."

Jordana Comiter is a Florida-based freelance writer who loves writing about entertainment, wellness, and dating trends. Her work has appeared in PS, Women's Health, People, and Business Insider, among others. She is a proud graduate of Tulane University and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

The Inspiration You Need to Start Junk Journaling

Kaley Rohlinger — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 05:10:02 -0800

Seeking a new, screen-free hobby? You might want to consider junk journaling. It's cheap (practically free), sustainable, and a no-rules way to express your creativity. But if you're thinking junk journaling is like traditional journaling, think again - this activity is more like collaging than putting pen to paper.

To get started, all you need to do is gather some junk from around your house and grab an empty journal (or even an old book!) and an adhesive. And when we say junk, we mean it: Everything counts, from scrap mail to food packaging and coffee sleeves.

Fewer hobbies are more accessible, approachable, and affordable than junk journaling. PS spoke with several content creators and expert junk journalers to get insider tricks and tips on this budding art form.

Experts Featured in This Article

Rebekah Reese is a social media content creator who shares junk journaling process videos.

Kalli LeVasseur is a content creator and the cofounder of Cool Kids Craft Club.

Madi Cordura is a content creator with a passion for memory keeping and crafting.

Tatyiana Gordon is an aspiring lifestyle content creator who focuses on crafting, coffee, traveling, and vlogging.

Alexia, who posts as @alexrchive, is a junk journaling enthusiast and crafty content creator.

What Is Junk Journaling?

Junk journaling is exactly what it sounds like, content creator Rebekah Reese tells PS. It entails taking what would otherwise be considered "junk" (receipts, cute napkins, product packaging, paper, etc.) and gluing it into a notebook as a method of journaling.

"I like to think of it as scrapbooking's fun, carefree younger sister," says Cool Kids Craft Club cofounder Kalli LeVasseur. "While scrapbooking often brings to mind perfectly squared edges, matching papers, and meticulously placed coordinating stickers, junk journaling embraces a more relaxed, imperfect vibe. Think: ripped edges, layered textures, and even everyday items like receipts."

Junk journaling is a great hobby for anyone who wants to document memories, reflect on their day or week, or just get their hands a little dirty and start creating something. LeVasseur calls the result a mix of art, personal storytelling, and memory keeping.

@alexiasrchive
another journal with me! this time im making a fruit sticker page since ive started collecting fruit stickers <3 also i love making these even if it takes forever to edit LOL #journal #scrapbooking #junkjournal #journaling #stickers #fyp #journalideas #journalwithme #creative #diy #scrapbook #junkjournalideas #journalspread
♬ Space Girl by Francis Forever sped up - Audio Acre

What Is the Goal of Junk Journaling?

All the creators PS spoke to agree that there's no single goal of junk journaling - the experience is whatever you want it to be. "Like any form of journaling, it can be deeply personal, and the goal can vary by person or even by entry," LeVasseur says. It could serve as a creative outlet, a memory keeper, or a way to practice sustainability, says junk journal enthusiast Alexia, aka @alexrchive.

For some, junk journaling is a way to document daily experiences, and for others, it's simply a way to express themselves through creating art. "For me, it's both," Reese says. "I've created a journal spread using a trail map and a parking receipt from a really fun hiking trip I took, but I've also created a spread with some paper and butterfly stickers just to make pretty art."

How to Make a Junk Journal

The universal advice is to just start! "The great thing about junk journaling is that it's such an easy hobby to start, and you don't need to be super creative to do it," Reese says. Collect some junk, grab a notebook and an adhesive, and start playing around.

And don't be intimidated about "getting it right" the first time: "The great thing about junk journaling is that if you try something and don't love it, you can always just cover those spots with new junk or a doodle," LeVasseur says. She also recommends keeping things simple when you first start out, and using what's already around you - junk journaling is meant to be a low-to-no-cost hobby.

Junk Journal Ideas, According to Pros

Don't stress about journaling a specific number of times a week, or making the pages look perfectly "aesthetic," Alexia says. Putting too much pressure on yourself might lead you to stop journaling altogether.

If you're not sure how to get started, or you want to take a more organized approach, Reese recommends thinking of a simple theme like your favorite color or what you ate for breakfast and going from there.

As you get more into your junk journal, LeVasseur suggests playing with layers to make a spread feel dynamic. Try combining textures, colors, and shapes to create depth and interest. If you're looking to go beyond exclusively junk, LeVasseur also recommends sourcing from local artists. Many sell their own designs as stickers, washi tape, or ephemera packs, and it's a fun way to personalize your pages, while also contributing to their work.

Perhaps the best part of junk journaling, however, is the lack of rules. Some enthusiasts, like Cordura, prefer the forced creativity of using exclusively junk, while others love to supplement with stickers and washi tape. "Just like you wouldn't let anyone tell you what to write in your diary, don't let anybody tell you how to junk journal," Reese says.

"What makes junk journaling so special is how it has inspired so many people to shed perfectionistic tendencies and just create without pressure," says LeVasseur. "In a world that's gone so digital, it's also refreshing to have a hobby that's completely analog - something you can hold, touch, and share. It's a way to slow down, connect with your creativity, and ultimately collect memories."

Junk Journal Supplies

Generally, all you need is a journal, some junk, an adhesive (preferably a glue stick), and a pair of scissors. (Reese recommends having a large and small pair on hand, depending on the size and detail of the junk you're cutting out.) Some creators will even journal right into an old book.

Cordura's favorite medium is a softcover, leatherbound dotted journal, and she also recommends incorporating glitter glue for style and flair. Reese thinks an 8x8 journal is the perfect size: big enough to fit a solid array of junk, but not so large that you're desperately trying to fill empty space.

Creators generally recommend softcover rather than hardcover journals for junk journaling, because your journal will expand as you paste more junk in. They also provided a few of their favorite brands:

LeVasseur's favorite is the Leuchtturm B5 Softcover. It has a larger surface area than most journals, giving you lots of room to play around with layouts, and it has fewer pages, meaning less pressure on the spine as you fill it up.
Content creator Tatyiana Gordon likes the Leuchtturm B6.
Alexia's favorite is the Midori A5 Plain Paper Notebook. Its soft cover is flexible and durable, making it perfect as your journal gets thicker over time.

Junk, meanwhile, is completely subjective, and your junk journal can be filled with junk that may be entirely meaningless or completely meaningful, content creator Madi Cordura says. A great place to start with finding materials is right at home, Reese adds. This might include magazines, old books that you don't read, junk mail, old birthday cards, receipts, product packaging, cereal boxes, and even the contents of your recycling bin.

Gordon, Reese, and Cordura all recommend checking out dollar stores and thrift stores for inexpensive scrapbook paper, stickers, rubber stamps, washi tape, and more. "The coolest thing about junk journaling is that you start to see the beauty in any and everything: wrapping paper, stamped bags, receipts, packaging," Gordon says. LeVasseur echoes this: "All of a sudden a coffee sleeve or receipt you would normally toss becomes a treasure."

Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS who focuses on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has a background in the marketing and communications industry and has written for PS for over four years.

What the Palestinian-Israeli Group As1One Means For the Future of Boy Bands

Emma Glassman-Hughes — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:30:02 -0800

In October 2023, the starry-eyed boys of As1One boarded a plane in Tel Aviv bound for Los Angeles, buzzing and ready to record their first full album as the world's only Palestinian-Israeli boy band. The next day, their phones lit up with the news: Hamas and other militants had attacked southern Israel, killing over 1,000 people and taking more than 250 hostages.

In the year since, it's not just As1One who has watched the retaliation unfold on their phones, over social media and WhatsApp. It's the whole world. And throughout the US - the biggest supplier of arms to the Israeli military - the movement to divest has gained unprecedented support, as the Israeli military continues to carry out what some human rights advocates are calling a genocide in Gaza.

With two singles out this year and a long-awaited Paramount+ docuseries dropping Dec. 3 that captures the band's formation and journey thus far, As1One has remained intact, even as multiple members have lost loved ones and the future of their homeland grows more uncertain by the day. But despite the band's proximity to the conflict - four members are Israeli Jewish, one is Palestinian Christian, and another is Palestinian Muslim - their official stance is that they are apolitical. Instead, perhaps backed into a corner by global geopolitics that they were hoping to avoid, trailers for their docuseries have pushed a message we've all heard before: it's the music that will "bring people together." As Palestinian rapper and As1One member Aseel Farah told Billboard last year: "We don't want to be political, we just want to be humanitarian."

But many online are wondering how a group made up of people from opposing sides of the world's most-observed war zone could simply replicate the same blueprint we've seen time and again from boy bands - how this group could be anything but political, even if they claim to be otherwise.

Experts Featured in This Article

Maria Sherman is a journalist, music writer, culture critic, and author of "Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS."
Jim Cullen is a cultural historian, writer, teacher, and author of several books on pop culture, including "Bridge and Tunnel Boys: Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and the Metropolitan Sound of the American Century."

As1One's first single is a good example. It's titled "All Eyes on Us," which some observers, like YouTube host Benedict Townsend, have pointed out is uncomfortably close to "All Eyes on Rafah," a controversial rallying cry from this past year bringing awareness to human rights abuses committed in Palestine. The upbeat song - studded with standard boy-band lyrics like "dance like the whole world's watching" and riffs from celebrated guitarist Nile Rodgers - has nothing to do with the war, at least not overtly. And it has people all over the internet raising their proverbial eyebrows.

"It all comes across a bit naïve" and very "'Eurovision'-coded," Townsend said in a September episode of his show "Scroll Deep." He wondered if As1One is "the musical equivalent of greenwashing" - if they are, in other words, "taking something very dark and complicated and trying to just smooth it over into something simplistic."

While the YouTube comments on As1One's music videos seem mostly positive, reactions on X and Reddit expose a more widespread mistrust of the band and its aims. On Reddit, someone wrote, "As a MENA person, I don't know what to make of the idea of an Israeli/Palestinian boyband debuting right now." Meanwhile, X users mocked the band. "'Hey world, ignore the genocide and expanding war, come look at us Israeli and Palestinians standing united #as1one' barf," one wrote.

"Societally, there has been a value placed on being apolitical, because if you're not appealing to a specific identity, then the thinking is you appeal to everybody."

Historically, though, the biggest boy bands have always flaunted similar messaging.

Journalist and culture critic Maria Sherman says that since the '90s, when the modern pop-group formula first began to see immense success, boy bands have embraced a sort of "all-American, boy-next-door" vibe. They're meant to be exciting to an audience of mostly young girls and their moms, and tend to be marketed with an air of innocence, with just the faintest whiff of rebellion and sex appeal. As1One, made up of six conventionally attractive 20-somethings with puppy dog eyes and white smiles, hits all those marks.

"Boy bands have always been wholly apolitical, and societally, there has been a value placed on being apolitical, because if you're not appealing to a specific identity, then the thinking is you appeal to everybody," Sherman says. "Politics are considered bad business in the pop music space because it could isolate, it could divide. There's this idea that by speaking out politically on a cause or taking a stance you're limiting who will enjoy, buy into, and consume your music."

Still, Sherman says, what we understood to be "apolitical" or "neutral" in the past would today register as pretty transparently political, even conservative. In their heyday, she remembers NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys talking openly about God and patriotism; the Jonas Brothers wore promise rings and made religious conservatism a part of their image early on.

"The purity and innocence was appealing to a lot of people, but now that would have registered as a conservative political idea," Sherman says. "Historically boy bands have always tried to veer away from political posturing or beliefs, but looking back, there were perhaps opinions or ideologies that they were participating in."

James Diener and Ken Levitan, the American music executives who formed As1One in 2021, couldn't have known about the forthcoming war. But even if the Oct. 7 attack hadn't happened, assembling a band of Israelis and Palestinians has inherent political undertones. To pretend otherwise, critics say, is disingenuous. (Paramount+ and the band's record label, Thirty Tigers, did not respond to PS's requests for comment.)

Cultural historian Jim Cullen agrees with Sherman that boy bands generally claim to be separate from politics. And he admits the members of As1One are, "in a certain sense, prisoners of history," having come to the US where "suddenly world politics rains on their parade."

"But when they do proceed, [they do] what boy bands have always done," he adds, which is to double down on their proclaimed neutrality. The public, though, seems to have caught on, he says, and is less pleased with the dynamic than they may have been in years past.

Cullen says the mega-hit boy bands of the late '90s and early 2000s flourished under the glossy "NAFTA mentality" of the time, referring to President Clinton's North American Free Trade Agreement that transformed the US economy.

At the turn of the 21st century, there was a great deal of confidence in capitalism, he says. "That manifests itself in an embrace of the market, and that has important cultural consequences" - one being a higher tolerance for the commodification of pop music and its ties to the "establishment."

Just as the '80s swung to what Cullen calls a "capitalistic, self-commodifying" era after the countercultural '70s, pop music of the early 2000s reflected a renewed belief in the capitalism that repelled the grunge artists of the '90s. The era we're in now is still wrestling with its identity, but between cynicism and optimism, few would argue the latter is the pervading sentiment.

It's harder, Cullen says, for pop artists of any kind, but especially boy bands - "where the commodification is foregrounded and packaged from the outset" - to pull off the innocent, naïve, cheery shtick in our hyper-online, "postliberal world," because there are fewer places to hide. Social media, for all its flaws, has exposed the inner workings of the pop music marketing machine and made it much harder to ignore the role that boy bands play in upholding the status quo.

That may help explain why, for some, As1One feels so "cringely out of touch with the moment," Cullen says.

Surely, some people resonate with the band's message that unity is possible through pop music. As1One's critics, meanwhile, feel the band is untrustworthy because it's non-committal, Sherman says.

But committing to anything goes against the boy band business model.

In recent years, fans have pushed BTS to donate to Black Lives Matter, and more generally in the world of pop, Taylor Swift fans have pressured her to make direct political statements and endorsements. But bold gestures from pop artists will likely always feel somewhat inauthentic. "When you see political action happening in music, it's typically music on the margins, alternative in musical style, or coming from marginalized performers, less so status quo mainstream pop music," Sherman says.

As1One's message itself is not bad. Music is healing, and uplifting musical artists from war-torn regions may very well have positive consequences - if indirect - for people who are suffering. But as a boy band, As1One is hamstrung by its duty to be commercially viable. And the likelihood that it will produce anything truly revolutionary is low because of it.

"The boy band's job is to create joyful music and make people happy," Sherman says, "but politics don't always make people happy."

The $13,854 Cost of Being a Disney Adult

Taylor Andrews — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:15:02 -0800

Samantha Weir moved to Orlando, FL with one thing in mind: to be closer to Disney World. The self-proclaimed Disney adult and her husband packed up all their belongings in Wilmington, NC, and drove nine hours to live just outside the "most magical place one earth" - somewhere with better weather, more job opportunities for her husband, and, most importantly, a Florida Residents Pass to Disney World.

Now, nearly eight months later, Weir says that Disney has taken over her life even more than it had before. "Nearly all of my free time is spent at the Disney parks or includes something to do with Disney," she tells PS.

When she and her husband aren't at the parks, which they frequent one to three times a month, she's buying new Disney decor for her house, posting on her Disney Instagram account, watching Disney movies, or reading up on the latest Disney news.

"It's nostalgic," she says. "It reminds me of all the time I spent with family at the parks, the countless hours of Disney movies I watched as a child, and the joy it all brought me."

Anyone well versed in Disney culture, however, will know just how quickly expenses can add up. And though Weir says being a Disney adult is worth the splurge, she's had to practice restraint every time she's at the parks or has the opportunity to buy anything Disney themed.

Here's the full cost breakdown of being a Disney adult.

Task: Being a Disney adult
Occupation: Mental health therapist
Location: Orlando, FL
Timeline: March to November

The Receipts

Moving to Florida: $8,000
Residents Pirate Pass (with the water park and sports add-on): $900
Transportation: $564
Food and drinks: $4,230
Attire: $80
Disney home decor: $80
Total: $13,854

How I Did It

Although Weir has loved Disney for as long as she can remember, she says it really started taking over her personality a few years ago. When she and her husband previously lived in Wilmington, NC, they would make a trip to Disney once a year. However, they quickly realized they wanted more.

Now that she and her husband live just 25 minutes away from Disney World, it's all she can talk about. "As my sister will tell you, I cannot have a conversation with her without Disney coming up in some form or capacity," Weir adds.

Weir and her husband expected the move to Orlando to make Disney more affordable, especially with the Florida Residents Pass, which allows in-state visitors to pay as low as $59 per day at a park, compared to the standard single-day ticket cost for non-residents, typically around $110. Weir says that because they visit the parks more frequently now than before, the expenses probably even out.

Below, Weir shares more on the costs that come with being a Disney adult.

PS: How much did the move to Orlando cost you?
Weir: For the move itself, we sold a number of our belongings because it was time for new furniture anyway. We loaded up our two cars and drove to Florida ourselves, which allowed us to save on renting a U-Haul or paying movers. We did have to start from scratch with furniture, though, which was costly. Between gas and refurnishing our house, we spent around $3,000. We are also spending more on rent and utilities than we did in Wilmington, NC. We pay about $500 more in rent per month and $100 to $150 per month in utilities.

PS: How much do you save now that you're in Orlando?
Weir: Being in Florida does allow us to save a ton of money on Disney World. We have no hotel fees, no airfare fees, significantly less gas to travel, Florida resident rates on annual passes, free parking with an annual pass, and even a discount on some food with the annual pass.

PS: What's the most expensive part that comes with being a Disney adult?
Weir: It used to be the park tickets and hotel stays, but now that we're local, our biggest expense is the alcohol and food we buy at the parks. We probably average around $75 to $90 per visit every time we go, which adds up. Food wise, my husband and I like to share the loaded breakfast tots at Launch Pad in Magic Kingdom ($11), a pizza slice at the pizza window in Italy at Epcot ($13), and/or a baguette with butter at Les Halles Boulangerie ($4). Every cocktail at Disney is good, but some of our favorites are the annual passholder-exclusive drinks, like the Fuzzy Tauntaun at Oga's Cantina in Hollywood Studios ($19).

PS: What's the most surprising cost associated with being a Disney adult?
Weir: Disney home decor, mainly because it is not something I ever thought I would spend money on. Between Disney attire and decor, we probably spend around $5 to $20 a month on thrifted Disney items. I have a Disney Epcot cookie jar ($70), a Mickey-shaped throw pillow ($45), a Disney mug ($12), Disney magnets ($10), and more.

PS: What's an expense that's worth the splurge?
Weir: Staying on property at a Disney hotel. I did not get to stay on property until 2017, and it changed my love for Disney World. Not only do you get the ease and convenience of taking Disney transportation straight to your hotel, but you get to experience the Disney magic from the time you wake up till your head hits the pillow. Since moving here, we've been lucky enough to enjoy one staycation at a Disney resort with my father-in-law and his wife when they came to visit. They covered the cost.

PS: Is being a Disney adult worth the money?
Weir: Absolutely. No matter how you put it, Disney is expensive. But there are definitely ways you can at least save a couple bucks here and there. Budgeting and saving where we can is the only way that my husband and I are able to be Disney adults to the extent that we are. One of my favorite budgeting hacks? Buying kids meals at quick service locations and bringing our own water bottles to the parks.

Taylor Andrews (she/her) is the balance editor at PS, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With seven years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.

I Don't Have Hobbies - So I Asked Experts If That's a Problem

Angel Martinez — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 09:45:02 -0700

To be fair, I thought I had everything prepared for my first proper attempt at crocheting.

There were the materials, purchased from a flea market, and a physical copy of the pattern I was to follow, plus step-by-step refresher guides bookmarked on my laptop. I went as far as blocking out my Google Calendar for the session, thinking a simple pop-up notification on my screens could switch my brain on. Turns out I missed the important thing of all: the will to start.

My spools of yarn and steel hooks have since gathered dust next to the rest of my discarded hobbies: the boxing gloves, the running shoes, the pamphlets for pottery classes. Being someone who picks up hobbies only to throw them away after they've lost their novelty feels like an unforgivable fault, given what I see daily on social media. Our broader cultural emphasis on wellness pressures us adults to lead well-rounded lives, measuring and optimizing our performance even in our free time. Yet, despite my best efforts, I really can't seem to start (or keep) a hobby.

If I prefer something that isn't particularly new or exciting, does this deem me a failure at fun? I spoke to experts to figure it out.

Experts Featured in This Article

Sarah Pressman, PhD, is associate dean of undergraduate education and professor of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine.

What Constitutes a Hobby?

Not everyone may have a structured, long-term hobby - and that's perfectly OK. "What a lot of people do in their downtime is better described as 'casual leisure,'" says Sarah Pressman, PhD, associate dean of undergraduate education and professor of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine. "These pleasurable activities don't require a significant level of skill development or long-term commitment, such as relaxing, napping, and passively binge-watching shows."

Provided that they don't exacerbate existing feelings of ennui, these activities can have their own benefits. "They can still involve active engagement, such as critical thinking, emotional connection, and social interaction," she says. Think of how enriching watching shows or movies becomes as the experience is shared, or how playing with our dogs can easily make the day of both master and mutt.

Hobbies are often seen as a sign of a balanced and fulfilling life, so the absence of them can make individuals feel inadequate.

But what constitutes a hobby looks vastly different online: activities are pursued more for their shareability, rather than enjoyment. Creative writing major Renea Valdez relates to this, as someone who loves organizing spreadsheets. "I first used it for tracking my expenses, savings, and income. But later, I realized I could use them to keep track of things like the work [in my portfolio] or my [movie, book, and TV show] recommendations," she says.

Back when she was still experimenting with a roster of hobbies, Valdez would experience bouts of FOMO from trying to keep up. But since then, she's learned to be content with what she truly loves doing. "Yes, this isn't the usual type you would see on Instagram grids, but that only makes this activity feel more personal to me," she says. "It gives me a sense of achievement and joy to have created something valuable and tailored to my own needs. It encourages productivity, which is rewarding to me even without external validation."

Can Your Hobbies Look Similar to Your Work?

Another mandate often seen on social media is a clear separation between work and leisure. "Hobbies are often seen as a sign of a balanced and fulfilling life, so the absence of them can make individuals feel inadequate or as if they're not making the most of their time," Dr. Pressman says. Without an enriching life outside of the 9-to-5, individuals are said to be more prone to burnout, among other physical and mental health issues.

Jodie Sanchez initially struggled with this as a casual video editor who pursued creative direction for her day job. "I was too focused on the deliverables given to me that I couldn't produce content for myself anymore. Constantly having to conceptualize and edit videos end-to-end really burnt me out," she says.

Since moving to a company that has granted her more flexibility, she's been in a much happier place and is creating for clients and for herself. "Though there are times when I'm in the mood to dabble in a bit of my past hobbies, nothing ever feels as fulfilling as making videos for me - and I'm fine with that!"

Contrary to popular belief, it's perfectly natural and healthy to enjoy work-related tasks in a leisure context. In fact, having a fulfilling job can reduce the need for hobbies because it meets many of the same set of psychological needs. Dr. Pressman cites the theory of self-determination as criteria for assessment: "activities that satisfy our basic needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence contribute significantly to our well-being," she says. Notice how there is no mention of these occurring only within a specific context.

Rather than prioritizing breadth over depth, hobbyists can immerse themselves in their true craft of choice by picking up new techniques, attending workshops or forums, or building a passion project outside the workplace. As Sanchez says, "I don't even get the pressure to find a new hobby anymore because what I know now [about video editing] is just the tip of the iceberg. I still have years and years of knowledge left to acquire."

How to Embrace the Trial and Error of Finding Hobbies

Of course, this isn't meant to discourage anyone from discovering their ideal pastime. Those who want to can and should, as it comes with obvious physical, mental, and social benefits. But it's worth remembering that in a world that demands excellence from even our most frivolous pursuits, there's a certain satisfaction in refusing to commit to a singular area of expertise.

Product designer Angel Vino is just like me (in more ways than one), having dabbled in almost every art form in the book: she says she's tried sewing, resin crafts, jewelry making, and crepe paper flower arrangement. "But not all of them stuck because of factors like expenses, location sensitivity, the time and space it consumes at home, and even having no immediate satisfaction," she adds.

Rather than finding fault with her abandoned hobbies, Vino takes it as an opportunity to continue exploring what would truly stimulate her. Today, it's graphic design and running - but she's not closing her doors to anything else. "I consider the attempt a fun and quirky part of my artistic self, something that diversifies me and turns me into a jack of all trades," she says.

For those still discovering their passions, Dr. Pressman advises keeping a curious and open mind. Try a variety of activities without the pressure of perfection: there is no imaginary audience watching until you broadcast it publicly, so don't feel the need to rush yourself. "Even then, regularly assess why you are sharing your hobby online," she advises. "While seeking external validation isn't inherently unhealthy, it's important to ensure it doesn't overshadow your intrinsic enjoyment or lead to negative feelings if you don't get the response you want."

Needless to say, regardless of which public platform we share them on, our hobbies are supposed to be a highly personal undertaking: a source of respite in our stressful existence and not its cause. Instead of following some blueprint we never even received, We should choose whatever keeps us happy, confident, and busy. If you ask me, right now, that sounds like curling up in bed with either a good book or a blank Google Doc. Maybe one day, I'll attend a class or watch a video and come across something that excites me just as much. But if I don't, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Angel Martinez is a Manila-based culture writer, consumer researcher, and content strategist. Her work on the internet, identity, and their intersections has been published in Vice, i-D, Vox, and Business Insider, among others.

It's Sonny Angel's World, and We're Just Living in It

Emma Glassman-Hughes — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 11:55:01 -0700

The tension at the Sonny Angel trade events Jackie Bonheim attended last year rivaled a championship poker match. Trades took place at bookstores around the country, including in Alpharetta, GA, and Boston. But Bonheim, director of marketing at Sonny Angel parent company Dreams USA, says that if anything - with all the wagering, breath-holding, and jumping for joy - she might as well have had front-row seats to a high-stakes card game in a smoky Vegas casino.

The attendees, of course, hadn't come to gamble on cards. They were there to trade three-inch plastic naked baby figurines donning tiny, elaborate hats on their heads and cherubic smirks on their faces. For many at these meet-ups, however, the trading was nothing to smirk at.

"It felt like throwing cards across the table, the overall intensity of it," Bonheim tells PS. As soon as offers got shot down, counter-offers would fly across the room. "People take it very seriously," she adds. "But in a fun way."

The Sonny Angel doll causing all this commotion has recently toddled its way into the mainstream, as a For You page mainstay and a collectors' item beloved by celebrities and influencers. It's also been the subject of a "Saturday Night Live" sketch - and probably the nightmares of countless retail workers who've had to contend with a global Sonny shortage due in part to the massive surge of enthusiasm surrounding the bare-tushed babes.

The dolls, which go for $10 a piece, only struck a cultural nerve in the US within the last couple years, but they've been around for 20 and maintained a steady fanbase in Japan, according to Bonheim. The company's CEO, Toru Soeya, was inspired in 2004 to create a real, pocket-size doll with a strong Kewpie Mayo baby likeness in an effort to spark joy in the hearts of Japan's young, professional women. Soeya, nicknamed Sonny, wanted the doll to "bring you happiness," according to the official website.

A lot of things can bring you happiness, though. A pumpkin spice latte. A colorful area rug. A hug from your mom. What differentiates Sonny Angels is that so many consumers find them completely irresistible - and though theories abound, no one has been able to pinpoint exactly why. Could it be the blind box packaging, which makes every unboxing experience an edge-of-your-seat surprise worthy of its own Reel? The absurdity of the exposed (and anatomically correct) genitalia paired with his various "headgear" in the shape of a strawberry or a frog? The simple fact that the doll, like all babies in hats, is just plain cute?

Sonny Angel enthusiast Aileigh Lenaghan estimates she has about 60 dolls in her arsenal. "Once you get one it's very difficult to stop. I've spent an unreasonable amount of money on them so far," she says. So what keeps her and other collectors coming back? "They're a little bit weird, which everyone really loves. The fact that they have these tiny, little penises, but they're also so cute. It just freaks people out but also interests people."

Whatever the reason, our collective obsession with miniature things long predates the Sonny Angel, though it has noticeably spiked at key moments throughout history. Curator Courtney Harris spent the last seven years working on "Tiny Treasures: The Magic of Miniatures," an exhibit at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts that displayed miniature decorative objects from around the world, like gold amulets from ancient Egypt and ivory carvings from Japan's Edo period.

In her research, Harris identified several eras during which miniature toys and tokens were especially popular, primarily across Europe (her region of focus). There was a big bump in small things during the Age of Exploration, when the world suddenly felt so vast that people lost their grip on reality. The invention of the microscope, which offered a window into the mind-meltingly tiny world of microbes, yielded an increased interest in miniatures throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Victorians, with their fairy obsessions, coveted especially small objects. And the era we're living through today - one of globalization, pandemics, smartphones, and isolation - is the latest in this line of spikes, helping to partially explain the Sonny Angel phenomenon.

"Coming out of the pandemic, people had more time but less space," Harris says. In COVID and post-COVID times, social media has been flooded with videos of people making tiny food, playing with tiny appliances, and animating tiny knitted critters. But dolls, Harris says, feel especially personal compared to other collectible play things and small objects because they can be manipulated and personalized. "You can't socialize a baseball card, but you can create stories, dramas, and dynamics with dolls."

If the millions of views on TikTok's Sonny Angel unboxing videos tell us anything, it's that there's a particular thrill embedded in the purchase. Their size makes them especially collectible, scratching the modern consumerist's itch to amass lots of things without taking up too much space or being burdensome. A collection of Sonny Angels is a relatively low-lift and renter-friendly investment for all those zillennials who aren't buying homes or having babies.

Aside from being little, however, today's mass-produced dolls share little in common with the popular miniatures of the past that were on display in the MFA exhibit - like intricate 16th century boxwood carvings from the Netherlands or a tiny diamond-encrusted bicycle brooch from the 1890s - which required meticulous craftsmanship, Harris says. Sonny Angels are designed in Japan, but manufactured from plastic molds in Chinese factories.

"They become more disposable or more able to be turned into waste because they don't have the craftsmanship, there's no known maker. You don't associate them having been made by anyone, or even made by hands," Harris says. "For a lot of history, miniatures were harder to make. Yes, they use fewer materials, but they often require a finer technique."

Today, the real Sonny Angel artistry is happening on the consumer end. One painter turned her Sonny Angel's headgear into a blueberry. Collectors like Janesia Fonville and Aya Brown also paint their Sonny Angels to achieve darker skin and detailed clothing items like itty floral shorts.

Lenaghan even makes her own dolls from scratch, using her boyfriend's 3D printer at their home in Edinburgh, Scotland. She designs the dolls herself, which each take about three hours to print. She calls them Mooli's Angels, after a nickname given to her by one of her sisters, and has made wedding cake toppers and a martian-green alien, among others.

"We've moved so far away from valuing handicraft that maybe the creative impetus comes from the person who owns it rather than the person who creates it," Harris posits. "No longer is the sort of 'maker of meaning' for these objects the person who created it, but the person who possesses it and does whatever they do with it."

In that way, Harris says, Sonny Angels are a sort of blank - ahem, nude - canvas onto which owners can project their own ideas, dramas, fantasies, skin tones, and, duh, favorite fruits.

Emma Glassman-Hughes is the associate editor at PS Balance. Before joining PS, her freelance and staff reporting roles spanned the lifestyle spectrum; she covered arts and culture for The Boston Globe, sex and relationships for Cosmopolitan, travel for Here Magazine, and food, climate, and agriculture for Ambrook Research.

14 Affordable Hobbies to Do at Home

Emily Weaver — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 17:25:03 -0700

Being able to separate work time from relaxation time is important, but so is finding things that you truly enjoy doing in that time. There are plenty of easy hobbies to pick up that will not only allow you to tap into your more creative side, but can also help release any bottled up energy.

Hobbies can help you decompress after a long day and can be great for spending quality alone time with yourself. And the good news is that these affordable hobbies don't require breaking the bank. Better yet, there are a variety of hobbies to do at home that don't even require you to leave the house if you don't feel like it.

If you're having a hard time coming up with a hobby (or are itching to try something new and just aren't sure where to start), try revisiting topics you enjoyed in the past. Maybe you regret not taking another year of language in school, or maybe your grandmother tried teaching you how to knit but it didn't peak your interest at the time. We've compiled a list of affordable at-home hobbies you can start right now, so keep reading to see them all now.

How I Quiet My Anxiety With Alcohol Markers

Lauren Murphy — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 13:55:02 -0700

The trendy "adult coloring" of yesteryear (as in, the 2010s), while marketed as a stress-relieving hobby, is actually anxiety-inducing for some. Opening up a blank coloring book to see a huge, intricate mandala with the finest lines a printer can handle is stressful. My mind is instantly overwhelmed: Where do I start coloring? Will I finish before it's time for bed? Look at all these opportunities to mess the whole thing up!

I hated adult coloring for years, but I've recently been experiencing physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, so finding a relaxing outlet was a must. I tried meditation (not for me), morning yoga (I now know that I'm not a morning person), and even quitting coffee (another no).

One day, I opened Tiktok and saw a livestream of someone using alcohol markers to slowly color in a wonderfully uncomplicated drawing of a jellyfish. Watching the markers slowly move back and forth, perfectly filling in the bold picture with brilliant shades of pink and orange ink, I instantly felt at ease. Maybe adult coloring is OK. I bought a set of Ohuhu Alcohol Art Markers ($80) shortly after closing the stream.

I'm now convinced that the key to actually relaxing adult coloring is alcohol markers. Let's dive in to learn more about what alcohol markers are, why using them is stress-relieving, and how you can get started.

Experts Featured in This Article

Marcus Smith, MA LCPC-S, is a licensed clinical professional counselor and the executive director at Alpas Wellness.

Halle Thomas, LPC, is a therapist specializing in anxiety at Chicory Counseling.

Jessica Plonchak, LCSW, LCADC, is the executive clinical director at ChoicePoint.

Jerry Poon is an award-winning painter and published illustrator.

What Are Alcohol Markers?

Although alcohol markers are sometimes referred to as artist markers, you don't need to be a professional to use them. Alcohol markers are a popular tool for writing, drawing, and coloring because they're easy to use, super pigmented, and they dry quickly. They have defined edges, which allows for stunning precision - coloring outside the lines should never be a big deal, but alcohol markers make filling them in easy. They're so precise that you can even use them to practice your calligraphy skills.

Unsurprisingly, alcohol markers use alcohol ink, which suspends pigment in alcohol and results in the most vibrant colors. Most standard markers suspend pigments in water, which can create relatively dull colors and a streaky finish. Unlike water-based ink, alcohol ink dries quickly and it's even blendable without leaving annoying streaks behind.

How Coloring With Alcohol Markers Reduces Stress

Coloring with alcohol markers (and coloring in general) has been shown to reduce stress and improve mental health. There are numerous studies that point to its mental health benefits, including one published in the Journal of Integrated Social Sciences in 2018 in which researchers found a significant decrease in stress among subjects after coloring for just 20 minutes.

There are several reasons mental health professionals recommend coloring with alcohol markers to reduce stress and anxiety in their patients.

Coloring Takes the Pressure Out of the Equation

Counselor Marcus Smith tells PS that one of the key ways coloring improves mental health is by removing the pressure of producing a perfect piece of art. "Instead," he says, "the emphasis is on the process rather than the outcome, which can be incredibly freeing and therapeutic."

Coloring Shifts Your Focus

Fellow overthinkers, this one's for us. Coloring with alcohol markers is the perfect way to focus on the present moment instead of worrying about what's for dinner later or stressing over your finances. The repetitive motions of gliding the marker back and forth on the page puts you in a sort of meditative state, encouraging relaxation.

Coloring Promotes Bilateral Brain Stimulation

Therapist Halle Thomas tells PS that the act of coloring engages both sides of your brain. Therapists use bilateral stimulation to regulate anxiety and trauma symptoms - it's the basis behind trauma therapies like EMDR and brainspotting.

"Bilateral stimulation is what helps the brain to process and integrate memories and emotions. So if you're feeling anxious, or struggling with trauma symptoms, sitting down to color can provide some regulation," Thomas says.

Coloring Gives You A Sense of Accomplishment

Smith explains one major reason I personally love coloring with alcohol markers so much: the sense of accomplishment. "The act of creating something visually appealing can bring about a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction," Smith says.

That sense of accomplishment only encourages you to keep coloring and, therefore, stress levels continue to plummet. Plus, looking at something beautiful that you created is a surefire way to feel good.

Coloring Allows for Non-Verbal Expression

If you have feelings to work out, coloring is a great way to explore and express them. Smith suggests art therapy, including coloring, as a way to vent, even when you don't know what you're venting about.

"It allows individuals to express themselves in ways that words may not always capture, providing a non-verbal outlet for emotions. Additionally, engaging in creative activities can stimulate the brain and encourage the development of new neural pathways, which can be beneficial for overall mental health," Smith says.

Coloring Balances Your Hormones

Those who experience anxiety often have high cortisol levels. Excess cortisol, a stress hormone, can have negative health impacts including high blood pressure, weight gain, fatigue, heart disease, and much more. Social worker Jessica Plonchak tells PS that coloring can help. Plonchak says that "once the brain has relaxed, it significantly stabilizes hormones and allows for improvement in brain functioning."

How to Get Started With Alcohol Markers

The best part about getting into coloring with alcohol markers is that the supplies you need to get started are minimal. All you need is a pack of alcohol markers and a pad of paper (or a coloring page).

There are several brands of alcohol markers to choose from, each with their own pros and cons and each at different price points. Depending on your budget, choose one or multiple brands to test out until you find the ones you like. Some of the top-rated brands include: Ohuhu, Copic, Prismacolor, and Caliart.

Most artists will recommend Copic because they're high-quality and easy to use. However, Copics are expensive. So if you're looking for an affordable dupe, go with Ohuhu alcohol markers or test out another brand with high customer ratings.

Caliart, Copic, and Ohuhu alcohol markers are refillable, meaning you don't have to spring for a whole new set when your ink starts to dry out after using the markers for a while. This makes them cost-effective, even if you do splurge on the expensive versions, and less wasteful than other markers.

3 Tips for Using Alcohol Markers

Painter and illustrator Jerry Poon shares tips for beginners or hobbyists using alcohol markers.

Choose the right paper. Poon suggests looking for smooth, non-porous paper, like marker paper or Bristol board. "These types of paper prevent the ink from bleeding and allow for smooth blending," Poon explains.
Start small and simple. "If you're new to alcohol ink markers, start with simple designs to get a feel for how the ink flows and blends," says Poon. Start with coloring books designed for markers. Bold and easy coloring books are great for meditative coloring.
Care for your markers. "Proper care will extend the life of your markers. Always cap them tightly after use to prevent the ink from drying out. Store them horizontally to ensure even ink distribution," advises Poon.

Lauren Murphy is the SEO updates coordinator at PS, where she focuses on optimizing content across verticals. Previously, she was a freelance writer and editor covering home and lifestyle content for brands including Forbes Home, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, HuffPost, and more.

Why Learning Piano Is the Best Decision I've Made in Adulthood

Emilee Janitz — Wed, 01 May 2024 13:45:02 -0700

Like most children, I was naturally drawn to music at a young age. Unlike most children, I was dying to learn how to play it. My father is a skilled rock guitarist and was always playing in bands when I was growing up. Although I tried my hand at the guitar under his tutelage around the age of 6, it wasn't much for me. The strings made my fingers hurt and it never felt quite right. Instead, I was attracted to the old pump organ we had sitting in our den. I used to poke at its keys and wish it was a piano.

Living in a rural area, piano teachers weren't easy to come by and despite my parents' best efforts, they weren't able to get me into lessons until I was about 10 years old. This is pretty late in the game for anyone looking to be a serious pianist, but I had an unwavering amount of excitement and determination. At that point in time, I had been attempting to teach myself for about six months using a "Learn How to Play Keyboard" self-guided book and a 61-key keyboard that my parents had gifted me for my birthday. My fingers were weak and untrained, and I was lacking even the most basic technical knowledge, but I couldn't be deterred.

I was an avid student. I learned some scales, how to hold my wrists correctly, and grasped playing with both hands simultaneously. Practicing for a couple hours each day, I was able to progress throughout middle and high school and get myself to an intermediate playing level. I started writing my own music and managed to achieve a certain level of local fame, playing paying gigs at outdoor events and coffee shops. I even produced an album of my own music at the age of 15.

Things changed I went to college. Starting my freshman year, my piano practice fell to the wayside. There wasn't any space in my dorm room for my little keyboard and the piano in my dorm's lobby was usually out of tune or surrounded by other students. When I was home on break, I would plunk at the keys now and again, but I was out of the habit and unmotivated without lessons to help me consistently improve.

Unlike riding a bike, playing an instrument really does require consistent practice if you want to maintain your skills and level of playing. And I let mine deteriorate.

Fast forward about seven years through college, grad school, internships, and two full-time positions, and I found myself seeking more fulfillment out of life. I was married, a homeowner, had a steady job in my chosen industry, and was volunteering in several community organizations - but there was still something missing.

I spent many days guiltily looking at the digital piano my father and stepmother had given me as a graduation gift and wishing I could play like my youthful self. I was embarrassed by how much my skills had faded. When I did occasionally sit down at the keys, I struggled to read the sheet music and my hands were weak and clumsy. I was so incredibly embarrassed and sad. What had once been my greatest form of self expression had now become a token of the past.

On more than one occasion I considered re-enrolling in piano lessons, but I would always manage to talk myself out of it.

"I don't have the time."
"I don't have the money."
"I still don't have a real piano."

I was making excuses.

It took me a solid year of consideration and mental back-and-forth before I finally shut down the naysayer in my head and emailed a local piano teacher, asking if she would take me as a student. I clarified that I was an adult with some previous (but extremely rusty) experience - not an adorable 7-year-old whose young mind would pick up scales like an innate superpower - and much to my excitement and terror, she offered me a weekly lesson.

I was so nervous going to that first lesson. It had been so long and I felt like a fish out of water. But a year-and-a-half later, I can confidently say that it was one of the best decisions I've made in my adult life. Here's why:

1. I Regained a Creative Outlet

There is something raw and cathartic about the music-making process. If you play a musical instrument yourself, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. As a practicing visual artist, writer, and musician, I've learned that I achieve different levels of satisfaction from each practice. Each outlet provides me with a unique way of expressing myself. Music gave me back a piece of my soul that I didn't realize I was missing.

2. I Started Dedicating Time For Self-Care

Having a weekly lesson keeps me accountable. I dedicate at least 30 minutes to practicing every day because I've made the commitment to myself and my instructor to be a piano student and work each week to get better. As I know from my college years, not having a scheduled lesson each week made it too easy to not play at all. So often, the first things to be erased from our priority list are the things that bring us joy. I'm learning more each day how imperative it is to hold on to your hobbies and passions. Those are the things that give your life color. The house chores can wait.

3. I Discovered a New Sense of Fulfillment

I'm a career-motivated person, which means I get a deep sense of accomplishment from my work. But as many of us have experienced, placing all of your happiness and fulfillment in the hands of your employer can be a path laden with frustration. You don't always get the pay or credit you think you deserve or promoted on the timeline you think is appropriate. No matter how much you love your job, work is bound to be occasionally frustrating. Being a piano student allows me to gain a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment outside of the office. I practice every day and take a lesson each week. That means that I do inevitably find myself improving! I'm now venturing into advanced level playing (a goal that once seemed far, far away) and am more comfortable reading sheet music than I've ever been. Frustration fueled at the office feels irrelevant and small when I'm tackling a new piano piece with ease.

4. I'm Refining a Skill I Get to Pass On

Because I played when I was pregnant, I was even more proud of myself for taking the leap and revisiting my old passion. I love that my baby was treated to Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky on a regular basis and is now familiar with the sound of music. In my own form of nesting, my husband and I purchased a barely used piano for our home. It was important to me that we have a piano for our son's arrival so that the world of music would always be accessible to him. Whether my son chooses to pursue music or not, I'm proud demonstrating the importance of pursuing one's passions.

Not everyone has an interest in learning to play a musical instrument, but many of us do have hobbies or passions that we've allowed to fall to the wayside in our adult lives. For those of you who have a nagging voice in your head, saying, "I wish I could get back to . . ." or "I wish I had time for . . ." my advice is this: make time. Do things just for the fun of it (not everything has to be a side hustle). Prioritize yourself once in a while. Stand up to your own insecurities. Find what brings you joy and pursue it fearlessly. Fill your life with the things that give it color.

Smart DIY: Use Office Supplies to Make a French Memory Board

Sarah Lipoff — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 07:40:02 -0800

We've seen these adorable French memory boards on Pinterest and Etsy, so we just had to try making one for ourselves. Instead of using costly materials, we put a spin on things by using office supplies for this DIY that costs less than $10. All you need is a small piece of fabric, colorful ribbon, and a bit of fiberfill, which you can find at any craft store. Before you know it, you'll have an adorable memory board for your office or home.

Keep reading for the savvy directions.

What You'll Need:

12-by-12-inch foam board
Scissors
Fabric
Hot glue gun
Fiberfill
Ribbon
1-inch-round fasteners
Pencil
Craft needle (optional)

Directions:

Gather the materials, selecting a section of fabric that's larger than your foam board. Any size of foam board works wonderfully; we used a 12-by-12-inch square for making this memory board. Be supersavvy, and repurpose an old pillowcase or sheet for this project.

Place the fabric, pattern side down on your workspace. Position the foam board on top, and trim, if needed, until there is a two-inch boarder.

Fold over the fabric along one side of the foam board, securing with the hot glue gun. Do the same along another side, leaving half the foam board open.

Place a layer of fiberfill on the foam board. You don't want it to be too thick; about one cup will create a nice cushion for a 12-by-12-inch board.

Flip the board over and pull the fabric around the other two edges, securing with the hot glue gun.

Now begin arranging lengths of ribbon to create the sections for the French memory board. Start by creating an X and then positioning the rest of the ribbons. Use a pencil to gently mark the placement of the ribbons around the edges.

Flip the board over, and secure one of the lengths of the X with the hot glue gun, then securing the other end. Continue glueing and securing the lengths, using a ruler as needed to keep the lengths parallel.

To finish the memory board, stick a fastener at each point where the ribbons cross. You can use a craft needle to help create the holes. Open the fasteners on the back of the board, securing them.

Continue working until all the crossed lengths of ribbon are secured. Cut an eight- to 10-inch length of ribbon, and secure it to the back of the foam board to use for hanging the finished memory board.

To use the finished board, simply slide important business cards, notes, or pictures between the ribbons to keep you motivated and on task.