When talking about hobbies, most of us think about reading books, cooking, swimming, and other ordinary activities we are used to.
But, Can Hanging Out With Family and Friends Be Considered a Hobby?
The short answer is no. Hanging with your friends doesn’t count as a hobby. Remember that humans are naturally social creatures. So spending time with your peers is natural, like eating, which isn’t considered a hobby.
Hanging with friends is something you don’t have to do as a necessity. Look at kids, for example. They easily make friends and always want to hang out with them. So as you see, we learn this behavior at a young age, which teaches us to bond with each other. Therefore, you cannot call this a hobby because, by definition, a hobby is a leisure time activity done for enjoyment.
How Can You Turn the Time You Spend Together into a Hobby?
Hanging out with your friends on its own isn’t considered a hobby.
But, what you do during this time can be a hobby.
Here are some cheap and fun hobby options:
1. Do a Movie Marathon
Most friends in your circle share the same interest as you.
So if you love movies, your friends probably love watching too.
As such, you can decide to watch every episode of a long series of short films back to back.
For instance, you can log into Netflix and watch every episode of Stranger Things, Pretty in Pink or any series you love.
But remember to have some snacks and refreshments to keep the evening cozy with your friends.
2. Organize a Picnic
Even introverts will appreciate being outside once in a while. So why don’t you plan a picnic for you and your friends?
This can be a time to enjoy nature, relax and unwind the daily stress and anger. Aside from making your relationship stronger, it also promotes mental health.
But if planning for a picnic, make sure you choose the venue that everyone can access and also plan for food and refreshments.
3. Play Board Games
Board games might be what you need.
Take out Scrabble or Yahtzee and play with your friends.
You can even organize a tournament, compete against each other and award the winning team.
There are many free online board games like Boggle, Settlers of Catan and Battleship that can be played with your loved ones remotely.
Are Playing Board Games a Good Family Hobby? (Eight Examples)
4. Host a Video Game Tournament
Not everyone is into board games, and that’s completely fine.
Thankfully, there are many alternatives, and a video game tournament is one of them.
Playing against each other and awarding prizes or food to winners can make the time you spend with your friends more enjoyable, and you don’t have to break the bank.
5. Go Fishing
If fishing with your friends sounds fun, go for it by all means.
This easy hobby will help you and your buddies learn a lot from and about each other.
Watching your friends break their rods while trying to catch a fish can be fun. To make it more fun, divide yourselves into teams and award the team that catches more fish.
Is It Better to Go Fishing Alone or With a Group? (Explained!)
6. Play a Sport
Are you looking for physical activity to do? A sport may be what you and your friends need.
There are hundreds of sports to play, but we advise you to choose an easy one to get everyone to participate.
For instance, basic football isn’t that hard and doesn’t feature many rules.
So that can be a great start. But opt for these if you and your pals have some knowledge about complicated sports like golf and tennis.
7. Go Camping
Camping is another cheap hobby that you could enjoy with your friends.
You can share stories with your friends around a bonfire and sleeping in tents during this time.
Camping lets you enjoy scenic views of the country while growing closer with your friends.
8. Biking
Then it is time to go for a ride.
Biking allows you to enjoy beautiful views while exercising your body.
Plus, it also has a social side that your friends will love.
The best thing about it is that it is not expensive and if you have your bikes, you won’t spend a dime.
Just make sure you carry some water with you.
How Can You Share Your Hobbies with Your Friends And Family?
Human beings have different interests and preferences.
Therefore, your hobby might not be your friends’ hobby. But you can share them with your pals.
However, for that to happen, you need to make them see why you enjoy those hobbies and why they should join you. Here are some tips to help you;
1. Introduce to Them Easily and Slowly
Most hobbies have a varying range of difficulty, from easy to difficult and time-consuming.
Although you may enjoy playing card games for more than four hours, your friends may not.
Therefore, you may want to introduce them to short card games that last 30 minutes or so.
If you see they love it, then introduce them to longer games.
Bear in mind that you also took time to build your skills. So, be nice and allow them to do the same too.
2. Demonstrate
You need to explain and demonstrate how your hobby is done before your friends can dive in. Many people forget how crucial narration is.
Sure, giving an example is great, but you need to explain what is going on in your head.
This way, your friends will know what to think and remember what is essential when approaching a challenge.
3. Explain Crucial Details
Many people love to learn and acquire new knowledge.
However, many of us only explain the basics of our hobbies and forget to explain the intricate elements.
The worst thing you can do is remind your beginner friends that they are beginners.
So be generous when sharing knowledge about your hobby.
You can explain its history and show them how it’s done.
Share some crucial details to make them gain some confidence and interest.
Final Thoughts
As we have seen, hanging out with your friends by itself isn’t a hobby.
However, you can do a real hobby with them.
Besides the ones mentioned above, you can also join a club, listen to music and take a tour of your community with your friends.
Remember that sharing your hobby with your friends can help your friendship last longer and simplify conversations.