The phone. An amazing device that can keep me occupied for hours without boredom. It has Netflix for movies, Instagram for endless doomscrolling, and Snapchat to keep up with my friends.

It's too fun. Addicting. Intoxicating. So, instead of wasting away the warm summer days before the school year rolls around again, let me share five summer hobbies that'll definitely or hopefully make you forget about your phone.

Watercolouring

This hobby practically screams summer. Imagine sitting outside, underneath the shade of the tree with a bright sun and fluffy white clouds holding a palette of soft pastel colours. Not only is this hobby completely beginner free, but paints and other supplies are more affordable than other art mediums.

Watercolouring offers you a chance to look deep into the summer air surrounding you. You could paint beautiful landscapes like the beach or flowers dancing in a garden. It allows you to explore your creative freedom while existing as a reminder that you can enjoy the moment. Clean-up is not a complicated process either, requiring only water, soap, and paper towels for drying.

Some supplies you may want to consider buying include:

• A small watercolour paint set
• Affordable, but good quality paint brushes
• Watercolour sketchbook or single paper

Remember, the point of a hobby is to find joy in it. There's no rush to be Picasso if this is your first hand in painting. Supplies don't need to be expert level.

I myself like using Crayola water colours because not only are they rather affordable, but they aren't terrible for beginners. Experimenting is fun, but if something is outside of what you can afford, there's no need for it!

Image Credit: Anastasiia Lang from Pexels

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Hiking

Hiking may be considered as walking with more pizazz, but it provides more advantages than walking on a treadmill at the YMCA or your local gym. Not only does it qualify as exercise for the day, but it makes it more visually appealing with the shining sun and trails that are full of the sound and beauty of nature. Hiking has numerous health benefits both physically and mentally including the increase production of endorphins which improve happiness and Vitamin D production--from the sun--that is crucial for mood regulation and bone health.

Hiking is also considered a relatively low cost hobby that can quickly get as expensive as you want if it becomes a more serious passion. It also rallies social connection as friends and family can also join in.

Some supplies you may want to consider buying include:

• Sunscreen (you can still tan, I promise)
• Extra layers of clothes like a rain jacket to adjust to changing weather conditions
• First Aid
• Food and Water (nutrition and hydration is extremely important for exercise)
• Hiking boots or shoes that protect your feet and ankles

Image Credit: Photo Nic from Pexels

Modeling Clay

Clay is such a great material that doesn't limit your creativity or imagination. It's easy to work with and is easy to clean up if you're planning on spending little time working on them. For beginners especially, instead of oven bake clay, air dry clay is easier to work with since it can be left out overnight on a counter or any hard surface. On social media especially, clay is beginning to popularize again as a great date idea--for friends and other loved ones!

Some supplies you may want to consider buying include:

• Polymer clay (good for beginners, but any type of your choosing is fine)
• Separate work space (might be important to consider if clay becomes a more serious hobby)
• Cutting board (good alternative to a separate space since it's easily removable)
• Rolling pin
• Cutting tools (X-Acto knives, cutters, etc.)
• Needles, specific sculpting tools for fine details (not completely necessary for beginners, but considerable)

If you're unsure where to begin, here are a couple of YouTubers that I personally find incredibly calming and fun to watch and create alongside:

Nim C - - - she definitely shaped and broadened my creativity and her clay charms are simply adorable

gazoo studio - - - might be a bit hard to follow along for beginners, but I recommend you give it a watch if you want to give it a hand! (the clays are also aesthetic)

Yeppenny Doodles - - - PERFECT for beginners, she has excellent 101's and Must Knows that I don't specifically cover and her clays are so cute

Image Credit: Hoyoun Lee from Pexels

Crafting

Crafting doesn't require a large expense since most of the supplies used are already in your house and since it's such a broad set of skills that range from simple to complex endeavors, you can easily search for one that you find the most interesting or fun!

Some supplies you may want to consider buying (that you might not already have) include:

• Origami paper (for paper crafts)
• Glue gun
• Charms/beads and elastic cords
• Yarn
• Other supplies may differ for the specific skill set they are within, but these are the most general and popular supplies

Tutorials are easy to search for on YouTube! Don't be afraid to follow along and search for ideas as a beginner!

Image Credit: Jorge Franganillo from Pexels

Gardening

Gardening is such a great hobby for the summer. Not only is it engaging, but it's known to have actual mental health benefits like increasing positive moods with the release of endorphins and serotonin. Furthermore, it may heighten your sense of being a contributor since it's an eco-friendly hobby.

And it's a nice thought to know that you're eating fruits and vegetables that you grew yourself, adding to your sense of accomplishment. You can also control how large you want the garden to be, adjusting it to your preferences.

Some supplies you may want to consider buying include:

• shovels and spades
• rakes
• watering can
• gardening gloves
• fertilizer, mulch, etc (for soil regulation and nutrients)
• pots

It's important to research before you dive into such a hobby. You're nurturing a life and talking to an expert or researching what specific plants are suitable for growth as a beginner would be the best way to start.

Image Credit: Drazen Nesic from Pexels

Conclusion

There are so many more hobbies that require different skill sets and supplies. There are homey hobbies like baking sweet treats or learning how to crochet a bear. Physical exertion hobbies such as swimming, biking, or dancing.

Summer is a great chance to explore not only your personal hobbies, but also activities that you can do with your loved ones. Don't waste away the golden days doom scrolling on your phone for days on end. Take the chance--this summer--to have fun offline!