The Art of Reviving Hobbies

Two hobbies of mine are watching tv and reading. They’ve been my hobbies for as long as I can remember. But I’ve found that sometimes, these hobbies can become stale. They just don’t hit the same way they used to. I found myself in this situation a few months ago and I thought I’d try to change how I approach these hobbies so that I can find them entertaining again. 

TV Shows

I love to watch tv shows. It’s a thrill to be so immersed in a plot and its characters to the point that you think about them even when you’re not watching the show. Most of the shows I’ve been into fall in the same categories: young adult drama, family drama, or ensemble sitcom. And until this year, all the shows were based and centered around characters in the U.S. 

A few months ago, after some nudging from a friend, I changed my approach to this hobby by trying out an episode of a K-drama (short for Korean Drama) called Business Proposal. To my surprise, I really enjoyed it and ended up finishing the show. I’ve watched two other K-dramas since then (Abyss; Extraordinary Attorney Woo) and have not been disappointed. I also dabbled in anime shows during this time. So far I’ve seen two (Attack On Titan and Death Note) and I loved them. Because I widened my horizons, I’ve been introduced to so many more amazing shows and revitalized my love of television.

Books

I used to read more often when I was younger. Unfortunately, after entering high school and having to read for academic purposes, my love for reading dimmed. In 2020, I started to get back into the habit of reading. I read Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi and I loved it so much that it influenced the selection of novels I’ve read subsequently in the last two years. 

Racial and ethnic representation are so important. Almost all the books I read as a kid centered around characters who looked nothing like me. I didn’t realize until recently how much it affected my view of myself and the world. That’s why now I intentionally read books starring black and brown characters. Some selections I’ve enjoyed so far are Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola, Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo, and Seven Days In June by Tia Williams. I delight in reading remarkable stories starring characters that reflect me, my family and my friends. 

The nice thing about hobbies is that they can grow and evolve with you. A year from now, I could be watching shows or reading novels that are vastly different from what I currently enjoy. I like to see it as me just re-introducing myself to something I already love.

What shows or novels do you recommend I try? Let me know in the comments!