2020 was a miserable year for so many people. Some lost their jobs, or Covid-19 might have claimed some of their family members. Others may not have been able to visit their relatives for many months, and that was their primary support network.

If this sounds depressingly familiar to you, you might have a reason for hope in 2021. This is the year when the FDA has approved multiple vaccines. Once you get yours, normalcy should not be too far away.

5 Hobbies to Try in 2021

A new hobby is one thing that you might try to cheer yourself up this year. Let’s talk about a few of the ones that appeal to plenty of individuals.

Video Games

Some relationships didn’t last through all of 2020. The pandemic pushed some people closer together, while it drove others apart. Maybe you needed to find a divorce lawyer last year, or you had a domestic partner, and you two went your separate ways.

You might want to find a hobby where you feel like you’re part of a community. If so, then video games might be right up your alley.

There are several different gaming systems out there, from the PS5 to the Nintendo Switch. You might decide to get into a fun and harmless game like Animal Crossing, or perhaps you prefer something more combative like Call of Duty.

What’s so great about video games is that there are all different styles and intensities. You can get into one that relaxes you or another that stimulates you and lets your competitive juices flow.

Best of all, you can play with thousands of other people online even if you don’t play with anyone in-person. You can make online friends and play as a group, and you don’t need to worry about endangering yourself if you have an immunocompromised condition.

Bowling

Maybe you want to knock down some pins and then knock down a few beers as well. Bowling may well be for you.

If you love movies like “The Big Lebowski” and “Kingpin,” you’ll probably realize that bowling is competitive, but it’s also pretty easy. Just about anyone who can lift a ball and toss it down an alley can do it.

You might take some friends or family members along and bowl as a group, or you could join a league if you can find a team that needs a new member. As long as you keep practicing, you can get better, and you might be able to start some lasting friendships too.

Poker

Perhaps you want to involve yourself in a hobby where you can make some money. If so, then Texas Hold ‘Em could be your new pastime.

You can often find local establishments like bars that have friendly poker tournaments. You might pay a $20 or $50 buy-in, and then you can try to dominate the competition.

You might also live near a casino, and you can head there to try your luck at a table against other competitors. Poker is certainly a challenging game, but you can get better at it, just as you can with bowling or most other activities.

If you feel like you’re good at reading people, this game can captivate you. You’ll also come to love the rush when you rake in a big pot and double your stack of glistening poker chips.

Gardening

Maybe you want to do something that’s not so competitive. Gardening is not very expensive, and it can relax you if you need some downtime with no stressful elements at all.

All you need is a back yard, a front yard, or any little patch of ground over which you have control. You can learn all about the different flowers and which ones can grow in your climate. You might start with some very easy ones if you don’t think you’re ready, to begin with, something challenging.

If you want competition, you can even grow flowers and enter them in contests. You might accumulate a whole ribbon-and-trophy wall if you can produce the best roses or carnations.

Model Building

Maybe the model building is more your speed. It’s something that you can enjoy by yourself or with some family members.

You can get into model ships, cars, planes, or more fanciful things. There are all kinds of branded models like Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, and so forth.

Your hobby can make you happy and allow you to better cope with stress in your life.