Viveca Stucke ‘26
Chief Features Editor
It is incredibly easy in college to get swept up in assignments, deadlines, and responsibilities, so much so that you can forget about the life that happens beyond them. But one of the most important things to remember is that your time in your early 20s is not just about productivity, it is about personal expansion, growth, and a focus on you. Prioritizing your own interests, hobbies, and passions is essential to developing an understanding of who you are and what you want out of life. To strike a true balance for your life experience you must not only prioritize your academics, your career, your mental health, your social life, and your family, but you must focus on maintaining a life of your own, which is something that can be best done through indulging in hobbies.
As I’ve started to navigate my 20s, there are many ways I’ve seen this stage of life defined, but one that has stuck with me comes from a quote that I see a lot on Instagram about how your 20s are about reconnecting with the things you loved as a child. There’s something powerful about returning to the things you were passionate about as a child and remembering how much joy they once brought you. Reclaiming your childhood hobbies can be a form of healing, a way of honoring who you were and are while finding your way during the uncertainty of careers, relationships, and school. It’s a reminder that becoming an adult doesn’t just mean drowning in responsibilities but that you can carry that piece of you and carry a bit of whimsy wherever you go. Indulging in hobbies does not necessarily mean choosing something you were interested in when you were younger, but rather just taking part in an activity that can serve as an outlet for creativity, joy, and excitement.
For example, one of the most visible ways that this shows up is with the resurgence of interests in LEGO sets, where even in adulthood playing with LEGOs again feels not only exciting but unexpectedly calming, offering a quiet way to reconnect with your younger self. For others (like me!), it may look like playing Pokemon Go or playing with Pokemon cards again, allowing yourself to step into a world that is a little more imaginative and lighthearted than everyday reality. For some people, it may even mean purchasing a Star Wars helmet and wearing it as you drive around town or go to class, just because the true importance in life and what gets us through the day to day is to have fun and be happy. Returning to these hobbies isn’t just about the nostalgia associated with it, it’s a reminder that our youth does not have to be tied to the passage of time but rather by the joy and curiosity that we allow ourselves to hold onto.
Some of these hobbies can also bring you great forms of community, letting you connect with groups of people in a way that is not based on your career or responsibilities but rather something fun. For example, through hobbies like Magic the Gathering or Warhammer 40,000, you aren’t just collecting cards or assembling miniatures, these games can create spaces where people can come together through learning the game, sharing strategies, or discussing lore. In these types of communities you can find yourself surrounded by people who are just as invested and excited in something as you are. In this way, these hobbies don’t just reconnect you with your childhood, they can also help you build new friendships.
Another way to lean into these interests is through collecting figurines. These collections can become a real source of pride, where your collection can be a reflection of who you are and what you value. For example, one of my favorite local Massachusetts collectors, @figman22 on Instagram, shares his collection online, creating a space where he can showcase his collection while connecting with others who share the same interests. It is a reminder that hobbies like this don’t have to just exist on a personal level, they can serve as a form of community. Investing in something like figurine collecting can be a break from the constant pressures of life and allows you to engage in something purely because it brings you joy. Additionally, especially through a hobby like figurines, you can personalize your hobbies to be a reflection of your identity, tying your interests directly to who you are as a person.
Reconnecting with these interests can look like a myriad of different activities, whether it be through painting, drawing, crafts, reading, puzzles, gardening, or more fun interests like LEGO building, Pokemon cards, video games, Magic the Gathering, or if you’re feeling ambitious, Warhammer 40k. Hobbies don’t have to be complicated or impressive, they can be as simple as building a LEGO set or picking up a sketchbook again. What matters isn’t what you choose but that you choose something so you have passions outside of the deadlines, expectations, and pressures of being in your 20s.
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