School may keep you busy, which means you have to take advantage of any free time you get. So what do you do when you find that time? You could use it to watch Netflix, hang out with your friends, or nap.
But what if you used that time to pick up a new hobby? A hobby that could make you some serious cash…?
Hobbies are fun, and a lot of people do them for just that – fun. Some people get really good at it and it becomes a career.
If you have a few hours on a weekend, try one of these out and see where it takes you – employment, freelance, school, the sky’s the limit.
Photography
Instead of just taking selfies or pics of your friends, start taking photos with intention. Learn how to take good photos, and people may pay you for it.
Good photography is the foundation of good branding for any company, but also plays a crucial role in many different industries including journalism, event planning, and marketing.
If you have a phone, you can get started right away. Download camera apps that give you a little more control over pic settings. Check out this YouTube Channel to start learning the basics of good photography: https://www.youtube.com/user/startphotography
Videography
Videography takes things a step further, but again, if you have a phone, you’re ready to start. There are so many genres when it comes to video that you can start filming anything from special events with friends and family, to just the environment around you.
A lot of people are creating videos, but there not a lot of them are doing it well. Being able to shoot and edit video could set you ahead when looking for jobs in the future.
A phone with video recording is a good start and you can learn about filming basics from this YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/videodslrtutorial
Graphic Design
You see graphic design everywhere, but can you recognize what looks good? Whether it’s a magazine, an app, a poster, or a website, being able to see the difference between good design and bad design is a great start.
A lot of people can learn the technical side of graphic design, but really good designers that have an eye for it are valuable. Graphic designers are needed in the marketing departments of pretty much every company, as well as in specific design firms.
All you need is access to a computer to get started. Though you can get started in any program, having a solid grasp of Photoshop and Illustrator is essential since they’re the industry standards. This website is a great place to learn graphic design basics and lets you create it for free online: https://designschool.canva.com/tutorials/
Drawing
Drawing may seem old school, but it’s actually more relevant than ever. So if you love doodling in your notebook, learn to be a pro at it.
Hand drawn illustrations are essential for creative agencies to produce design that stands out from the crowd. It’s the foundation of logo design for any brand. And of course, it could greatly help lead into animated industries like comics, video games, and film.
All you need to get started is a paper and pencil. This YouTube channel has great step-by-step videos to teach you how to draw: https://www.youtube.com/user/circlelinemedia
Writing
Sure, everyone can write. But it takes skill to write well and to write for specific genres. You can find yourself blogging or writing copy for a marketing company, writing articles for a newspaper or magazine, or editing for a book publisher.
You can of course start writing by journaling or blogging about your own experiences and opinions. If you’re interested in something specific, write about that. The best way to get better at writing is to just keep doing it. This website has weekly writing challenges where you can submit your writing and get voted on by the community: http://yeahwrite.me/
Coding
This hobby has the steepest learning curve, but is probably the one of the most in-demand skills. Learning to code can open the door to working at the biggest tech companies or creating your own apps.
There are a lot of different types of coding languages, and each one gives you a specific skill that allows you to work in certain fields. Depending on what languages you learn, you could write code for a software company, build websites, make video games, or even create new languages that interact with machines and robots.
As technology continues to grow at an exponential rate, the work field for coders will definitely expand, along with what you can do with coding. This website teaches you how to code by letting you do it and allowing you to see live results: https://www.codecademy.com/
Whether you have half an hour every day or just a an hour or two on the weekends, picking up one of these hobbies will not only be fun, but will develop a skill that makes you valuable in the job market. If you get really good at what you do, you could even pick up side jobs and make money while you’re still in high school or college.
You don’t need to pick one and dive all in right away. Dabble in each of these hobbies, then go into the one you like the most.
