When the cold weather hits, it typically brings a sadness that can look different for everybody. If you find yourself getting more sad, lonely, or bored, there are many things you can try to help you feel more like yourself.

To start, there’s the artsy things. There’s 3 types of paints you’re likely to find just about anywhere–watercolor, gouache, acrylic; and they’re all relatively cheap. 5 Below has an entire section of their store dedicated to arts. This doesn’t mean that you’ll become a master artist, as the supplies are under $5, but that shouldn’t be the goal when it comes to art. The goal is to spend a few minutes sitting down, slowing your mind, and creating something of your own choice.

Also on the topic of art, there’s drawing and coloring. Coloring has been big on TikTok recently, but it doesn’t have to be as complicated as it looks online. You can get a cheap, easy coloring book from Amazon, 5 below, Walmart, or Target. Also, you don’t need the best 64 pack of name brand markers. You could use things you already have or go to Dollar Tree and get yourself a pack of crayons, markers, or colored pencils. You could also find drawing tutorials on YouTube, which only require a piece of paper and a pencil.

To throw out just a few more quick ideas, there’s making things with air dry or polymer clay, pressing flowers, making jewelry, and drawing outside with chalk.

There’s also the more untraditional things like embroidery/sewing, knitting, and crocheting. The last 2 might be more difficult, and need very specific supplies, but embroidery and sewing are easier to learn and require less. You can grab a needle, some thread or string, some fabric, and learn some basic steps on YouTube or Pinterest. Then, if you like it, you can slowly work up to doing some bigger projects.

If you aren’t as interested in learning something, there’s plenty of hobbies that we actually already know how to do.

Spending some quiet time reading is a great way to entertain yourself while also staying off of a screen. Yes, reading isn’t everyone’s thing, but we’ve all read something we enjoyed. If you never have, I’m sure you have a friend or family member who can give you some recommendations, and it’s worth getting cozy and giving it a try.

Something else you can try is sitting down and writing a story of some kind. This can be done in different ways. You can open a blank Google Doc and attempt to write a novel from scratch, or you could do something more simple like journaling or writing a short story. Either way, writing can be a great creative outlet when it isn’t being done for school.

Another great way to get off your phone is to go outside and play a sport. Pick up a ball and go to a local basketball court or soccer field, or even grab some friends and toss around a football. This can be done year round, but being outside in the cooler weather seems to add to the enjoyment, and it’s good to get out even when it’s cold.
There’s also more things to do outside like roller skating, roller blading, going on a walk or taking pictures of nature.

Lastly, baking or cooking is a great thing to get into. There’s tons of recipes that are easy to follow and use things you already have at home. This is a nice way to be a blessing to someone else too, and it is a great skill to have when you want to be supportive of a loved one.

This is just a list of simple things to get you started, but there’s so many more hobbies that this list doesn’t even begin to cover. If nothing here works for you, there’s always Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and many other platforms filled with hobby videos or lists. Get to doing something productive and enjoyable while you still have the time.