15+ People Whose Hobbies Deserve a Round of Applause

We all have our little hobbies that bring us joy and distract us from everyday life. Some people find pleasure in cooking, and creating masterpieces in the kitchen, others knit cozy jumpers, and others like to make homemade sausages. And sometimes what started out as a hobby even turns into an additional source of income.

• I met a guy. Our relationship quickly developed, and he invited me to his house. I went into the bathroom to wash my hands, but there was no towel. I opened the cupboard and found a bra.
  I grabbed it and went to ask my “boyfriend,” “What’s that supposed to mean?” And he calmly replied, “Just don’t make it dirty, I need to send it to a customer.”
  It turns out that he was making tailor-made bras. I didn’t believe it at first, but when he showed me the mannequins and his workplace, I felt a little embarrassed. I was a little sorry that we parted ways eventually. But it wasn’t because of his work, we just didn’t get along.
• My neighbor is 78 years old, she lives alone. A kind and quiet woman. I noticed that a young man started coming to see her. It would have been nothing, but after he came I would hear screaming.
  I started to worry, so one day I knocked on the door. They’re quiet. And then the door opens and there’s this old lady wearing a karate kimono.
  I was blown away! She decided to try something new in her old age, and this guy was teaching her all kinds of stances and lunges.
• Before my granddaughter’s 5th birthday, my daughter-in-law called me. She said, “My daughter wants a toy for her birthday — a bat, scary but cute. I couldn’t find anything like this in a shop. Maybe you can figure something out?” Well, this is what I made. © NatalyGorshkova / Pikabu
• There’s an elderly gentleman in my building, no one knows what he’s up to. Recently, he started taking big bags and strange buckets out of his car every morning. Then he’d return home covered in dirt, looking more determined than ever. Curious, I asked him what he was up to, and he only gave me a wink and said, “I’m growing something special.”
  One day, I followed him (discreetly, of course) to the nearby park, where I found him surrounded by his “garden.” He’d started growing giant pumpkins as a new hobby and was determined to set a record! He even built a mini greenhouse around his prize plant. Now, every morning, he shares pumpkin-growing tips with the whole building, and we’re all eagerly waiting to see how big these pumpkins can get!

• One day I’m on the subway going home from work and knitting a pullover. That’s how I relax and kill time on the road. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that the man next to me stares at me and somehow gets closer and closer.
  Well, I think, that’s the last thing I need now. And then I look down, and he’s holding a book about knitting. Turns out he was just watching me crochet. We ended up talking and got to know each other. We’re still in touch.
• About 6 years ago, I came across recipes for homemade sausages on the Internet. And although I don’t have a smokehouse or a thermal chamber, only an oven, it doesn’t stop me. And this photo is the result of my hobby. © sisterMercy / Pikabu
• I love sketching people in busy cafes. One evening, I was focused on a drawing when a woman nearby looked over and gasped, it turned out I’d accidentally drawn her! Embarrassed, I apologized, but she loved it and asked to see more.
  We talked about art for hours, and she invited me to her weekly art class. Now, because of that little moment, I’m part of a small group of artists where we share our drawings and ideas. I never thought a simple doodle would lead to such great friendships!
• My downstairs neighbor is a retired, soft-spoken librarian in her seventies. She’s quiet and polite, and I’ve never heard a peep from her apartment. But one night, I started hearing strange thumping noises coming from below—rhythmic and loud. It happened every night, right around midnight. I started to worry, imagining she was moving furniture or, worse, having some sort of breakdown.
  One evening, I finally worked up the courage to check on her. I knocked on her door, and she answered with a big grin, holding a set of drumsticks. Turns out, she’d joined a beginner rock band and was practicing her “rhythms” every night with a rubber practice pad! She invited me in to watch, and now I get to see my librarian neighbor transform into a rockstar drummer. She even gave me earplugs “just in case!”

• 10 years ago, I wrote a play at the request of a friend, but she didn’t need it, so I decided to send it to a contest. I won.
  Now my plays are in theaters. Another premiere is coming up. Though, I don’t get much money from this. I earn much more as an office worker. © Lika / ADME
• I live in a dorm. A man about 40–45 years old lives next door, but he doesn’t look like a student. We got to talking to him once. It turned out that he works as an accountant in a large company with a hefty salary.
  In the end, he confessed that he spends all his money on mountaineering and traveling. Living in a dorm allows him to save money. He’s already traveled the world. This summer he will go to Chile for a month, and in winter — to New Zealand. © Overheard / Ideer
• My whole family are campers and outdoor enthusiasts. Grandma, grandpa, grandpa’s brother, grandpa’s brother’s family, mum, dad, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, sister’s husband and their daughter.
  And every summer, our family goes camping. It’s out of the question. A month in the mountains. Don’t get me wrong, I love nature, tents, cooking over a fire, and all that. I’m not bothered by the lack of hot water, clouds of mosquitoes, and a backpack weighing more than half of me.
  But every time I go camping with them, adventures happen. Bears? Sure. A catamaran capsized on the rapids? Yes! All the cauldrons and food for 10 days, drowning in the river? Great.
  We got flooded, and our tent was almost washed away overnight. Yeah! Did you get bit by ticks? Ha! That’s not a bear after all! You know what I mean. There’s just a little bit of everything.
  Every time after a hike, I throw myself into the arms of civilization and think, “Never again!” And when summer approaches again, I start to think, “Well, it wasn’t that bad, was it? This time it’ll be okay.” And I go camping again. © Overheard / Ideer
• I’ve tried to incorporate “productive” hobbies that are beneficial in multiple ways. I like to organize things, learn to cook healthy international dishes and practice wellness (skincare, yoga, self-care). It’s kind of like taking chores and turning them into something positive and beneficial to my life. It brings me a lot of happiness and fulfillment and also keeps me centered and healthy. © Glittering-Proton / Reddit

• An acquaintance liked to paint cars. At first, he practiced on toy models, then he started to paint cars of friends and acquaintances. His parents kept nagging him that he needed a normal job that would bring income. But he began to earn quite well on airbrushing. And his parents still haven’t calmed down. © Shamanka / ADME
• Eight years ago, a friend asked me to write a short story for her project, but she didn’t end up using it. So, I decided to submit it to a magazine just to see what would happen. To my surprise, it got published! Since then, more of my stories have been featured, and I’ve even gained a small group of readers.
• A year ago, I rescued a small cereus that was left on the office window sill by a colleague who had quit her job. So I took it home. The plant was surprised and grew twice as big in a year and in all directions. Now I have my green Doric column.
  Then it was joined by a weeping fig neglected by a coworker. In short, I adopted a little of everything, and they all suddenly recovered and grew. I don’t even make any special efforts. I only do ritual dances around the lemon, it smells amazing when it blooms. © Marina El Mapache / ADME
• My grandmother is 84 years old. Her hobby is manicure. Every day she paints her nails and draws something on them. Every time I ask her what she wants from the city, she says, “3 bottles of nail polish in different colors, cotton pads, and nail polish remover!” © Overheard / Ideer

• My dad has been fishing all his life. I remember our bathtub full of pike and smelt he used to sell, the smell of fish all over the house, and scales all over the kitchen. Money problems ended, and food became normal, but Dad’s hobby remained.
  Mom forbade him to bring fish home. He goes fishing, and we don’t care what he does with it afterward. But once my mom and I went to a restaurant, and the waiter offered us a specialty — pikeperch. Mum said, “No way I pay for fish!” © Overheard / Ideer
• I crochet and read! I try to reread YA books from my childhood and for crocheting at the beginning of October I bought $50 worth of yarn and I still have 80% of it so it’s gonna last me quite a bit! © 132Adrian / Reddit
• I recently picked up knitting as a way to relax, and one day, I decided to knit at my local coffee shop. While I was counting stitches, I noticed two women at the next table watching me. A little embarrassed, I smiled, and one of them suddenly asked if I’d like to join their knitting group.
  I agreed, and now I’m part of a group of knitters who meet weekly to swap patterns, tips, and even life stories.
• I like buying dollhouses from the thrift store and restoring them. It’s super therapeutic to me. There are also miniature dollhouse building kits available online, and it’s a super fun, albeit pricey, craft option as well!
  I’ll listen to an audiobook or watch a video essay while crafting, and it’s great because it works with my ADHD. I don’t know what to do with my creations after, though. © ToxicFluffer / Reddit

Some people add a fun twist to simple chores, turning everyday tasks into thrilling adventures. Check out these really interesting hobbies.