6 Hobbies You Can Pick Up in Just 30 Days (and Kick Butt at Them)

You know that feeling when you’re on a first date or you’re meeting someone new and they ask you what your hobbies are? Unless you’re proudly dedicated to something like painting or playing a sport or an instrument, there’s this moment where you wonder “What are my hobbies?” as if you’ve suddenly forgotten all the things you like to do in your spare time.

The good news is, you can change that. Picking up a new hobby may seem like a huge challenge, but there are plenty of things that you can learn in a short amount of time—or at least, hobbies and skills that you can master the basics of (you’ll have to practice a lot and pursue them further to become an expert, but that’s half the fun).

Have 30 days to dedicate to something new? You can…

If you’ve always wanted to be able to impress your friends with your cocktail-making skills (you know, beyond just pouring rum and Coke in a glass) then you can learn the basics and master a few fancy drinks in just a month.

Resources: If you’re just looking to learn for fun (not to be certified as a bartender) then thebar.com is a great resource—you can learn all about different alcohols, see videos on proper bar techniques, and get recipes (also with videos) so you can watch and learn.

Have you ever wished you could knit yourself a blanket or the sweater of your dreams? With dedication and some help from the internet, you can be well on your way to knitting cozy creations in no time.

Resources: KnitPicks has tutorials (complete with videos) for free that are perfect for beginners looking to get started. (Or try your hand at arm knitting.)

Personally, I’ve been working on learning guitar for a while now, and while it’s definitely a challenging and time-consuming hobby, if you practice often, learn the basics and then focus on learning one (not too complicated!) song, you can definitely get somewhere in 30 days.

Resources: Justin Guitar offers a wealth of video lessons and tips for everyone from beginners to advanced players, and all of it is free online and easy to follow.

Flowers make a beautiful statement both as gifts and as decor, so if you want to learn how to freshen up your home and make beautiful floral arrangements, start working on the basics of floral design.

Resources: For tons of free articles and video tutorials to help you learn more about floristry and how to make arrangements, Team Flower is a great resource—and if you decide to get really serious about floral design, you can take paid lessons with them as well. (Or dip your toes in the water with one of these simple tutorials.)

Have you ever been to a dance and wished you knew how to do the Waltz or the Tango? You won’t become a competitive ballroom dancer after just a month of practicing, but online lessons can help you master the basic steps.

Resources: Learn To Dance has free video tutorials for beginners to learn several different ballroom and latin dances, including the Merengue, the Foxtrot, the Rumba, the Waltz and more (as well as other styles of dance if you’re interested in something different).

Yoga is both a great exercise and a way to relax, but it may seem challenging and intimidating if you’ve never tried it before. There are many poses that take more than a month’s worth of work to learn, but in 30 days you can definitely get a good grasp on the basics.

Resources: DoYogaWithMe is a great place for aspiring yogis to find streaming videos of yoga lessons, tips and tricks—there’s an entire beginners section to get you started.

Re-edited from a post originally published 1.15.2017 – TW