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As kids, we enjoyed all sorts of fun hobbies. Somehow, back in the day, no matter how much homework we got, we still managed to do all this other cool stuff. But even if you are very busy as an adult, you should definitely find some new hobbies to try and attempt fitting them into your schedule. These hobbies don’t even have to be something complicated or time-consuming. There are tons of easy hobbies to pick up out there, and so everyone can find something to their taste.
That being said, some people take it one step (or more) further and engage in some pretty unusual hobbies. They range anywhere from bizarre to disturbing to downright dangerous. Some unique hobbies, however, can be quite inspiring, so take a good look at any activity before you decide to make it your hobby.
Scroll down to take a look at some of the most unexpected and random hobbies people actually do in their free time. Vote for the ones you would gladly pick up, we’re curious to see which ones would collect the most votes. If you have some cool hobbies of your own, tell us all about them in the comments.
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#1
"I'm 17 years old and just finished building this 14.7" f/2.89 Newtonian reflector telescope. Despite its stubby size it collects roughly 2500 times more light than the human eye and is bigger than the scope at my local observatory."
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#2
Quarter piercing.
"A year ago, I started staying in and piercing state quarters, instead of going out and getting in trouble. Here is my collection so far."
#4
"My pocket cottage! Loved miniatures since childhood, and have recently taken them on as a regular hobby. Here's my happy place from my palm to your face."
#5
"I started by buying a few advertising rulers here and there; at yard sales, eBay, and the occasional antique store when they weren’t charging $20/stick. I figured that I would use them as wainscoting in a small room once I found me forever home. People would give them to me as gifts around the holidays. Two homes later, there was some very boring pine paneling, and needed something. I still have about 100 yardsticks left. Maybe for a vacation house someday."
#8
"I sew stuffed animals. I do it all by hand so each project takes six hours from beginning to end. It's so mind-numbing and zen. Here are some squid pictures. He's about 5'4" long."
#9
Competitive duck herding.
Some dogs are specifically trained to herd farm animals and even show off their herding skills in competitions. Humans decided that activity looks like fun, so they began herding as a hobby. Duck herding is nowadays an active sport.
#10
"My mom has gotten into some strange hobbies since we left for college. Those are pistachios. I always said she needed a hobby but I did not expect this."
#11
Dirt polishing.
Those who take up dirt polishing as their hobby first extract moisture from mud and then cover it with several layers of natural soil. What you get is a smooth ball of dirt you can later display on the shelf.
#12
Geocaching.
Geocaching is what happens when you engage modern technologies in a treasure hunt. Geocaching enthusiasts search for treasure boxes and trinkets to then swap them with each other, but instead of maps and clues, they use satellites. However, you don’t have to work at NASA to do this, your phone is more than enough.
#13
Element collecting.
Element collecting, as in chemical elements from the periodic table, raises a lot of questions. Number one, where do people find the rarest elements, some of which can only be produced in labs and cost a whole lot of money? Number two, how do they store elements that, with incorrect handling or prolonged exposure, can be harmful for your health?
#14
"I collect maps, my dad worked for United so he always stuffed a map in my face to make sure I knew where we were going. Now I have a strange fascination for maps/globes."
#15
Yarn bombing.
Yarn bombing is like graffiti in many ways, except instead of paint you use yarn. The very first case was a decoration on the door handle of a yarn shop, but with time it turned into an actual hobby for many. And since most things can be covered with yarn, all you need is enough material and patience.
#16
Dumpster diving.
While it is a fact that sometimes people throw away absolutely undamaged and good things, it’s a whole different question whether you want to literally dive into the dumpster to find those gems and keep them for yourself or sell them. Dumpster diving gave the expression “one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure” a new meaning.
#17
Tree shaping.
No, we’re not talking about trimming here. Tree shaping means you give the trunk of a tree all sorts of weird shapes depending on your imagination. One word of advice though, tree shaping takes time, lots of time, so if patience is not your virtue, think again before taking up this hobby.
#18
Mushroom hunting.
Mushroom hunting is not too weird compared to other hobbies on this list, but probably was much more popular in previous decades, when supermarkets didn’t offer you any kind of produce. Before you start, make sure you learn enough about mushrooms, as not all of them are safe for consumption.
#19
Entomology.
If you are a zoologist, entomology, which is collecting bugs and insects, might be a fairly common activity for you because they are the subject of your studies. However, just as exhibits to be put in jars on shelves at home, this hobby raises some questions.
#20
Soap carving.
Why use a boring bar of soap when you can turn it into a piece of art? This unusual canvas can be a way to unlock your creativity. You can even give away some of your work to your friends and family as a nice personalized gift.
#21
Rock painting.
You can use rocks as canvas to paint whole scenes on them, or you can take a look if its shape reminds you of anything and then paint that thing on top of the rock. All in all, rock painting is a quiet, relaxing hobby. A small bonus: you can always pick up your new canvas for free on the road.
#22
"I collect antique typewriters. Started when I thought I'd try writing something on an old manual to see if it helped my tendency to ramble. I made it one page and went running back to the computer. But the typewriter I picked up (for $5 on eBay) was such a cool little machine that I started getting into them and got hooked. As antiques go they're often really cheap too, even in working condition."
#23
Stone skipping.
We’ve all tried stone skipping but some people took it to a whole different level when they turned it into a competition. Currently, the record is 51 bounces over the water in one throw.
#24
Quidditch.
Yeah, okay, brooms can’t fly in our world, so what? Everything else in Quidditch is pretty real: throw a ball, catch a ball, don’t let your opponents win. While Quidditch is still not officially recognized as a sport, many campuses have their own teams, where players compete according to the rules described in the books while holding a broom in their hand.
#25
Noodling.
Noodling has nothing to do with either cooking or eating noodles. What it does involve is catching fish in shallow waters with your bare hands. It may not sound like it, but noodling can be pretty dangerous and you can get hurt if you don’t take precautions.
#26
"I collect military helmets. There is a huge variety of different helmets to focus on. I mostly collect American helmets from WWI-Vietnam. Here is a picture of a fraction of my collection, showing some of my rarest ones."
#27
Sketching on vehicles.
Tattooing vehicles is very close to tattooing your skin, except if done right, it’s fairly easy to remove the design. So maybe, before you decide to commit to a new tattoo, try it out on your car first?
#28
News bombing.
It’s one thing when there is a live broadcast in the street and you happen to pass by. Some people can’t resist and look straight at the camera from behind the reporter’s back. It’s a completely different thing when people turn news bombing into a hobby. They find live reports and insert themselves in the background of the shot. Well, at least you could say you were on TV after that.
#29
Fork bending.
A lot of superheroes, especially those with super strength, can bend metal with no effort. And while most regular humans can’t really bend an entire iron fence in a go, some of them give it a try, albeit in baby steps. This is how fork bending became a hobby.
#30
Extreme ironing.
No, extreme ironing doesn’t mean you have to iron clothes for your entire family. It’s about taking ironing to all sorts of extreme locations. Ironing while suspended from a cliff? Done. During a parachute jump? Check. Underwater while scuba diving? Completed. And if you think there can’t be too many people who partake in this hobby because come on, this is ironing we’re talking about, think again. Extreme ironing has long stopped being a hobby and has become a competitive sport.
#31
"I collect cups.
If it's cylindrical and made from paper, plastic, or Styrofoam...and has a logo on it...I want it. I do not collect shot glasses, regular glasses, beer mugs, or steins. Water bottles and those old plastic casino buckets count. This is a small sample of my collection. I have over 600. I began collecting in 2006.
I like to think that I chose cups because I like the idea of something so common being displayed with so many differences. Additionally, it's proof that a company will slap its logo onto everything. Take Mcdonald's, for example. The golden arches pop up on the cup, fry boxes, burger wrappers, and even napkins."
#32
Clowning.
Clowns get a lot of bad rep for being creepy, but some people actually enjoy it. They dress up as clowns, walk the streets, and perform occasional hijinks on unsuspecting passersby, all in good nature for a hearty laugh.
#33
Train surfing.
Another extremely dangerous hobby, train surfing, means riding on the outside of the train at full speed while holding onto the handrails. While in some countries with overloaded train commutes, this is an unfortunate necessity, in other places, people practice train surfing as a hobby that gives you a huge adrenaline rush.
#34
Beetle fighting.
Disclaimer: we are against animal cruelty. While beetle fighting might not be as violent and harmful as dog or rooster fighting, it still involves pitting two bugs against each other for the audience. It has even turned into a gambling opportunity.
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Aivaras Kaziukonis
Aivaras Kaziukonis
Žydrūnė Trukanavičiūtė
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