I’m a designer who stares at a screen very, very often. This causes lots of strain on my eyes after a while, so I try to find things to do that don’t involve me staring at a computer screen. An easy way for me to be creative without using a computer is to partake in some hobbies. I’ll talk a little bit about exploring my creativity, and how you can too, without a computer!

One of the hobbies I’ve recently started is a hobby that my classmate Selena introduced me to; collaging. Collaging is a very creative art. You start by taking scraps out of different mediums such as books, magazines, articles, pictures, etc. You gather these things and turn them into a composition. I have really liked collaging so far since I get to use the skills I’ve learned while becoming a designer to make a composition and a work of art. I am then left with a physical product that I can show off to other people. Collaging has been a very fun challenge, and I’m really proud with where I’ve started.

Another fun hobby I can do is crocheting. I’m not really good at crocheting, but it’s still pretty fun to do. I first picked up a crochet hook over the summer and have been practicing here and there, but haven’t been able to make anything impressive yet. So far, I’ve only been making practice squares to work on my crocheting technique. With some more practice though, I hope to make things like scarves and sweaters that I could sell to friends and family.

My last hobby doesn’t really relate to design, but it does get my brain thinking. It may sound nerdy, but I like playing with Pokemon cards. My roommate recently dragged me into playing Pokemon with him. I’ve been creating decks and battling against my roommates. Even though there is no designing, the process of brainstorming and thinking about what kind of deck to create, and the next moves to make in a game, it’s all good for my brain. It gets me thinking, and that’s exactly the type of thinking I need when I’m on my computer working on a design project.

In fact, all of these things are good for my design career. All of these things allow me to: be creative, express myself in different ways, and think outside of the box. I am always trying to do these things to get myself to stand out.

If you ever feel like you are stuck in design, try out a new hobby! You might just find something you like that can help your desire for creativity.

TC