Weird Ways to Pass the Time: 10 Unusual Hobbies to Try

Are you looking for a way to fill your free time that doesn’t involve sitting in front of the television?

Having hobbies as an adult is very important. Not only is it a way to fill your time, but hobbies can also help boost your mental health as well. 

There are even studies to back this up. For example, one study conducted in Australia involved given a phone survey to 702 adults. The study found that those who dedicated 100 or more hours to arts engagement per year reported significantly better mental health than those who dedicated 99 hours or fewer. 

This means that engaging in a hobby for just two hours per week can have a significant impact on your mental health. 

But, what if you don’t have any hobbies? Or, what if your hobbies have become routine and you want something new and exciting to try? 

Finding the right hobby to suit your personality can be tough. Especially when it seems that every hobby list out there is the exact same. 

So, for those looking to try a unique hobby, keep reading. 

We’ve got a big list of the most unusual hobbies to try. 

Extreme Ironing

If you think ironing clothes can’t be exciting, think again. 

With extreme ironing, you basically get to kill two birds with one stone: You get to experience an outdoor adventure. And, get to come home with a clean, well-pressed shirt. 

Basically, extreme ironing involves bringing some wrinkly clothes and an iron and board to a remote location and ironing those items of clothing. For example, you could combine your ironing with skiing, hiking, rock climbing, or even sky diving. 

Extreme ironing has been around since 1997, and it has become so popular that there are now even sanctioned extreme ironing competitions around the world. 

Duck Herding

Sure, ducks are cute to look at and toss bread crumbs to, but did you also know that they’re a component of one of the best unusual hobbies?

What we’re talking about is duck herding. Duck herding can be done as an individual or in a group. It involves maneuvering a gaggle of ducks into a pen. 

Many people use duck herding as a fun activity for a corporate day out; however, there are also fun duck herding competitions you can partake in as an individual. Or, you can also just practice duck herding in your own yard for fun. 

Perfuming

Do your friends always compliment you on the perfume you’re wearing?

If so, your knack for picking out the right scents could easily turn into a new hobby. As a hobbyist perfumer, you get the chance to utilize your sense of smell to create your own unique fragrances. 

You can keep these fragrances for yourself, give them as gifts to friends, or you could even consider selling them. 

Foraging for Wild Mushrooms

If you like spending time in nature and you love a good mushroom pizza, then foraging for mushrooms may be the new hobby for you. 

In North America alone, there are over 10,000 species of mushrooms (And don’t worry, very few of these are actually poisonous). 

As a mushroom forager, you will walk through the wilderness and identify and pick the mushrooms that you find. You can either bring these mushrooms home to cook, or you can even sell them to others. 

Many beginning mushroom foragers quickly become engrossed learning all the different species of mushrooms and waiting for a heavy rain to fall so they can hurry off into the wilderness to start their hunt. 

Competitive Board Gamer 

Are you that person who always gets a little too competitive during family game night?

If so, you may want to consider taking your competitive spirit into actual board game competitions. Sure, we’ve all heard of competitive poker. But, there’s a lot more out there than that. There’s also competitive Scrabble, backgammon, chess, checkers, Mahjong, and dominoes. 

Most big cities have local clubs where you can pop in, pay a small fee, and spend a few hours playing among other like-minded competitors. If you want to get more serious, you can even try to qualify for local and national tournaments. 

Storm Chasing 

Are you someone who isn’t afraid to run into the face of danger? 

If the answer is yes, then you may be able to fill your need for adrenaline and danger with storm chasing. 

Storm chasing involves pursuing a severe weather condition, whether it be in the pursuit of scientific discovery, curiosity, or simply adventure. 

While tornados are considered to be the “holy grail” of storm chasers, most enjoy chasing thunderstorms and watching and taking pictures of the different cloud formations. Serious storm chasers will drive thousands of miles to witness “the perfect storm”. 

Collecting Guns  

When people think of guns as a hobby, most people think of going to the shooting range or going hunting. 

However, gun collecting is another, unique hobby worth considering. Most people start out by just buying a gun or two because they are interested in the sport. 

But, serious gun collectors soon find a specific type of gun they’re most interested in and then hone their collection from there. For example, some gun collectors focus on rifles, while others focus on antique guns. 

Gun collectors spend hours attending events and scouring gun auction sites to find the perfect gun to add to their collection. 

Ghost Hunting 

If you can’t get enough of the show Ghost Hunters, why not try becoming a ghost hunter yourself? 

As a hobbyist ghost hunter, you can try to either conjure up ghosts in your own area, or, you can travel to different sites that are famed for having ghost spottings. 

If you’re looking for a place to get started, check out this list of the most haunted places around the world.

Unusual Hobbies: Which One Will You Try? 

As you can see, there are many unusual hobbies out there that you can try. 

Which of these unusual hobbies are you most interested in? Let us know in the comments below!

And, if you’re looking to kick back with a movie before you dive into your weird hobby, be sure to check out these 5 weirdest movies ever created. 

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