Unique Hobbies for Women in Their 20’s to Try

Hobbies for women in their 20’s specifically are important to establish work-life balance and build new relationships. During this phase of life, a lot of transition and change occur. 

Why it's important to have hobbies in your 20s

Our 20's are a time of self-discovery, identity seeking, professional development, and lots of adulting. It can also be a season of life when women are searching for a partner or a longer-term relationship. Through online dating apps, mixers and networking groups, there are lots of ways to connect with others. 

But in the hustle and bustle of our 20's, its also important to take time for ourselves. To slow down and realize that our adolescent years weren't the only opportunities we had for trying new things. In fact, trying new things and hobbies when we're older can actually be more rewarding. We have more ability to focus, maybe more financial means, and true spare time (most likely not filled with homework or after-hours work). 

Hobbies are also a great asset for our mental health and self-care. These are activities that help us slow down, self-reflect, and do something just for us. For our own pleasure and enjoyment. 

So we’ve put together a list of hobbies for women in their 20’s to consider trying.

Top hobbies for women in their 20s

1 - Practicing mindfulness

Cultivating a mindfulness practice can actually be a great hobby, especially for young women. For some of us, getting in a rhythm of practicing daily mindfulness and meditation can take a while. But once we do, it's so rewarding and beneficial.

A few examples of a mindfulness practice that may resonate with you include yoga, positive affirmations, meditation, stretching, journaling, an intention setting ritual and more. 

2 - Baking

Baking is a great hobby for women in their 20’s who finally have a kitchen space to call their own. For many of us, time in the kitchen is a time to be creative and try new things. And baking is the perfect way to do this!

There are so many types of baking - pastry, cake, bread, candy, chocolate confections are just a few. Cake decorating was a hobby that went viral for Chelsey White from Chelsweets.com. Just a few years ago, she was a woman in her 20’s working a corporate job in Manhattan and decorating cakes for fun at night and posting on her TikTok. Now she’s a well-known food influencer with over 1.2 million followers on Instagram and 2 million followers on TikTok.

3 - Growing house plants

Another great way to explore a new hobby for women in their 20’s is to try having house plants. Gardening requires space, but owning house plants requires much less. If you have a balcony, a patio garden may be an option. But if not, indoor potted plants are a great hobby that require a base of knowledge in order to nurture and keep alive. 

Growing house plants can be a great hobby for women in their 20's.

There is probably a garden center or house plant store in your city where you can go to buy the essentials - your first plant, pot or container, soil, and plant food. Plus, there’s a vast online community of house plant lovers that you can connect with to learn more about this hobby. Last but not least, many house plants have lots of beneficial properties that can even help relieve stress. 

 

 

4 - Reading

It may seem like an obvious suggestion, but reading is a hobby women in their 20’s especially may enjoy. After reading our way through school -- from papers to essays to books to dissertations -- reading may seem like it’s lost its appeal. 

But finding your favorite genre for hobby reading may help you start a new chapter of reading enjoyment (pun intended!). Plus, there are so many ways to engage in reading that’s accessible. Look into buying a Kindle, finding your local library app to download and check out eBooks for free, and even trying an audiobook service. 

5 - Starting a bullet journal

Bullet journaling is an awesome hobby especially for women in their 20’s to try for goal setting, tasks and to-do’s, and personal health and wellness. One perk of bullet journaling specifically is your ability to customize it however you like. 

Try bullet journaling as a hobby in your 20's.

This is a hobby for young women that want to carve out time for themselves. Bullet journals enable you to intentionally document, track and reflect on different aspects of your life. 

6 - Vlogging/Blogging

Many of us have vloggers and blogs we’ve followed for years. We’ve tracked their journey over time, and we feel like we know the person behind the content. 

But have you ever thought about starting one yourself? For women in their 20’s, this is a great hobby to consider. For one, we have the platform and technology knowledge to pull it off. And for two, we know what is interesting to watch. 

The key is knowing what content you’d create and who you’d be creating it for. If you have both in mind, then try starting your own vlog or blog and seeing where it takes you.

7- Jewelry making

Getting in touch with our artistic side can be hard, especially if you’re a woman in your 20’s that works on a computer all day or in a corporate office. One hobby to consider for artistic expression is jewelry making.

Making your own jewelry not only requires knowledge of the beads and materials, but it allows you to be completely creative in how and what you make. This creative process also allows you to learn more about how your brain works, which can be helpful applied knowledge for other areas of your life. 

Lastly, jewelry making is a hobby with money making possibilities. If you feel like there’s a market for your homemade jewelry, you could open an Etsy or online store, talk to a local boutique about displaying your jewelry, and think about a booth at your local craft market.

8 - Dancing 

If you never danced growing up, maybe you always wanted to but never had the chance to. For women in their 20’s, now’s your opportunity to try dancing as a hobby, without any performance pressure. It’s just for you!

There are so many different types of dancing, all of which are great forms of exercise and artistic expression. There’s modern or improv dancing, belly dancing, pole dancing, Zumba, and ballroom dancing, to name just a few. 

Many of these types of dancing are offered as classes at a local gym or studio. Dancing as a hobby may be a way for you to unleash your potential for self expression while bundling it into your weekly fitness routine. 

9 - Rock climbing

Similar to dancing, rock climbing is a hobby you may have always wanted to try but never did or could when you were younger. For women in their 20’s, now’s the chance to give it a whirl. 

Rock climbing is a fun and active hobby for women in their 20s.

In many cities, there are rock climbing gyms with rock walls and boulder gyms indoors. Plus, if you get connected to a rock climbing group, there’s the potential to travel with friends for outdoor climbs if you live near nice rock climbing areas.

10 - Learning a new language

While we are all lifelong learners, there are some of us that enjoy the process of learning more than others. For women in their 20’s in particular that enjoyed years of learning in an academic setting and are now out of school, learning a new language may scratch the itch to do some book learning. 

There are lots of ways learning a new language can be applied as well. There are online language exchange sites that allow you to connect with others speaking different languages. This is a way you can mutually benefit from conversation plus get to know someone virtually .

Plus, there are lots of apps that help you practice new languages and make it a fun daily hobby:

Duolingo (Apple, Google Play)

Babbel (Apple, Google Play)

Rosetta Stone (Apple, Google Play)

Beelinguapp (Apple, Google Play)

Other ways you can turn learning a new language into a hobby is seeking out English as a second language (or ESL)  volunteering opportunities. Many cities have non-profit and humanitarian organizations that are dedicated to helping people, families, refugees get acquainted with your city and with English speaking. This takes volunteers who are willing to use their language skills, both English and other languages.

11 - Daily journaling 

For women in their 20’s, daily journaling and meditation is a wonderful routine to get into. At this stage of life, the more self-enriching hobbies and habits you can integrate into your life, the better. 

Hobbies like journaling are great especially for managing and relieving stress. Becoming an adult is a naturally stressful transition. Owning your own home, living alone in an apartment, starting a new career, owning a business, paying bills, owning your own car… These are all things that typically happen in our 20’s. And they all come with some amount of stress. 

There are many different types of journaling and meditation practices that you can try. All of them are great hobbies of helping your body and mind decelerate from the fast pace of daily life.

12 - Doing martial arts

Martial arts combines self-defense and exercise with rich cultural traditions and is a wonderful hobby for women in their 20’s. There are four main categories of martial arts (Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Brazilian) and different styles within each category.

Some of the most commonly known styles of martial arts are Karate, Kung Fu, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). There are gyms devoted to teaching these skills that you can join. Martial arts is another hobby that can help you learn new physical skills plus rich cultural knowledge while also increasing your fitness level. 

13 - Flower Arranging

This is one you may have never thought about, but flower arranging is a hobby that has lots of benefits. Not only does arranging flowers require creativity and knowledge of composition, it also requires learning about different flowers and figuring out where to source them. 

Flower arranging is a growing (pun intended) hobby in popularity to try in your 20s.

This creates a great opportunity for engaging in your community, buying local flowers, and talking to local flower farmers. During COVID-19, the local flower agriculture industry has seen a lot of growth. This is a hobby that may even present opportunities for making money!

14 - Thrifting 

For women in their 20’s looking for a Saturday hobby that combines retail therapy with lots of walking and the thrill of the hunt, thrifting is for you!

The difference between thrifting and shopping is that items at a thrift store are not brand new. They’re usually used, vintage or antique items. And part of the fun is that thrifting means finding an item that you want to give a new home. 

A lot of people who enjoy thrifting also enjoy upcycling or DIY-ing, which means making modifications or improvements to the items you buy. This could be repairing a vintage jacket with a patch or painting an old hutch to go in your apartment. Needless to say, thrifting is also a great hobby for meeting people who share your same love for antiques and DIY.

15 - Trying a hand craft

Handicraft or hand craft, either one, is the word for a decorative object made by hand. A lot of these crafts require knowledge of an intricate skill. Some examples of this type of hobby are sewing, embroidery, upholstery, quilting, knitting, crocheting, upcycling clothing, felting, dressmaking and more. 

Have you ever tried crocheting? It's one of the many hand crafts to try in your 20s.

These hand crafts are perfect hobbies for women in their 20’s looking for a hobby that doesn’t take up much space and can be picked up or put down whenever they have time. These are also great lifelong hobbies with large communities, conventions and online groups that you can belong to as you grow in your skill level and want to learn from others.

Plus, there are wonderful online communities of women that share a love for these types of hobbies. If you're looking for inspiration, check out the hashtag #crochet or #knitting on TikTok or Instagram. There's a crazy amount of excitement for these hand crafts online!

16 - Starting a podcast

Similar to starting a vlog or a blog, have you ever thought about starting your own podcast? For women in their 20’s looking for a hobby that encourages them to research, write, engage with other thinkers and influencers in your field, this is a great outlet.

Depending on the topic and any co-hosts or friends who may be interested in starting one with you, you may have episodes of content already planned before getting started. Podcasts are great ways to engage your mind and build an audience around a shared topic.

17 - Volunteering

While this may not fit your traditional hobby mold, volunteering is one way for women in their 20’s to satisfy a need for philanthropy and humanitarianism. One great aspect of volunteering as a hobby is that you don’t have to be an expert at what you’re doing AND most organizations who use volunteers as part of their operation are happy to work with your schedule and interests. 

So, what’s your passion? Turns out, there are lots of different places you can volunteer that may fit perfectly with your interests:

• Animals - animal shelter, local vet clinic, animal rescue group
• Homelessness - public kitchens, rehabilitation centers, shelters & transitional housing 
• Kids - public school student mentor, after school programs, tutoring
• Elderly - nursing homes, senior centers, buddy programs for the elderly

There are so many more volunteer opportunities that could become a hobby that you enjoy on a regular basis.

18 - Acting classes and theater

If you never tried theater in high school or college, then why not try it now? A lot of us may have avoided activities like this due to social pressures or just not having enough time to try it all. But you may have untapped acting talent potential, just waiting to be discovered.

There are lots of ways to figure out if you'd enjoy acting before having to commit to a production. Check to see if your city has an acting class or workshop. There are lots of local acting clubs and groups that meet regularly that would love to have you join for a meeting. 

19 - Playing a musical instrument

Similar to acting, you may have never picked up an instrument when you were younger. But there's nothing stopping you from trying in your 20s. Playing a musical instrument is an especially great hobby for women in their 20s. Because it's something you can do alone in the comfort of your own home. So many music teachers have YouTube accounts dedicated to teaching beginners virtually for free. You can become a self-taught musician in no-time. 

Playing an instrument is a timeless hobby and great for women in their 20's.

If you're struggling to pick an instrument, it may be a good idea to visit your local music store. There are lots of big box stores nationwide like Guitar Center and others that carry all types of instruments - not just guitars. And you can even rent an instrument if you're not ready to commit to buying. 

20 - Going for morning walks

This may seem like an oddball of a hobby. But there is reason for it. Many of us can get so concerned with our fitness regimens that we forget the benefits of just a simple walk. Going for a walk can boost your mood and metabolism. And integrating a walk into your morning routine can be especially beneficial for the rest of your day. 

Even if its a 1-mile or 15 minute walk around your apartment complex parking lot, around the block, or even on a treadmill if need be. It can be a great hobby for you to add to your daily routine.

21 - Try urban gardening

If houseplants aren't your thing, give urban gardening a try. Urban gardening is a rewarding and engaging hobby that allows women in their 20s to connect with nature, foster creativity, and contribute to a greener environment. Even if you live in a small apartment, you can create a mini oasis by growing plants, herbs, and even vegetables on your balcony or rooftop (if you have one)! Gardening provides a sense of accomplishment as you watch your plants thrive and flourish under your care.

With the availability of compact and space-saving gardening solutions, you can experiment with various types of plants, from succulents and air plants to small potted herbs. This hobby not only enhances the aesthetic of your living space but also offers the opportunity to learn about plant care, soil health, and the art of nurturing life. As you immerse yourself in urban gardening, you'll find yourself unwinding, de-stressing, and reaping the mental and emotional benefits of tending to greenery.

Moreover, urban gardening can connect you with a community of fellow gardening enthusiasts, both online and offline, who can provide advice, tips, and inspiration. Whether you're a complete beginner or have some gardening experience, this hobby offers continuous learning and growth as you witness the cycles of nature up close and develop a stronger bond with the living world around you.

The importance of hobbies for women in their 20’s 

In our 20’s, a lot of us have just graduated from college or postgraduate studies, are living on our own maybe for the first time, and navigating full-time jobs, side hustles, relationships and new cities.

There’s a lot going on, and having a hobby that energizes us at the end of the day is so important. But what are some hobbies that are fun, attractive to us, engaging, and fit our personality?

That can be hard to figure out. Hobbies play an important role in helping us enrich our lives, explore our untapped talents and parts of ourselves that we may never have before. Plus, they’re great ways for us to increase knowledge and experience new things.

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