“It’s 6PM and I’m Having an Existential Crisis (Again)”

Friends… I just came back from work, and all I want to do is curl up in my bed and sleep. But can my body let me sleep? Of course not! So I end up scrolling on social media or watching Broccoli Animations on Youtube. Yes, I am obsessed with Broccoli Animations. Don’t judge me.

Lately, I have been feeling this itch of wanting to do more, but I had no idea what “more” even meant for Vuyiswa. So basically, I have been struggling with figuring out what to do after work.

Let me tell you what my current adult life routine looks like. I get home, shower, put on some cozy PJs, watch “just one episode” of something, and suddenly it’s midnight. Sometimes even at 1AM. I’m still awake, still scrolling, still doing absolutely nothing with my life.

It sounds terrible, and honestly, I’m even embarrazzzed to admit this to you all, but here we are.

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The Realization

Well, after some pondering, I finally arrived at a very “simple” conclusion: I need to have some hobbies. I genuinely used to believe that hobbies were for people who had time, not people who just came back from a long day at work. Dumb, right?

I’ve realized that hobbies are not a luxury for people with time. They are survival tools for adults. We NEED a life outside of work. A meaningful one. Because let’s be honest, adulting is exhausting.

As adults, we don’t play anymore. We optimize. We schedule. We survive. And when we’re NOT doing any of that, we feel guilty, like we’re slacking or wasting time we should be using for “something productive.” That guilt? It’s loud.

I feel terrible when I get home and just scroll for hours. Or binge shows until midnight. Even after a productive day, I still feel “unserious.” And if you’re African, you already know that being in your mid-twenties is NOT the time to be unserious. You gotta graft! Grind!

Feeling Behind

If you know me, you know that I am an avid bicyclist. I love a good bike trail moment, music in my ears, life feeling grand. Am I right, or am I right?

But you can’t be biking in the middle of winter, now can you? So lately, I have been feeling a little… behind. It feels like I am in this weird phase of “finding myself” and figuring out what I enjoy doing. Meanwhile, in my head, everyone else discovered their hobbies in middle or high school and stuck with them. My teenage hobbies were studying and reading novels (Nancy Drew girlies, rise). Now I despise those things. I studied for and passed my PE exam because I had to do it (that one is a story for another day), but reading a book for fun? Out of your own volition? Impossible to Vuyiswa. I simply don’t have that strength.

The things I used to enjoy now irritate me, and yet I still feel this constant pressure to be productive. So finding a hobby after work doesn’t feel optional anymore. It feels like survival. It feels like one of those “do it before you lose your last brain cell” situations. It is a necessity!

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Enter The Expensive Impulse Purchase

So guess what I did? I decided to buy an expensive camera, a Canon EOS Rebel SL3 18-55mm lens. Yes, that is its full government name. Haha.

“But Vuyiswa, don’t you already have a camera, a Kodak FZ55?”

Well… yes, I do.

But I successfully convinced myself that buying a more “professional” camera will magically force me out of the house to take pictures of buildings, nature, rocks, anything really. And with that being said, let me be clear, I am NOT a creative person. I do NOT have an eye for photography. But, we are here now! So I guess I have to tap into my non-existent creativity box and use the damn camera, because apparently that’s my new hobby.

So what drew me to photography, you ask? Honestly, I do love the idea of slowing down and noticing beauty. When I moved to Ohio, the first thing I bought was a bicycle because people told me about the beautiful trails. Photography feels like the winter version of biking. I see it as a way for me to explore, notice things, and feel connected. Except this time, instead of being on a bike, I’ll be in my Kia K5, driving around like a dramatic film character searching for a perfect scenery. Or a beautiful rock.

I even took some photos on Newbury Street in Boston recently and honestly? They turned out okay, if I do say so myself. Well… I guess I’m a photographer now because the camera was NOT cheap. Haha.

So yes, I’m trying to find beauty in everyday things, hoping my eye gets better with time. If you want to join me on this journey, follow my photography page on Instagram: @shotbyvuyi.

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Hobbies do not need an audience. They just need you.

Okay, let’s get serious for a minute, yeah?

There’s a special kind of peace that comes with doing something on your own. No rules. No expectations. Just you choosing yourself for an hour or two. Some hobbies feel almost personal, like they belong to a quieter version of you that doesn’t always get space in your daily routine. But at the same time, there are moments when sharing a hobby makes it brighter. Some experiences just feel warmer when someone is beside you, laughing or noticing the same small things.

The tricky part is that being an adult is basically a group project where everyone is busy. Making friends is hard, finding community is harder, and aligning schedules? Impossible. So sometimes you just end up doing things alone. And honestly? I’m learning that showing up for myself counts too. Who knew?

There is a point in our lives where everything is a routine: work, responsibilities, survival. It’s like your identity gets swallowed by tasks and expectations. That’s why hobbies feel like a return to yourself. They tend to remind you that you’re more than your deadlines, more than your inbox, more than the constant pressure to perform. A hobby doesn’t need to make sense or produce anything; it just needs to make you feel like human again. It’s a small way of reclaiming joy after months or even years of simply getting by.

Practical tips of starting hobbies as an adult

Starting hobbies as a grown human being is wild because you’re like, “Do I really have time for this?” But trust me, it doesn’t have to be dramatic. Start tiny. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Put it on your calendar the same way you schedule meetings, if that helps.

Be a beginner. Let yourself look confused. Let yourself YouTube things. Let yourself fail. I’ve been trying to learn the settings on this camera, and so far, the only thing I fully understand is ISO and what it does to the picture. But hey, we move!

If you pals are not around, try stuff alone. Don’t wait for the perfect weekend or the perfect friend or the perfect mood because that day might never come. And listen… you do NOT have to be good at it. This is not performance season. Just DO IT! (Nike!)

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Choosing joy on purpose

Here’s what I’m learning: life after work does not have to be an existential crisis every single day. It doesn’t have to be doom-scrolling until midnight or staring at the ceiling wondering what everyone else is doing with their lives. It can actually be… nice. Enjoyable, even. Who knew?

Finding little things to do after work feels good. It reminds me that there is a whole life outside my job. A life I can actually shape and enjoy. I am in charge of that part of my life.

And maybe that’s what adulthood is about. Not having everything figured out, but finding small things that make your evenings feel less like survival and more like living. Hobbies, interests, tiny experiment, anything that gives your brain a break from being a responsible employee 24/7.

Below is a small collection of pictures I took in Chicago with my iPhone a while back. Mhh, maybe I DO have an eye for photography. What do you think?!

You don’t need a perfect routine or a detailed strategy to enjoy your evenings. You just need something that makes you feel like, “Okay, I actually like this.” That’s how hobbies start. That’s how joy comes back into your life, not in a dramatic explosion, but in small moments where you finally feel present again.

Well, bye guys! I will talk to you later! Toodles!!!