Spring Hobbies: BINGO
I can not stop referring to the weather in these most recent blog posts I have been writing. The warmth just adds so much energy to my life!
Warmer weather also means amazing opportunities to get outside and try new hobbies. Sure, it is easy to get wrapped up in a weekend just scrolling on TikTok, but it is just as easy to sign up for a new 6-week instructional hobby that makes you 10x more interesting than the people around you.
The thing about trying new hobbies that gets in the way of people putting themselves out there is the fear of being judged. Being perceived is everywhere. It won't matter how much money you make or how far you have progressed in your life journey, you will always be judged. The best way to look at it is: everyone else around you is equally afraid of what comes next, some people are just better at masking their fear than you are. When you try a new hobby or start to get out into more community work in your area, the people around you have been exactly at the beginning, just as you are now. No one wakes up and is on their 12th lesson of golf overnight. No one is born and immediately starts to rock climb after exiting the womb. The people in your hobby group will never judge you for trying. Showing up, participating, remaining engaged is enough to start.
If you know me, you know that I am the queen of hobbies. I see something online, I think it looks cool, I am literally signing up for my first class to learn how to do it within the next 48hrs. My trait of being impatient has bitten me in the ass a few times in my adulthood, but never when it comes to expanding my skills.
This Spring, I am going back to one of my favorite seasonal hobbies from spring 2024 – archery. I am anticipating a full hunting season in the fall, and I remember having a lot of fun and feeling like Merida from Brave (imagine my wig blowing in the wind and all).
I also have my garden that I am pouring myself into – see my most recent post HERE.
A few weekends ago, I tried Bingo. I got a lot of flak for this one in my friend groups. I got “old lady” “go ‘head meemaw” “don’t hurt ‘em granny” “playing bingo is sin”. I saw it as a way to connect with people in my neighborhood who are wiser and more experienced in life than I am! I also really wanted to get out of the house for less than $50, which is progressively getting hard to do these days.
So I bought my ticket a few weeks before and walked in confidently behind a family of 4 on a chilly Sunday afternoon. I got my bingo cards a few feet into the door and conversed quickly with a table assistant about how to play and get extra playing cards. I told him it was my first time ever playing and he was elated! He and a few other people old enough to be my great grandparents gave me some good tips for keeping up and they sent me on my way.
I sat by myself for this game of Bingo, but next time I think I'll commingle a little more with the old ladies.
None of my cards made bingo, and I almost fell asleep around game 4. There are breaks in between and so many more munchies than they know what to do with. You can bring your own snacks, or you can buy donuts, hotdogs, chocolates, or any other fine treats they might've made or brought for players.
Looking around, I realized people really take this stuff seriously! I bought a dobber for $2 and looked around to see people have bags accessorized with dobbers of every color imaginable. The dobbers look like this:
I chatted a little more with the program owners before leaving and they told me more about upcoming non-profit events they were having and they encouraged me to bring my friends. Purchasing tickets and making donations on top is what keeps community centers like this one open.
The older, retired generation gets to feel purposeful, and I get to feel a sense of community.
I did win a bottle of wine! One of my raffle tickets matched up with one for a gift basket and I got a nice deep red one to wind down with at the end of a fun afternoon.
Whether you start small with a domino or chess club in your area or move to something physical like a run club, what matters most is that you show up and consistently. Cognitively, your mind wants you to stay in and do what’s easy. Are you going to let that familiarity stop you from experiencing things and enjoying life outside?
Its up to you. Always.
Try a new hobby and write to me about them this Spring! I cant wait.
Fran.
