One day off a week… inspire me with a cool class / hobby?

[Inspiremeeee]

I work four days a week, and don’t want to work five days as my job is very tiring!!! So it’s great having a day off.

But I often find that I do nothing on my day off and it feels wasted and I feel a little glum and depressed by the end of it after a day spent idling around on my computer or looking at crap on the internet.

I am looking for a fun daytime class to do once a week. Pottery or something like that, but maybe not that. Anything really. Can anyone recommend a new sort of fun hobby class?

I want the commitment of weekly so I don’t be lazy and not go and then spend the day miserable. I’m not great at things that don’t require a commitment. If I’ve signed up and paid, I go. If I haven’t, I don’t end up doing anything. I’d love to say I’ll go to an exhibition each week on my day off, but I really know I won’t unless I have someone to go with (and I don’t).

I’m in London if anyone knows of anything interesting that I don’t know of!

Flamenco dancing and then you can promise yourself a trip to Spain when you've done the class?

Choir
Improv
Acting Class

Explore what CityLit had to offer. I’ve found their courses good in terms of price-to-quality ratio. I took drawing classes and some other art ones but they have an enormous variety and often taster days/short courses.

https://www.citylit.ac.uk/

Silversmithing

Art- I go to a class and I love it. It has changed my life and I don't say that lightly. It released a real creativity in me, I love painting and now have a studio at home. It is something for me and I think I'll always do it- it's challenging, a huge learning curve, creative, immersive, full of highs and lows. I love the group but also doing it alone.

I love these ideas - thank you! I am an absolute beginner. I worry that with some arty ones, they'll be full of talented people and I’ll feel a bit useless?!

How do you go about finding them also? A google search? A local community centre?

I will also look at City Lit, thank you!

Sewing? I recently took a beginners sewing class and found it very absorbing. I made a cushion and a make up bag - I was ridiculously pleased with myself.

Sewing. I would dearly love to spend time sewing every week. Find a class to get you going, and then you can carry on under your own steam. The satisfaction of making your own clothes is immense. And to have time to dedicate to it would be lovely.

Pottery etc is good, but you can't do it yourself at home, so apart from the 2hrs in class, you're still at a loose end. So I'd choose something that doesn't need very specialist equipment.

Have you thought of volunteering ? Loads of local community groups are doing great things. Local community garden, food bank, library etc

I can’t help with specific classes as I’m not in London (but I imagine that in London you’ll be able to find any kind of class you could possibly dream of!) just wanted to say don’t worry too much about being an absolute beginner. I’ve been in that situation a few times and people have mostly been supportive. Maybe when I’m not there they’re saying “Ooh isn’t she crap!” but I don’t think so 😁

Was also going to say art. Start off with a line drawing class

A pp said volunteering, which is a good idea. Your local CVS will be able to help.
What about a language class?
Something to do with fitness, I did Yoga & Pilates between children when I found myself with a morning spare, and often fitness or social sport groups end up in coffee shop afterwards.

Art/ Music/ New Language/ Exercise/ Gardening/ DIY/ Reading/ Writing

I did a floristry course as an evening class. Absolutely loved it and I use it to pretty up my house (and I actually did the flowers for my own albeit tiny wedding).

I go to tap dancing and pottery each week, and I am teaching myself watercolour painting. I also play tennis several times a week. (I also work!)

Aerial yoga always looks fun but I’ve never tried it.

These are courses either myself or my mum have done over the years. Most were 6/8 week things, others were taster days and we were novices to start with.

• tiffany lamp making
• bisque doll making
• crochet/knitting
• Cake decorating
• Pilates
• Floral art
• Oil painting, water colours, sketching
• Massage therapy
• Learn a language
• Rock n roll, swing, jitterbug, ceroc or ballroom dancing
• Cooking classes.

Billingsgate used to run seafood specific classes, but I think they've stopped since covid. I've heard good things about this cooking school, but never been:
Waitrose Cookery School | Cooking Classes | Waitrose & Partners

You could also volunteer- charity shop, food bank, local community things. A colleague is part of a community scheme and she will drive people to medical appointments/hospital visits. Local gardening group.

Drum lessons

The WEA run adult education/leisure classes - www.wea.org.uk

Local councils used to have good adult education programmes but funding has been severely stripped back, so that's very area dependent.

Check the websites of any local charities or organisations as these can sometimes run classes related to their cause (eg wildlife trusts might have regular nature programmes or walks).

Museums as well. Sometimes FE and HE institutions also run "leisure courses" (i.e. adult education classes for hobby purposes).

Libraries and church halls can also have regular activity groups, eg knitting or sewing. Check their noticeboard or website too as they might advertise other activities even if not library-hosted or religious.

Basically check all the websites and noticeboards of all the organisations most conveniently situated for you. For London, you should have loads of options.

Oh wow thank you everyone! The research will start this evening!!

Swimming. I booked 1 to 1 improver lessons as hadn’t swum properly since I was a child, and then made a commitment to swim weekly.

Stained glass - I want to make a panel for our hall with sunflowers on for the light to shine through.