When the summer days get long and repetitive or when it seems there’s nothing to do on a rainy day, taking up a hobby is a fool-proof way to rescue yourself from the clutches of boredom. I’ve found that there is no one better to share that experience with than your vina.

For example, one year, my friend Hannah and I decided to take up knitting. At the time, we were just getting to know each other and were looking for something to do– so we signed up for classes. Though neither of us is now a professional, grade-A yarn worker, attempting to become knitting experts together brought us a lot of laughs and ultimately jumpstarted our friendship.

TRYING NEW THINGS IS A BONDING EXPERIENCE

It can be intimidating or even a little scary to take on an activity outside of your comfort zone, but all of this is made easier when you have a friend to encourage and empathize with you. Taking on a new challenge can help bring you and your vina closer together as you jump over the hurdles of new challenges and plunge into the deep end. Two of my friends from high school once decided to take a karate class together, an activity that was very much out of the ordinary for them. As the day of the class arrived, they were shaking in their boots with nervousness, but they helped each other through it and ended up having a great time!

YOU SUCCEED AND FAIL TOGETHER

When we decided to learn to knit, Hannah and I managed a few whimsically misshapen scarves, but, for the most part, we did not master the craft and never moved on from the status as knitting amateur. That didn’t matter, because we were knitting amateurs together! The next year, we decided to play in a string quartet together and ended up making music that was beautiful in a way our knitted scarves weren’t. Having your vina beside you to celebrate with when your new hobby is a success but also to sympathize with when it isn’t your thing is the best part about trying something new.

IT’S A LIFELONG MEMORY– TO CHERISH AND/OR TO LAUGH ABOUT

Whether or not you and your vina emerge from your cooking classes, crafting clubs, and music lessons as master chefs, crafting extraordinaires, or maestro musicians, you will have created a memory for a lifetime. Years later, you could still be hitting the kitchen to cook up your newest recipe or meeting at the soccer field for a scrimmage. Otherwise, you’re probably finding your attempts at knitted scarves and laughing about the time you decided to try a crazy new hobby. Either way, you and your vina surely won’t forget the time you spent together, and perhaps you can attribute this time to the reason you’re friends.

So, don’t be afraid to pick up those knitting needles, head to the ballpark, or tune up your instrument with your vina– you never know if you’re about to create a lifelong bonding experience or a warm memory to laugh about years later.

Tell us in the comments about a hobby you’ve tried with your vina and what you learned from the experience. Keep being brave and trying new things– your vina is always there to help you along the way. If you haven’t already, download the Hey! VINA app to meet other ambitious hobby-ers!

(Featured Image via Condé Nast Traveler)