It’s as true in your 20s as it is in your 80s: everybody needs a hobby. Something that fascinates you, something that gives you joy, something that keeps your body and mind sharp. Sometimes you just need a distraction. And for the record, binge-watching Netflix and staring into the Instagram void are not hobbies. 

There is something seemingly old-fashioned about the very idea of a hobby. The word itself rings of something your grandfather might say. But lest you think “taking up a hobby” is an antiquated notion, consider that some of the greatest men in history had pastimes they were passionate about. 

Einstein played the violin when he wasn’t busy solving the mysteries of the universe. Hemingway spent much of his free time fishing (and then turning his fishing stories into great literature). Winston Churchill was an avid painter – and a pretty good one!

The point is, we all need something that we do only for ourselves. These are the 25 best hobbies for men in their 20s. 

1. Travel

Look, you’re in your twenties. You’re young, and you’re relatively unencumbered. You’re probably not going to have this much freedom again until you retire. 

Sorry if that’s a bummer, but my point is: make the most of it while you can. Travel! 

Go someplace you’ve never been for no particular reason. Visit another country. Go to the beach. Go to the desert. Talk to strangers. Eat weird food. Drive across the country and stop wherever you feel like stopping. 

These are the kinds of experiences you’ll treasure for a lifetime, and if you’re a dude in his twenties, there’s no better time to do it than right now. 

2. Get Cooking

Did you spend your quarantine last year subsisting on ramen and takeout? You can do better. Cooking is kind of a basic survival skill when you get down to it. You don’t have to become a chef – though you totally can, and if you want to, that’s awesome – but every man should at least know how to feed themselves.