Finding Joy in Baking (and Hobbies Outside of Work)
A lot of the time, it feels like once you graduate college and “start your life,” the big girl job, paying rent, figuring out what to cook for yourself, suddenly, time just disappears. Before you know it, the evenings slip away into endless Instagram scrolling or binging the latest season of The Real Housewives (and for the record, I have zero complaints about either).
But at some point, I started asking myself: Is this it? What’s my thing outside of work? You know, the dreaded question everyone asks: “So, what do you do for fun?” My mind always went blank. Besides reality TV, I wasn’t really sure.
That’s when I decided to start experimenting. To look for something I could enjoy, that felt mentally stimulating, but also calming. That search led me straight into the kitchen.
Why Baking?
Okay, baking might not be the healthiest hobby out there (depending on how much cookie dough you “taste test”), but it’s something that genuinely makes me happy. It’s fun, it tastes good, and somehow it feels creative. Plus, it combines all my favorite things: baking itself, scrolling through recipe videos, and binging The Great British Baking Show. Multitasking at its finest, right?
One of my biggest inspirations has been Broma Bakery. She’s the reason I baked my first-ever cake: a strawberry shortcake. I was so proud of it that I even named her Eloise. Since then, I’ve tried her raspberry pistachio olive oil cake, which was such a hit at a party that two gluten-free guests ate it anyway and told me it was worth the inevitable allergic reaction. (Not my recommendation, but still a compliment, right?)
These days, I bake cookies at least once a week and usually whip up some kind of breakfast bread. Sweet treats in moderation, of course. I’m always saving new recipes and new, different things to try. Like everyone is already on the sourdough trend, so why can’t that be next for me? Though stay tuned, Suzanne loves to experiment with healthier options!
A Calming Ritual
I’m not sure if you can officially call it a “hobby” yet since I’m still finding my rhythm, but baking has become one of the things that brings me the most joy. As someone who naturally runs a little anxious, there’s something really grounding about it. The measuring, the mixing, the smell of something sweet in the oven, it slows me down in the best way.
And I’ve started picking up little bits of wisdom along the way. Like how Broma Bakery says, “Vanilla extract is the salt of baking.” Once I learned that, experimenting with different amounts became a small but fun adventure in itself.
Baking Brings People Together
One of the best parts? Sharing. When I bake a new cake, there’s no way Logan and I can finish it ourselves (though I know he’d happily volunteer). So instead, we bring slices to friends, family, coworkers, whoever will accept them. It turns baking into more than just a personal project. It becomes a way of connecting, celebrating, and sharing love in the simplest form.
Still Searching
I don’t think baking is the only answer to the whole “what do you do outside of work” question. Honestly, I’m still figuring it out, just like so many of us. But for now, it feels good to have something that’s mine, something that slows me down, sparks creativity, and makes other people smile.
And if you have a hobby that brings you that same kind of joy, I’d love to hear about it! Maybe you’ll inspire me the same way Broma Bakery inspired my first cake. Because at the end of the day, life feels a little lighter when we have something outside of work that makes us excited to say, “This is what I do for fun.”
