The Nostalgia of Childhood Hobbies

I Once Enjoyed Collecting Rocks... and Other Things

By Macie Rasmussen

As an 8-year-old, I would walk around outside my house in Wisconsin. But I didn’t wander without a purpose. Collecting rocks was my favorite hobby. The home I grew up in had landscaping with small rocks surrounding the house. Encircled by gravel stones, these rocks provided me with a summertime pastime full of delight. With each round, I discovered new treasures I hadn’t noticed before. And what do a child’s treasures need? A treasure chest. In the back of my closet, I had a cardboard box that I covered with tinfoil and painted black. It held all my favorite stones, which I can only guess were my most prized possessions.

If I felt extra adventurous, I traveled further into my backyard, past the swing set, to our walnut trees. If you’ve never had walnut trees on your property, you won’t recognize the citrusy, earthy smell of the walnuts’ green husks. I’d walk around with a small bucket to collect the nuts, and if I felt angsty, I would take one of the rocks and smash it open to retrieve the kernel inside.  

Considering these behaviors, it makes me emotional to think about the simple childhood joy of walking barefoot in the grass. I’m heartbroken that my concerns have become radically more complicated, but I’m also content that my house’s landscaping was once a part of my life. Recalling this pure hobby brings a rush of affection for my childhood self—the person who wasn’t drowning in emails or getting annoyed when the city bus didn’t arrive on time. It’s a tender memory and one I’d like to come back to whenever I’m struggling to finish a paper by a midnight deadline.

So if you had a niche childhood hobby, I encourage you to reflect on it. How did it make you feel? How could you manifest an exercise to give you a similar pleasure today? These questions are not meant to elicit sappy responses or idealistic intentions. They’re only meant to encourage genuine consideration of the wonder that once existed in your younger self. When spring comes, I look forward to walking in the grass with the purpose of observing my steps through the eyes of a child.