The Vanishing Kickflip: When Hobbies Can’t Afford the Rent

There was a time when hobbies were just... hobbies. You skated for the thrill, painted for the mess, or joined a band knowing full well you’d never sell an album. It wasn’t about monetization, likes, or LinkedIn bullet points—it was about joy. But in today’s hustle-heavy economy, even leisure comes with a price tag. Hobbies like skateboarding, once a rebellious rite of passage, are quietly shrinking, edged out by rising costs and a culture that treats free time like an indulgence, not a necessity.

Skateboarding, for example, used to be gloriously accessible: grab a deck, find a curb, and go. Now? A decent board setup costs upwards of $150, and access to well-maintained skate parks can be limited or non-existent in many communities. Combine that with inflation, part-time jobs, and college workloads, and suddenly there’s little space—financially or emotionally—for spending hours learning to ollie. Even the simplest hobbies are bumping up against economic realities that make them feel more like luxury than lifestyle.

And let’s not forget the time crunch. Young people today are navigating a schedule that’s more packed than a Black Friday checkout line: school, work, side hustles, internships, and a constant stream of digital obligations. When every hour has to “count,” hobbies that don't lead to a skill badge or career boost get quietly pushed aside. Free time isn’t free—it’s expensive, and increasingly rare. So skateboards gather dust, paint sets stay sealed, and passion projects turn into abandoned Google Docs.

The cultural impact of this quiet hobby recession is bigger than it seems. Hobbies build community, creativity, and mental health in ways that spreadsheets and syllabi never could. They’re often the last unstructured spaces we have for play, experimentation, and genuine connection. Without them, we risk raising a generation that’s efficient but emotionally exhausted—young people who can code, pitch, and multitask, but don’t remember the last time they did something just for fun.

So maybe it’s time to bring back hobbies without apology. Not as side hustles or productivity hacks, but as vital ingredients of a life well-lived. Let’s build skate parks, fund art spaces, and create room—literal and cultural—for people to explore passions without pressure. Because while a perfect résumé might open doors, a perfectly landed kickflip? That’s pure magic.