No one wants to grow up to be like their parents. That’s why Millennials and Gen Xers took a hard turn away from the values and lifestyles of the people who raised them: the Baby Boomers. But the funny thing about pendulums is that they can only go so far in one direction before they come swinging back. It seems Gen Zers, today’s young adults between the ages of 14 and 29, actually have quite a bit in common with the Boomers—namely, how they like to spend their leisure time. Here are six Boomer-favorite hobbies that are making a strong comeback with young people, who are putting a fresh spin on them. 1. Birdwatching Most adults over the age of 30 would not recognize birdwatching as a popular hobby from when they were growing up, but thanks to Gen Z, it’s roaring back into style. A recent CNN article highlighted Gen Z’s affinity for birdwatching, with wildlife adviser Katie Nethercoat saying the activity’s accessibility and outdoorsiness are a big draw: “People have an idea that birdwatching is an expensive hobby. It’s not, you don’t need all the gear … it is often just going to your local park, sitting out on your balcony or in your garden, going for a walk along the river. Nature is always there.” Birdwatching among 16- to 29-year-olds in the United Kingdom, for example, has surged more than 1,000% since 2018, according to CNN. How Gen Z makes it their own: Birdwatching is now social—not to mention political. Young people share their finds online, while birdwatching apps allow them to compete to see who can spot the most birds or the rarest species. It’s like real-life Pokémon. Many even join mission-oriented birdwatching clubs, such as those organized around LGBTQ inclusion or feminist causes. 2. Mahjong Mahjong, the 200-year-old Chinese tile-based skill game, is certainly having a moment. Interest in mahjong clubs is up more than 4,000% since last year, with young people driving much of the surge. Outside of the Asian American community, mahjong was popular with Jewish American women and American housewives in the early 1900s. Now it’s back. And it’s not just mahjong. Board games of all kinds are seeing a resurgence as the video game monoculture begins to break apart. Video games are still huge, but they’re more niche and immersive, and many young people are finding they prefer playing games in real life with friends. How Gen Z makes it their own: Mahjong has always been highly social, but the younger generation is cranking it up to 11. Some Gen Zers throw mahjong parties where guests are encouraged to bring a friend and enjoy DJs, food, and more. Custom mahjong sets on Etsy let young people put their own spin on the classic game in a way 1930s housewives never could. 3. Knitting and crochet It’s not just for grandmas anymore: A staggering 73% of crocheters are now between 18 and 34, according to recent data. They’re not just borrowing this hobby; they’re straight-up taking over. It’s the slowest, most offline hobby ever, and Gen Z is eating it up. How Gen Z makes it their own: Three words: granny-core meetups. Gen Zers are combining several of their favorite Boomer pastimes and gathering with friends for quiet evenings of mahjong, knitting, and crochet. They’re also getting hyper-creative, no longer held back by what their mother or grandmother taught them or by the available lessons in books. Gen Z crocheters make stuffies, cardigans, and trendy bags—and some even turn their crafts into small businesses and side hustles. 4. Baking Gen Z gets a reputation as the “DoorDash generation,” but baking homemade goodies, especially sourdough bread, is really popular with this age group. It all peaked during the pandemic, but young people haven’t exactly cooled on making fresh bread at home. The Independent Press writes that many Millennials and Gen Zers got their first taste of homemade sourdough in 2020 and that it’s sticking around for reasons far bigger than just how delicious it can be: “This shift toward baking was not only about producing food but about engaging in a therapeutic and rewarding process during uncertain times.” How Gen Z makes it their own: Like so many things for younger generations, baking bread at home is becoming social. People share their bread-making journey and sourdough starter progress online, and they have access to incredibly diverse and creative recipes that Baby Boomers could never have imagined. 5. Antiquing and thrifting In the last five years, the secondhand clothing market has doubled, per NBC News. Gen Z is playing a huge role in the resurgence, as more and more of them are ditching traditional retail stores for Goodwill, thrift stores, and antique malls. How Gen Z makes it their own: It’s not just thrifty and practical to pick up secondhand clothes and household items. It’s nostalgic and novel. By shopping secondhand, young people are able to experience a time they never lived through, when things weren’t mass-produced or sold by scammy dropshippers on Amazon. “Some of the clothes you get at the mall are such terrible quality these days,” Julia Laracy, 18, told NBC News. “These clothes are cheaper and they’re older, but they have better quality.” 6. Jigsaw puzzles Jigsaw puzzles, like sourdough, took off during the pandemic, and people still haven’t gotten sick of them. About half of American adults do at least one puzzle per year, and one of the groups most likely to do a puzzle on a monthly basis is 18- to 34-year-olds—yes, even out-puzzling the Boomers. How Gen Z makes it their own: Puzzles can be social, too—if you want them to be. “Puzzle and chill” or “puzzle with me” streams and online content are huge, and not just for creators. They foster a sense of belonging and community even when people are isolated. One commenter on a recent YouTube video wrote, “This was so much fun. I put you up on the TV while working on [my own puzzle]. It was like puzzling in the same room with a friend.” Why the return of these old-school, offline hobbies? It’s simple, really. They all have a number of things in common: You have to use your hands. They take time, effort, and patience. And you can do them solo or with friends in real life, then choose to share them online afterward—or not. These analog hobbies force us to slow down, and they’re the perfect antidote to digital fatigue—not just nostalgic or “retro” for the sake of it. “For me, personally, our brains are fried. I think we’re just so done and exhausted with social media. It’s very toxic,” one young birdwatcher told CNN. “It’s weird because it doesn’t make us feel good. We feel almost addicted to being on our phones because we don’t know anything else … A lot of us are going back, seeking the slower life, seeking a real connection with nature and other people.” The post 6 old-school Boomer hobbies that Gen Z is reviving and reinventing appeared first on Upworthy.