How to Start Researching as a Hobby

Trust me, I'm an alcoholic. I really am just doing this for fun.

You: Sarah, I want to get into research as a hobby, how do I start?

Me: first off, tempt yourself.

Gather books, highlighters, pens, notepads, some candles, open a window, etc.

Sometimes when I research in the afternoon I’ll set everything up on the table and play Etta James softly on my record player.

I don’t sit down right away, I “make eyes” at the scene in a similar way to having a crush.

A big mistake is resting on sheer willpower, it’s like telling yourself “I have to love someone” and it feels like an obligation. Learning outside school is mainly about desire.

Also, if you have trauma with the education system (most of us do), you’ll see learning as the enemy. You’ll avoid it.

Give yourself an enemies to lovers arc with learning. When you’re falling in love you want to know more about them, the same thing will happen with learning, researching.

Set the scene first and make researching appealing, attractive. View her through fresh eyes, a new lens, and activate your saliency network - the brain regions that act as a “switch” between goal-directed behavior and default mode network.

You have a new goal and you’re trying to toggle out of default mode - approach research in a novel, creative, humorous, environmentally rich, and/or unique way. (Your Brain on Art - Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross)

Next, “love languages” can be used with hobbies, so use yours.

Words of affirmation is my love language so I just enjoy words that bolster and heighten understanding.

If you like quality time, make the experience high-quality. Set aside time for complete absorption, immerse yourself in set-up, enjoy just being there with the book.

If you like physical touch, be especially tactile. Pens, highlighters, note taking for note taking sake. Feel the book, annotate just to feel your hand move, press, transform the paper.

If you like gift giving, view it as a gift. Find a book on something you’ve always wanted to know about, buy it like someone else got it for you, like they heard you, like they searched for it. Write notes like you’re “wrapping up” understanding and share an abridged version.

You want to fall in love with research in a way that works with your existing default mode network (natural tendencies, habits, dispositions). Work with, not against. Maneuver, not collide.

(I realize there’s a lot of interesting science around “love languages” but if it’s true for you, use it.)

I would also strongly recommend picking up reading at the reading level (grade level) where you started to do “not so good” in school.

Pick up where you left off, not where you want to be, and build.

Reading is like weightlifting (information is literally dense). You want to (and definitely can) get to “Olympic lifting” but you have to start with “weights” (books) that are compatible with your current mental muscle ability.

Remember, you are not “too stupid” or “too damaged” to love learning and researching. I have about ten years of extreme alcohol abuse under my belt, that’s not to degrade my accomplishments, but to say “dude, I really, really know how hard it can be to start something.”

I really do hope to see you in the “mental gym” someday. I hope we get the opportunity to “spot” each other.

“How do I know what my interests are?” Date around.

Zines, poetry, smaller books.

To “find your type” you need to “go on dates.” You don’t need to full on date every topic, you are “falling in love” and should never feel obligated to continue anything for the sake of continuing.

And when you’re done, sit and think about how the book made you feel - genuinely truly. Not how you “should” feel, but how you actually feel.

Remember, you will not be graded, you are reporting to no one. This is all about you and you are the authority.

Love challenged and so does researching. Is this a “challenge” you enjoy?

Also, if you have a learning disability or difficulty, think of accommodations as a modified workout. If you need to walk (listen to audiobooks passively) not run (listen to audiobooks actively) do it.

If someone has an issue with your ability and performance imagine it’s like someone at the gym (who is neither a trainer nor has been asked to do this) “reviewing” your workouts - tell them to fuck off! That’s weirdo behavior.

I really hope you can learn to fall in love with learning, researching. It’s so g-dang fun. If you’d like more advice, specifically reframes, please let me know, I fuggin love stuff like this.

Also, if you’d like two books on research as an art, I’d recommend:

On the Art & Craft of Doing Science - Kenneth Catania

Research Is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods - Shawn Wilson

I do also have a podcast where I discuss research as a hobby each week, Schauer Thoughts, new episodes every Wednesday. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Youtube.

Schauer Thoughts on Spotify.

Apologies if there’s any spelling or grammatical errors, I have yet to fall in love with proofreading.