Crafty and creative: A guide to arts and crafts activities you can do from your uni home

Sometimes, you just want a fun way to be creative in the limited free time you have at uni – but where do you start? Whether you’re a seasoned DIY enthusiast, or a total beginner looking to upcycle some everyday items, here is an ultimate guide to our favourite budget-friendly arts and crafts activities to help you unwind at university.

Crochet or Knitting

Rough cost: under £5

A cheap, easy and fun hobby to take up, crocheting is a great use of time. All you need to start is a ball of wool, a crochet hook or knitting needles, and YouTube, and you can create some really cool stuff! From room decor to clothes to bags to accessories, crocheting is a super easy way to add something interesting to your day-to-day life. Patterns are really easy to find on social media, but you can also find loads online on websites like Hobbycraft or Ralvery.

Painting glasses

Rough cost: £5-£10

You can always do with more glasses, and what better way to have some new ones to add to your collection than decorating them? Painting glasses blew up on Tiktok recently, and it has now become a great lowkey activity to do during your week, as well as being a great way to add something special to your uni home. It doesn’t take a lot to start, all you need to do is grab some cheap glasses from a charity shop, some acrylic paint and a paintbrush, and you have a wholesome evening sorted!

Colouring books

Rough cost: £5-£10

Most Read

Retiring, religion and legal troubles: The Buffy cast members we probably won’t see back

People have worked out the ‘real reason’ so many Islanders are quitting All Stars

Scott wildly exposes which couple is getting the most intimate in the All Stars villa

Surely I can’t be the only one obsessed with the new trend of colouring! Just the idea of getting a cute colouring book, sitting in front of the TV or listening to music sounds like a great stress reliever. If you don’t want to wait for Tiktok shop to deliver to you, you can pick up a colouring book in any stationery store, and with colouring books available from as little as £3, you can get started and build your colouring collection.

Scrapbooking

Rough cost: £5-£15

Our university years are the best years of our lives – or at least that’s what they tell us. Scrapbooking is a great way to remember all the fun you get up to, the friends you’ve made, and the city you live in. You can pick up an empty scrapbook from any craft shop, and order some photos to get started – with apps like Snapfish or Freeprints, it’s cheap and really easy to get photos delivered right to your door, and it’s always nice to go through old memories!

Personalised tote bags

Rough cost: £5-£10

If you’re a university student (especially one that lives in Bristol) it’s highly likely you already have a tote bag – but you can never have too many tote bags, especially adding a personalised on to the collection! Grab some fabric paint, a needle and thread, sequins, beads, badges, whatever you’d like to use, and get decorating. Not only can you personalise it to your style, but you can match with your friends!

Painting night

Rough cost: £5-£10

Whether you’re an established artist or an aspiring doodler, there is something inherently relaxing, and quite fun, about getting together with some friends for a painting night. All you need are a few basic supplies: some cheap paints, paintbrushes, and either canvases or thick paper (or an old cardboard box also works if you’re trying to cut down on waste). Add some snacks, a good playlist, and enjoy the vibes. Skill level doesn’t matter, it is all about enjoying the process, and maybe creating something cool along the way.

Air dry clay

Rough cost: £5-£15

Air-dry clay is a low-cost, low-commitment way to unleash your inner sculptor. Perfect for beginners, it requires no special equipment—just your hands, some basic tools (a fork or toothpick work wonders), and a little imagination. Try making trinket dishes, quirky plant pots, or even personalised ornaments. Once it dries, bring your creations to life with a bit of the paint you bought for the painting night – multiuse! It’s a calming, tactile craft that’s ideal for solo afternoons or a group activity, and the best part is that imperfections only add to the charm of your handmade pieces.

This is only a brief list of some of the easiest activities, but there a plenty more to choose from! Whether you’re decorating your uni house, making some personalised gifts or just looking for a way to de-stress after a long day of lectures, these hobbies are a great way to start. Crafting is a great way to get together with friends, so if you’re looking for a low-key way to socialise look no further – grab your supplies, clear some space and get crafting!