By RACHEL SHUBIN
Special to the Star and Wave
CAPE MAY — All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy — because without activities outside work, life would be boring.
Having a hobby to fo- cus on is essential for re- laxation. Millennials are known for their affinity for using their time off work to relax. Many millennials are guilty of kicking back and watching Netflix mind- lessly, instead of being productive.
Millennials are said to value work-life balance above job advancement. Between the never offline workplace, no one truly leaves the office at clos- ing time. Millennials want their personal and profes- sional lives to have equal balance.
Outside of 9-5 life, hob- bies are a way to find equi- librium in daily life. How- ever, sometimes millenni- als are so in love with their hobbies that they make it their job.
Hali MacLaren, 25, did not grow up with plans to become a jeweler.
“I made hemp bracelets with seashells while I was
growing up and would sell them to my friends on the beach,” MacLaren said. “I never wore jewelry until I got older, until I learned how to make it.”
MacLaren is based in West Chester, Pa., but grew up spending her summers in Cape May. She has a bachelor’s degree in jew- elry making and crafts from University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
“Out of all the craft classes, like woodwork- ing, fibers and ceramics, jewelry making was the only class that fit into my schedule,” MacLaren said. “I absolutely fell in love with it and switched my major in my junior year. I’ve been making jewelry for six years.”
The phenomenon of hob- bies becoming full-time jobs has created a new wave of employment for millennials. It gives them a chance to create their own balance.
“Hobbies separate the everyday, mundane work environment from your interests,” MacLaren said. “I want people to work and do what you love, which is why I joined my hobby with my work. I think for
creative types, it is easy for us to have that hobby and for non-creatives it’s im- portant to find some type of hobby because it balances you out.”
Having hobbies is a great way to start a conversa- tion with others and form friendships with those who have similar interests.
“It’s good for your physi- cal and emotional being, as well as your mental,” MacLaren said. “It’s im- portant to have balance and be able to have differ- ent outlets where you can express yourself and find support.”
MacLaren is part of the Haverford Guild of Craftsmen in Pennsylva- nia, where she is able to interact with those in her craft and other types of work.
“There are other jewel- ers in the field, so I can get good feedback from them as well as people who work in woodwork or ceramics,” MacLaren said. “They meet once a month and have different discus- sions on topics in crafts. Whether it’s how to set up a display to a craft show, how to market yourself or how to take good photos and edit them.”
The wide age range of members gives MacLaren help on many topics. How- ever, she is the only millen- nial in the guild.
“I wish there were more millennials in the group; it’s a really great outlet of information and op- portunities for artists,” MacLaren said. “But with the $70 membership fee, many millennials don’t want to spend the money. The Digital Age can be time-consuming and let us sit back on our couches and scroll our newsfeeds. It’s even better for people to be out and present in person.”
A selection of MacLar- en’s jewelry is available for purchase at Splash, 513 Carpenter’s Lane in Cape May. She is scheduled to have a trunk show there
CAPE MAY STAR AND WAVE (ISSN 519-020) Volume 164 Number 36
Published weekly by Sample Media, Inc., 801 Asbury Ave., #310, Ocean City, N.J. 08226
Friday, Oct. 26. More in- formation can be found at hkmjewelry.com.
Convincing millennials to join organizations is not always a difficult task, especially when groups focus on issues about which millennials are passionate.
“Millennials make up about 10 percent of our congregation,” Cape May Lutheran Church Pastor Jeff Elliott said. “I don’t find them unwilling to join at all, I see them willing to join and participate fully.”
Cape May Lutheran Church works with the Cape May Green Team on service-oriented projects.
“The things millenni- als like and are glad to be active in include environ- mental work,” Elliott said. “They are also interested in our whole-food, plant- based eating program.”
Joining a military organi- zation is another way mil- lennials connect with each other. Cape May is home to the U.S. Coast Guard train- ing center.
“I was active-duty Coast
Guard for four years,” Jes- sica Orlowicz said. “My ex-husband is in the Coast Guard and we were trans- ferred to Cape May for his job.”
Orlowicz, 36, took a film class in college but taught herself photogra- phy through YouTube and other informational web- sites. Before she knew it, Orlowicz had become a working photographer, merging her hobby with her full-time job.
“It’s important for any- one to have hobbies, es- pecially if your job isn’t something you’re passion- ate about,” Orlowicz said. “Very few people are lucky enough to pay the bills do- ing something creative, a job they would do even if they weren’t being paid.”
Like MacLaren, Orlowicz said she believes that con- necting with people over social media has positive and negative aspects.
“We can connect from our couch, which is both good and bad,” Orlowicz said. “Joining clubs and even going to church had a lot to do with socializing for previous generations.”
Millennials can have dif- ficulty stepping away from social media to join groups and interact with other people. Orlowicz has pre- viously belonged to Click & CO, an organization that publishes Click Magazine.
“It is where I found my most significant mentors,” Orlowicz said. “Specifically other female photogra- phers.”
Orlowicz works as a life- style photographer in Cape May for her own company,
Peach & Port. She also is a communications direc- tor at Princeton Strategic Communications.
“Stepping away from social media is very im- portant and not something I’m good at,” Orlowicz said. “Because I’m an indepen- dent contractor, it’s hard for me to walk away from work. A large part of what I do is social media manage- ment, and social media is 24/7. Because I’m a single mother, if I do step away from work it’s to spend time with my children.”
Millennials enjoy the mindfulness movement and focusing on self-care. Mindfulness is the psycho- logical process or practice of bringing oneself to the present and embracing the moment and experience. It can be done through medi- tation or other practices, such as self-care.
“Self-care with my work and life balance is some- thing I plan to focus on this coming year,” Orlowicz said.
It can seem like every day a new rumor surround- ing millennials is circulat- ing. Cape May could be the exception to the typical millennial, as the popula- tion finds niche work in town. Hobbies that double as full-time jobs are a mil- lennial’s dream.
To some, it might ap- pear millennials are not motivated to join groups or organizations — but they are just trying to find the time to disconnect from social media and focus on relaxing activities and hobbies. And sometimes, joining them together.