10 Things To Take Up In Dublin That Will Make Your Week WAY More Exciting

Sarah

Is your summer goal something along the lines of ‘I need to leave the house more’ or ‘be #fearless #fab’?

Well maybe it’s just us, but we often find ourselves doing the same old things day in, day out, and that can get pretty boring after a while. As in, re-watching Friends in the afternoon while you’re still in your pyjamas kind of boring.

We’ve all been guilty of moaning to our duvets that there’s just nothing good to do at the weekends. Well, how wrong we are.

The start of the year is when we’re all determined to ‘be the best me’ and try new things, and as it turns out there’s plenty of really fun courses all across the city that will add a li’l bit of pzazz to your life.

Never be stuck for something to do again once you’ve learnt these mad skills.

1. Cocktail-making

Live out that secret Tom Cruise in Cocktail fantasy and learn how to make your very own sophisticated beverages. This is a skill that will make you insanely popular at parties if you turn up with your fancy shaker and churn out a few margaritaaaas.

We recommend the two day intensive course at Dublin Bar Academy

2. Lingerie design

Why waste money on flimsy lace bras when you can learn how to make your very own? Braletes are so stylish right now, and not that difficult to make once you’ve learnt the basic skills. This would be an AMAZING class for brides to be and their gals, or pretty much anyone who likes making pretty things.

When Poppy Met Daisy do a brill one day bra and knicker course <3

3. Roller derby

Ever since the 1975 Rollerball sci-fi beaut, roller derby has been a very cool sport. Fast, furious, and pretty much guaranteed to make you fit, learning how to fly around on skates whilst crashing into your opponents as you try to score the most points is a fun way to spend an evening.

Dublin Roller Derby have a women’s and a men’s team, and also do Father Ted themed skates. Yes!

4. Cheese making workshop

Ohhhhh cheese. The glory of all our lives. If you’re like us and have an embarrassingly high cheese expenditure in your weekly food shop, it’s practically a bargain to learn how to make your own from scratch. A one day workshop will show you how to make both soft and hard cheeses, so you’ll never go brie-less again. You’re welcome.

A full day workshop at Cookes Academy is a great start to this skill.

5. Screen printing

Screen printing is a great way to create your very own unique designs for t-shirts, tote bags and just general slick wall art for your house. It’s a pretty messy technique involving lots of ink, but the results are worth all the effort come next Christmas when you’re able to make all your family’s gifts on the cheap.

Damn Fine Print do an intensive 4 week course or a one day t-shirt and tote workshop.

6. Ukulele playing

If you’re not really feeling that ambitious and want to channel your campfire musical side, then the ukulele is the instrument for you. It’s one of the easiest instruments to pick up and you can play loaaaads of tunes on it. Just think, if you start now you’ll be an expert come summer festival season. Everyone knows the ukulele goes down a treat at EP.

Try Dublin Ukulele Lessons who even offer a free trial class

7. Helicopter flying

What could possibly beat the feeling of steering through the clouds as you fly along the Wicklow coastline? Learning how to fly a plane or helicopter should be on everyone’s skills bucket list. It’s an experience you’ll remember forever.

Newcastle Airfield can teach you how to fly planes and helicopters.

8. The art of Bonsai

If you need to get a touch more zen, learning how to create and care for a bonsai tree is a lovely skill to have. Many people think bonsai trees are dwarf varieties of the tree, when they’re actually just a regular sized tree that has been trained to grow in miniature form through lots ‘n lots of care. Think of this a cute green baby that doesn’t cry. Perfect.

The Powerscourt Centre offer private bonsai workshops by appointment.

9. Fencing

“En garde!” will be your motto once you get stuck into this ultra quirky sport. For anyone who was obsessed with The Parent Trap as kids, now is your chance to up your sword skills. Fencing is a competitive skill that will teach you discipline and improve your fitness at the same time. It’s an ancient sport that’s been around for centuries, so it’s basically a lifelong skill.

Irish Fencing has links to different clubs all over Dublin.

10. Sugar crafting

Learn how to up your home baking game by crafting novelty figures, flowers, and other fancy sugary decorations. Easy for beginners (and tasty too), sugar crafting is a pretty useful hobby to take up. While it may not be the best skill to take up for all you January dieters, we figure just do it – treat yo’self.

Baking Academy Ireland has a four-day cake decoration course that will turn you into a sugar craft guru.