Oregon photograph by Scott Waite
Fewer people are drinking
In 2025, 54% of U.S. adults told Gallup they drink at all, the lowest share since Gallup started asking. Among adults under 35, it dropped from 59% to 50% in just two years (Axios). A Friday night at home isn’t a retreat from social life. For a growing number of people, it is social life done differently. Plan your first Friday night at home →
Hands are busy again
Seventy percent of 13- to 24-year-olds say they are seeking out offline activities more, and almost a third of adults surveyed turn to a hands-on hobby when they step back from screens (FashionUnited). Ravelry, the knitting and crochet community, passed 9 million registered users by 2020 (Wikipedia). In a survey of 8,000 crocheters, nearly 90% said it made them feel calm (Scripps News). Find something to make →
Reading together, in silence
Silent Book Club started with two friends reading at a bar. It now has more than 2,000 chapters in 62 countries, where people read quietly for an hour and then talk, or don’t (Axios). Gentle “healing fiction” from Japan and Korea has found a worldwide audience through BookTok (CBC). Join a silent book club →
Film, slowly
Disposable camera sales have risen since 2023, and one market estimate counts 42 million people shooting film worldwide, about a third of them between 18 and 30 (Fortune). Waiting for a roll to come back is part of the appeal. Shoot one roll of film →
Smaller circles, on purpose
In 1990, a third of Americans said they had 10 or more close friends. By 2021, only 13% did (World Economic Forum). That can sound lonely, but it can also mean fewer, truer friendships. If your circle got smaller when your life changed, you are in very large company. Read how this site began →
Moving toward quiet
In 2023, small towns and rural areas gained about 291,400 people from moves within the U.S., while the largest metro areas lost almost 600,000 (Bend Bulletin/Bloomberg). Since 2020, fewer people have been leaving rural counties at all (USDA). The farm upstate is a real plan for some; a weekend farm stay is a good first test. Try before you move →
Giving time
Among nearly 13,000 adults over 50, those who volunteered at least 100 hours a year, about two hours a week, reported more purpose and less loneliness, and had a 44% lower risk of death over four years than people who didn’t volunteer (Healio). Docents at small nature centers and museums are living this quietly every week. Visit the nature center down the road →
Nature, brought indoors
About 10 million U.S. households keep freshwater fish (APPA), and moss terrariums sit on desks and windowsills everywhere. In a study at Britain’s National Marine Aquarium, simply watching tanks was linked to better mood and a lower heart rate (Prothom Alo). Make a forest in a jar →
Secondhand, with a story
In 2025 the U.S. secondhand market grew nearly four times faster than retail clothing (ThredUp). At one antique mall near San Diego, younger shoppers now make up about 40% of sales, up from about 25% before the pandemic; one 19-year-old said he likes that every “previously loved” object has a story that can continue (Times of San Diego). Find the story behind one thing →
And it tends to feel good
In a study of 93,263 people over 65 in 16 countries, having a hobby was linked to higher life satisfaction and fewer symptoms of depression (UCL). Seeing or hearing birds was linked to better wellbeing for up to eight hours (King’s College London). Fifteen minutes alone without a phone left people calmer, especially when they chose it (University of Rochester). These studies show links, not guarantees, but they point the same way. Learn five birds on your street →
So, if this sounds like you
Wanting quieter days isn’t a phase or a retreat from the world. It’s something millions of people are already choosing, in big ways and very small ones. Pick one idea from this site that sounds good today and try it on your own terms.
I hope this finds you well,
Scott