Most of us enjoy collecting something at some time. One of
the advantages of collecting is that it does not depend on weather. On fine
days you can gather your materials, whether these are stamps, coins,
butterflies or bus numbers. When rain falls and the wind howls, you can settle
in comfort at home to sort out and catalog your discoveries.
These days, there is almost no end to the possibilities for
collecting; and the more unusual your interest, the more fun it is finding
things for it. Quite often, too, a collection started when you are young is a
lifelong interest.
Some collecting hobbies develop into careers. The girl who
collects wild flowers may one day become a botanist; the boy whose interest
lies in stones and shells and pebbles may carry it on into a professional post
as a geologist.
But you don’t have to collect with any serious aim in view.
Collecting for the fun of it is just as worth while. You will find yourself
slipping into the local library to find out more about your hobby, or browsing
through internet for information that may help you.
How do you collect? First think about it for a while,
perhaps when you are walking to school or lying in the bath or if you have an
extra half hour in bed in the morning. Once you have decided what you want to
concentrate on, it is useful to get a pencil and notebook to jot down your
finds. If you are collecting stamps you will need an album; if its flowers you
will need a book to mount them in. collecting boxes with glass lids to display
your specimen can be bought new, or they can some times be picked up much more
cheaply in small second-hand shops.
Next step is finding information. You can go to your local
library or search the internet for forums, books, and any source of
information. If you have any questions ask from social sites like (yahoo.
answers or ask.com) there sure is someone who can answer your questions or
redirect you to sites for more information.
Sometimes there is an association or society dealing with
your interest. Write and explain that you would like some help and they will be
glad to set you on the right track. Finally, don’t feel that, because you are
collecting something that nobody else has thought of, you are odd. Someone has
always to be the first in the field and there is no reason why it shouldn’t be
you.
I will post suggestions that you might like to consider in
my future posts.
