Exploration Futures

Req 9b — Turn Curiosity into a Hobby

9b.

Explore how you could use knowledge and skills from this merit badge to pursue a hobby. Research any training needed, expenses, and organizations that promote or support it. Discuss with your counselor what short-term and long-term goals you might have if you pursued this.

A hobby is one of the best ways to keep exploration alive after the badge is finished. Hobbies give you repeated chances to practice the habits you have been learning: planning, observation, documentation, and reflection.

Hobbies That Fit This Badge Well

A good exploration hobby usually has three parts:

a place or subject to discover
skills that improve with practice
a community or organization that can help you grow

Examples include astronomy, scuba, birding, paddling, orienteering, caving, fossil collecting where permitted, geocaching with ethics, backpacking with a research goal, and local natural history observation.

Official Resources

🎬 Video: Ready to Dive Into the Adventure of a Lifetime? Become a PADI Scuba Diver (video) — https://youtu.be/XTeCkxJkUuE?si=VmbO1gpifOVW0QBF

Ready to Dive Into the Adventure of a Lifetime? Become a PADI Scuba Diver (video)

🎬 Video: Astronomy for Beginners (video) — https://youtu.be/XLgPe_f-QCc?si=d_gbZFB7Spvr-vog

Astronomy for Beginners (video)

🎬 Video: Permanent Orienteering Course (video) — https://youtu.be/y4yfyUwkUxw?si=zGblxCqx7N5R4_W9

Permanent Orienteering Course (video)

These resources are useful because they show hobbies with very different entry points. Some need training and equipment. Others can start with simple tools and local practice.

Research the Hobby Honestly

Your counselor will want more than “This looks fun.” Research the practical side:

What training or coaching is needed?
What does beginner equipment cost?
Are there local clubs, parks, or organizations that support it?
How easy is it to practice often?

Set Goals for the Hobby

Use one short-term goal and one long-term goal

Short-term goal: something you can do soon, such as attending a star party, visiting an orienteering course, taking an intro scuba class, or joining a local nature outing.
Long-term goal: something that takes growth, such as earning a certification, building strong identification skills, completing a larger trip, or helping lead an activity for others.

Why Hobbies Matter

Hobbies often become the bridge between a merit badge and a lifelong interest. Even if you never work as a scientist or expedition leader, a hobby can keep you learning, noticing, and asking better questions about the world.

If you enjoyed this badge, that may be the biggest lesson of all: exploration is not only for famous people in documentaries. It can become a habit in your own life.