Look out 2024, because Americans are coming in hot—though hopefully not so hot that it sets off the smoke alarm for the 84% of us cooking and baking this year.
New Year’s resolutions aren’t always about cutting carbs or hitting the gym. A recent Preply survey found that, for many Americans, 2024’s “New Me” is all about picking up new skills. And thanks to the never-ending tutorials on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, we’re learning a lot of them.
Forget the “TikTok Made Me Buy It” trend. We’re in the “TikTok Made Me Do It” era now. Following last fall’s “cozy girl aesthetic,” almost half the skills we’re learning this year are things we do around the house. After cooking and baking (#1), we’re brushing up on home repairs and maintenance (#3), video games (#5), writing (#8), knitting and crocheting (#11), gardening and landscaping (#12), and painting and drawing (#13).
Cooking and baking even beat out New Year’s resolution staples like weightlifting and yoga. However, health and fitness (64%) are still the #1 general skill we’re learning in 2024—probably to help us burn off all that homemade bread.
Learning new skills might sound like a lot of work, especially if you’re part of the 46% of Americans who worry we’re “too old” to do it. But for 72% of us, the end goal of personal growth is living a more enjoyable life. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying material things and experiences for what they are—but no investment stands the test of time quite as well as the investment you make in yourself.
So use 2024 to unlock your best self, and get to baking, fixing up your home, or knitting along with your neighbors!
...almost half the skills we’re learning this year are things we do around the house.
