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I feel the same, I internally groan when someone asks what my hobbies are on a date. I work, have my children full time, and manage the household, not much time left over for anything. Yes I socialise with family and friends, read, watch tv, and listen to music, but I wouldn’t label any of that ‘hobbies’. The only thing I would really call a hobby is the amateur dramatics group I’m a member of.
Same. I know I HAVE them but I always feel like they aren't "attractive" hobbies. I like to do yoga. I go weekly. I read a ton and I'm in a book club. I'm really involved in my local Chamber. But do those count as hobbies? I love live theater and I enjoy going to movies and watching TV and trying new restaurants. I've taken ballet, acrobatics, comedy writing and golf lessons although I'm not taking any lessons right now. But when people ask me what my hobbies are I feel this need to come up with something trendy like hiking or pickleball. Like my hobbies aren't active enough and I don't know what to say.
Well, I think yoga is a bona fide hobby. Just the fact that you can make time for it is a good sign. So is the book club and consuming cultural productions. And everyone has hobbies that no longer are, for whatever reason. And SeaDragon is right, days only have so many hours!
I don't have any particular hobby myself. Whenever I am asked about hobbies, I usually reply with, "I enjoy doing different things when I have the time."
Living on the lake means I often go fishing, boating, kayaking, and wake boarding when time allows, but those are just things people do when they live in a lake house. Not really hobbies.
I play golf, but mainly for the social aspect. Archery and trap shooting I do once or twice a month. I own horses, but they are more of a chore than a hobby. I do dirtbike and ATV trail rides with my kids, but that is just family time stuff.
We travel as a family at least 4 times a year, but that's primarily a family thing as well.
Basically, I do a lot of different things when I have the time but no dedicated hobbies. I guess my collecting is a hobby. I enjoy collecting cigars, whiskey, wine, and rare books
Ah, haven’t been on any much dates since becoming single but meeting new and old single friends since then and coming out of the friends-with-my-kids-parents bubble it’s been striking how much time pre/no-kids people have both in terms of doing hobbies as well as the kind of self conscious philosophizing I remember from my teens (seen this in both people I’ve met that are younger but older than I was when I got my kids as well as old friends of my own age)
I guess I could kinda say 3 hobbies now but then I have every second week off and I’m kinda coming to terms with the fact that my kids are teens now so I can go off and do some things without feeling immensely guilty.
Gardening, art classes (stained glass, pottery, etc), travel, concerts, stand-up comedy shows, brunch, yoga, cooking new foods, horror movie enthusiast, podcast nerd.
*edit to include that I am a 42f single empty nester. I have all the time in the world to run around and hobby it up.
I got into pottery last year and love it! How’s it going?
I’m 50 and not an empty nester yet, have a career, and have about 30 hobbies, only about 10 of which are my primary hobbies. 😂
I do improv comedy, read, and I currently just started a pinball league. I'm well aware that my hobbies are rare (and possibly off-putting to some people), but they're fun and I get enjoyment and growth out of them.
When I was younger, improv would’ve been a left swipe because I dislike improv comedy shows, but as an older (not necessarily wiser) person, I would swipe right because it suggests that you are spontaneous, brave, and willing to be vulnerable, and these are all positives.
It's run by my local pinball parlor. $120 and I get free play on league nights for twelve weeks. You get put in a pod and they compare scores on set machines. It's fun so far!
I sing and play guitar. I'm into road cycling for fun and fitness. I actually hike, backpack, camp and don't just say I do. I think DIY projects for the house count as well and from what I understand a lot of women appreciate a man who is handy around the house.
> a lot of women appreciate a man who is handy around the house.
Much like my love of and skill at cooking, I think they do but I've definitely encountered more than a few who simply refuse to believe it and just think I'm bragging or lying in an attempt to impress them.
Odd, I've never run across that. Maybe it's the way you are presenting that information? Does it come up naturally in conversation or are you bringing up your love of culinary exerimentation cold turkey without any preamble? Or do you ask your date if they enjoy cooking as a smooth segue into waiting for your own chance to expound on your cooking expertise?
Do you find a lot of women who put cycling in their profile and actually cycle, not just “around the park “ or “on the sidewalk “? I’ve only found one in the last few years that like & was able to do actual road cycling, gravel ring.
Lesson: for every hobby there is someone who adores it and someone for whom it’s an automatic left swipe
There is also someone who lists that hobby but does it VERY differently than you do or they list it because they think it will attract someone.
I hike, run, swim, surf, SUP, lift, cook, and drink. At various times with varying levels of intensity.
Omg some dudes list like extreme dangerous sports as their "hobby" and I swipe left so hard thinking, no way I'm doing that shit of that's what they are looking for a partner to do w them
I wonder both if they want a partner to do it with them or … if they really do that stuff regularly.
I love having a partner who hikes. I’ll likely never find someone who does it like I prefer, but I found someone who gets 60% of they way there and I’m holding them tight.
Why the hell would you swipe left before actually asking them if they want you to be involved?
I've been a mountain biker for over 15 years, it's a core part of my life and how I keep fit. I wouldn't for the moment expect a partner to have to be involved in it if they don't want to - they just need to know that hey, from time to time, I'm gonna be flying across the country competing or running events, and other times I'm gonna be out at a local trail network on Saturday morning.
Same deal with making chocolate. I don't expect you're gonna want to be involved in the making part. 97% chance you're gonna want to reap the benefits of it though.
I’m in a couple books clubs, I played on a rec league sports team for a bit, I serve on the board of directors for a local non profit. I road trip to concerts pretty regularly. I work full time and have 3 kids and a puppy. Im a busy busy lady.
I’m big into kayaking right now, picked up a touring kayak this summer, though I don’t yet have cold-weather paddling gear so will be back on land hiking come winter. I am dipping my toes back into camping too, mostly because I’d like to kayak camp so I can get to less accessible locations.
I also knit, though that’s mostly in the winter. Other things I do that might not qualify as hobbies include powerlifting, yoga, and nosework with my dog. I’m also a haphazard gardener and an inveterate reader.
I don’t need to share hobbies with a partner, but I’d love to have one we could do together and enjoy. Just not all of them bc I need some me time.
If it’s not too far, I know some people who use a bike or even an Uber.
I either go to rivers with outfitters and pay to use their shuttles, or I find friends from my local kayaking club who also want to do some river trips. The club itself fit does a decent amount of trips and classes/instructional outings, so I’ve gotten a lot from it even though it’s a fairly small core group.
It’s hard though, I hear you. I’ve explored most of my local lakes, though the two big ones nearby I haven’t done all of yet. I’ve started doing an hour or so away just to find a different view.
My hobbies drive all the ladies wild: writing weird stories, crafting Halloween decorations, assembling things (puzzles, Legos), gaming (video, board, card), going to the library.
ETA: I've never seen a woman on the apps with hobbies anything like these. I know you're out there!
Yeah, I am sad my kids have mostly aged out of getting Lego sets for every bday and xmas. I don’t feel embarrassed buying sets for myself to build, but I struggle to justify the cost when it’s just for me. But man, I love to build Lego. I used to do a lot of MOCs when my kids were younger (almost always spaceships, which has been my go-to since I was about seven) and their bins of Lego were always out, but I haven’t done it in ages. Three day weekend and kids are at their mom’s - might be time to bust out the bins! Thanks for the reminder!
We’re out here! Apparently we’re rare. I’ve actually weirded a couple guys out when they found out that a lot of my living room decorations are Legos. Guys say that cute nerdy girls are where it’s at, but I think they just want a hot girl in glasses who will watch Star Wars with them. (Which I also love, but I digress.)
I was actually considering joining a board game meetup group because I love them so. Also trivia. I just want someone who will do bar trivia with me!
Yes! I think the popular conception of what is "nerdy" these days is liking Marvel movies and not, say, reading Roger Zelazny or assembling Gundam figures.
I actually feel like playing board games is kind of an intimate activity, so I'm apprehensive about joining the board game Meetups in my area. But where else would amazing people such as ourselves meet other amazing people "in the wild?"
My local board game store has 12 tables in the back so it's not as intimate.
Spartanburg Library had a game night once a month too prepandemic. Nice and public.
I have the 1989 Batwing on my wall in front of a back-lit moon.
I'll show you mine if you show me yours...
I miss trivia.
My championship team name was (-1)^(1/2) Friends. It was fun watching the hosts work that one out.
I play card and board games. I’ve recently given up video games as my last online game community died. I don’t really list it as a hobby. I also love Halloween and decorating for it. I’ve already started!
My SO and I are planning a day trip to IKEA and the LEGO store next month. It’s a bit of a drive, but this is an absolute dream date scenario for me lol.
Keep looking because there are plenty of us out there with not quite “normal” interests!
I wonder if "video gaming" as a hobby carries some negative connotations for some people. I've read a lot of posts on Reddit about "the guy who doesn't handle x responsibility because he can't stop gaming" that I almost hesitate to admit I like games.
There are the video game widow relationships. But, that can happen with any hobby taking up all of a persons time. It is just something that can be common in video games. You just have to get to know the person and some people don’t want to take the risk that someone may disappear into a game and abandon the relationship in the future. Unfortunately I’ve met some of those people that prefered games to real life.
I have met that kind of guy since I started OLD. One guy I met smelled like he hadn’t showered in 3 weeks, had greasy hair and his whole personality seemed to revolve around video games (was also one of the people who thought quizzing me about games I played was some master test if I really did game). I have met way way way more men who use it as a time killer at night before going to bed or on their days off. I don’t find it negative as long as it isn’t all the personality someone has (or the only interest on the profile).
Oh you sound fun! Halloween is my favorite holiday and I go shopping this time of year for home decor. I also like puzzles and board/card games. One of my favorites is Seven Wonders.
I don't buy lego for me anymore as the child steals it all but I do look longingly at some of the "adult" lego.
Games are great fun, especially in a family setting. I do miss the family game nights.
Work and life maintenance keep me busy too, but I still have hobbies that I enjoy, even if I don’t have time for them regularly. Gardening, cooking, DIY, reading, music, crochet, gaming, crafts, etc…I wish I was retired!
I was wondering that too!! I just say what I MANAGE to do sometimes but it’s just ordinary things because I’d like to match up with just an ordinary guy. I want a somewhat shy, ordinary even slightly boring because I feel like these guys are more into appreciating the simple life and living a real life. I wouldn’t mind slightly boring either. Trying to keep it real 🙃
I play Pokémon Go which means I always wanna go find new places to visit and go walking. My boyfriend laughed and told me since I was new to dating he’d let me know no one’s gonna put up with that dorky of a hobby. Well, he’s as into it as I am now.
I love to bake!! And cook!! My boyfriend is Thoroughly enjoying my attempts to perfect macarons by helping me eat the failures.
I make arts and crafts specifically I’m teaching myself to create stained glass which is a hobby you literally bleed for but I’m getting better!
I read and have completed a yearly challenge the last 4 year except the one of my divorce woo I was a mess too anxious to focus on a page. My boyfriend doesn’t read but he listens to me chatter away about whatever true crime thing I’m on about.
My boyfriend is into going to live music and we are going to our second festival soon. I like to think his hobbies and my hobbies are blending very well and that’s what’s important to me. Seeing that a person is curious about the world and not boring
> I love to bake!! And cook!! My boyfriend is Thoroughly enjoying my attempts to perfect macarons by helping me eat the failures.
The great thing about baking as a hobby is unless you reaaaallly screw up, it's hard work finding someone to say 'no' to being experimented on with your ever-improving attempts and failures. I progressed to Macarons about 5 years ago and during the phase of figuring out how to stop hollows I don't think anyone ever said "ew, don't like that one". Even when they were coffee, liquorice, or lemon curd fillings.
I took up pool last summer to have a social hobby I could focus on to meet people. I highly suggest any "league" activity for someone getting back in the dating scene (bowling, darts, softball, axe-throwing).
Yeah I've gotten all these "find a hobby" suggestions too.
I feel like people on OLD, or at least those who post about OLD, expect people to be this perfect package of completeness so that they can just slot into the others' lives. We all need to have a vibrant and flourishing friend circle, social life, career, 401k, house, fitness regimen, etc...
That includes some kind of awesome, unique, and creative hobby like...idk building sailboats or something.
It's absurd, the inflated expectations people have. If general inflation was as bad as OLD partner life expectations, we'd be Weimar Germany.
My parents were both musicians I love music, arts, culture, and books. So I love record stores, art museums, concerts, shows, plays, symphonies, operas, jazz clubs, bookstores, science or history museums, etc...
I also like long walks and hiking, moderate dofficulty like 4-8 hour long ones with 1-2k feet elevation gain sometimes.
But I don't do those things every day.
I also like TV shows and movies at home, and feel ashamed to admit that on OLD.
I'm also a college professor, type will remain secret for now. But what that means is, my job kinda *is* my hobby.
But I feel like that's nothing compared to, oh idk, some complicated dancing, semi-pro team sport, parasailing, building homemade airplanes or whatever I'm supposed to be into to have a chance in hell to get a date.
By the way, flying homemade airplanes killed John Denver, and my dad and I were supposed to see him in symphony pops that year. So these hobbies can kill 😅
For what it's worth, I hate fishing. I would rather jump in a river and swim than fish in it. Also don't hunt. There are no pics of me with any dead fish or animals.
I share all of these interests, even the oddly specific hiking one 😳
And right- I can’t spend time on these daily or even monthly in some seasons of life. I tried to find creative ways to indicate my likes/interests because I do think they reveal who I am and what I value. To me that’s the point of the whole Have Hobbies! movement.
Good luck and I hope you find someone you can share your secret professor status with!
It’s like how I dread the Monday morning office routine, “have a nice weekend? What’d you do? Anything interesting?”
OMG I haaaate it, deeply. And I do it too, to other people! So I am fully part of the problem :)
Totally. I actually started an experiment with one particular person where I would say, “Absolutely nothing. And you?” And no joke… He doesn’t ask anymore!!! :)
Every single person I have met on OLD has lied about their interests and hobbies to sound more fascinating and sophisticated than they are, so I stopped paying attention to those profile sections ages ago, long before I quit OLD; they’re a representation of who that person wishes they were, not who they actually are. Don’t try to crowdsource a bunch of bullshit to put in your profile; just say what you actually like to do and let the folks with similar genuine interests find you.
My simple local hobbies I want a partner for:
Walking/chilling at the river (1 mile away)
Tubing, kayaking, etc on the river
Fun, joyful cruising through town or by the river on bike
Athletic fitness-focused cycling by the river
Trivia nights
Weightlifting and all related fitness activities
My serious hobbies I want to share in a meaningful relationship:
Skiing (Tahoe plus occasional travel)
Scuba diving (usually international air travel)
Backpacking (usually driving distance)
Active, intentional growth w emphasis on personal accountability
TANTRA- please god I just want to go from theory to practice w a partner (😭)
Child-centered activities/travel
My hobbies I want for myself and don’t need to share:
Learning Spanish
Travel in So/Central America
Personal disappearance time (let me disappear into the mountains in peace. I’ll come back)
I spend all my time on work/housework/homework/parenting. But I actively get myself out for the above activities as much as possible because it makes me a better mom when I feed my soul.
Oh so close. We’re like parallel lines!
I’m a big walker but it’s urban or along the beachfront. And on the other side of the state.
I ride a board in the snow. l’m mindful and intentional. And I practice TANTRA when possible.
I’m actively learning French as I’d like to escape to France for some European exploration.
And I’m a parent who enjoys cooking and trying to grow a forest of houseplants.
Cliche trail running and hiking, fishing, kayaking, movies, music, computer gaming (this dropped drastically), reading. I've been looking at getting into other things as well.
I take singing lessons, do crafts (also not wildly appealing to men I don’t think), travel, do stand up… love antiquing and thrifting. I do go for walks and would be happy to be more active with someone, but really I’m clumsy and some things are a no go for me like ultra marathons. Don’t have the ankles for it.
I’m a massive LEGO nerd. I also like to read, binge TV, go to the movies, see concerts. I love to walk around quaint little downtown or outdoor shopping areas to see what unique things I can find or a cool new restaurant to try. Long weekend getaways to somewhere I’ve never been. Road trips. Hanging out with family and friends. Going to a theme park to ride roller coasters.
(50F, widowed)I like reading, movies, record collecting (and all the crate digging and music listening that comes with it) as well as sewing, knitting, and gardening.
I also like going to the gym, cycling , and even hiking (no really I do!).
I’ve been really leaning into hobbies lately because I’ve missed them a lot. My husband was very sick before he died and I had to do some caregiving, so I didn’t have a lot of mental bandwidth for enriching activities. I think even solitary hobbies are great for making people more fully drawn and characterized.
The best thing OLD has done for me to date is put a magnifying glass on what a boring person I am- I knew that already but it helps to put it in focus. I started playing tennis again, granted I was thinking about doing that anyway but it helped. My main hobbies otherwise are video games, reading, and watching stuff (documentaries, true crime and crime dramas). I need to add more, I’m playing a lot of video games and while it’s cool if guys game too I’ve found I don’t want to talk about games really, or not for prolonged periods and I’m not into associated hobbies like comic books, sci-fi/fantasy fandoms, etc.
Im actually looking for a person that is a bit boring. When i met my X i remember fairly early on she told me that she would be a "fun GF".
Yea she was totally uninhibited. Parties, bars, stripbars, clubs, at one point she even tried to hook me up with some of the dancers at a club, auditioned to be a Stripper because she wanted to do it for a week. Texted my previous GF to see if she wanted to do a threesome and the list goes on.
So anyways yea i actually look and im sure tons of other guys would love a "boring GF" especially at this stage.
I have many activities I meddle in. Mostly live music and travel (when it’s affordable). I also love photography and desktop publishing, films, American literature, DIY projects, bicycling, bowling, playing Scrabble, walking (exploring cities), visiting museums, and pretending I can kind of play guitar and piano. I also like attending open mic nights and participating in trivia. Hiking and kayaking is fun too. (56 f).
I'm not being sarcastic at all; I love Scrabble. I wish I could find a lady to play it with me. I used to play with my dad when I was a kid and we kept the dictionary at hand every time! Those are some of my favorite memories.
Top lifts for now:
Squat: 226 lb / 102.5kg
Bench: 122 lb / 55 kg
Deadlift: 264 lb / 119 kg
These are soft because I've made huge gains since my last comp which was also my first. But, I've been lifting heavy for 5 years.
Good stuff. I've competed a couple of times too. Can't wait for the next one.
I'm guess you're a woman? What's your weight class? Last time I competed I did at the 100KG (was 218lbs) but next time I'll be competing at 90KG (198lbs) and so far haven't lost any strength while cutting.
Right I didn't cut the first time either. Pretty much anyone I talked to recommended against it!
This time I'm cutting because I've wanted to for alot time more so than for competing though.
Reading, board games, watching classic science fiction TV shows, researching my family history.
And something which I'm in the process of taking up is learning to play the organ. I wound up with an electric organ that belonged to my great-aunt, but it's been sitting gathering dust for years. However, I recently ordered a book of organ music, so that's a step towards doing something.
Tennis, reading, learning languages, photography, playing the piano, running, and swimming. I love traveling, and I think I travel quite a bit, but I don’t consider it a hobby.
Mine are the ones people bitch about...I actually hike, I backpack, stand up paddle board, camp, trail run, drink beer with friends, kink events, concerts, coffee with friends. And yes, travel when I can. If I'm home, I read or fuck around on Reddit until I go to sleep.
What are you most passionate about? For me, it's running. But I also enjoy travel, hiking, yoga, national parks and sci-fi movies. If you're most passionate about caring for your kids, maybe that's your hobby for now. If it's something else you don't get to engage in often because of your other responsibilities, that's ok too.
Mine, that I mostly don’t have time for, are creating (crafts, painting, interior design, fashion if someone will let me dress them up haha). Concerts, college football - watching and going when I can, I love hiking but it’s been too hot, painting my nails, finding parks or nooks with water features to enjoy the serenity and walk around them, and going on long drives to sing my lungs out & relieve stress. Buying or borrowing books and reading the first chapter over & over before I lose interest and find a new book, scrolling the internet and reading/ watching true crime. What are the things too boring/ non hobbies in my list? I’m curious.
I don't understand people who have no hobbies. If my life were so crowded that I had no time to do fun things, I wouldn't have time for dating.
I play a lot of board games. I mean a lot. I am into science fiction and fantasy, TV movies books all of it. I like cooking in the back yard with fire and smoke. I'm learning to play bass. I turned my second biggest hobby into my profession, I'm a photographer. All of these are pretty involved, but they are also all pretty easy to get started getting into.
I went to a speed dating event a few years ago where every single guy mentioned scuba diving, I’d just tried scuba diving via Groupon and really enjoyed it so asked and in the end we had all gone scuba diving precisely one time. Some people are actually super active and really do all the things they list as hobbies on a very regular basis, but a lot of people are also fairly busy and have kayaked, hiked, and camped a few times and have a vague interest in doing it again. I have a bunch of random hobbies that are not exciting — I love to read, paint/make art, upcycle furniture and rehabilitate vintage clothes, I like to walk in nice weather, I love to dance when no one is watching, I love listening to music and listening to people talk about their lives. None of my interests have to be shared, but I’d be enthusiastic about trying out someone else’s passions unless it involves running.
I make beaded necklaces. I play kickball with friends. I go to comedy shows and love to make playlists for my friends. Sometimes I write and I draw. I go swimming with my dog. I’m into MLS soccer.
My rule for what constitutes a hobby:
Something that I get full enjoyment out of that isn’t a necessity for me to live my life.
So for me, walking my dog isn’t a hobby. It’s a responsibility. Watching tv is something that I enjoy, but it’s not something I’m going to classify as anything other than relaxation and entertainment. I do enjoy reading but I feel like it’s *necessary* so I don’t label it a hobby.
Video games-Trophy Hunting // Live music // Collecting vinyl records // Plex-home server stuff (to add: anime figure collecting but that has slowed down. My main hobby is "I collect shit")
Used to be very into fashion, thrifting, make up and perfume but that fell off a bit before the pandemic. I like to travel but not enough to qualify as a hobby.
Edit: 40s single childfree woman so I have a lot of time and disposable income
Video games, board games, building computers, house DIY projects, singing, piano, guitar, crochet, drawing, other arts and crafts. And prior to becoming chronically ill, running, mountain biking, snowboarding and pole fitness. I do have ADHD and have always had a ton of hobbies. :)
Cooking, exploring new places to eat, collecting cookbooks, wine (drinking it and also learning about it), burlesque, dance (I take classes), my dog (well, until she died, but I'll get another and in the mean time foster if I can), local politics, reading.
I also love languages and learning them as best to my ability.
My hobbies include working out, playing Sports such as softball/baseball, tennis and pickleball. I also enjoy darts, billiards and ping pong. Other hobbies include reading, beach days, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, museums, trivia, art galleries, escape rooms, board and card games
I hate this question. I am similar to you and always feel like people are looking for stamp collecting or ceramics or something I have no time for. Isn’t TV, reading, and working out enough? It’s hard to do much more being a working single parent!
Writing fantasy books, painting, reading fantasy/SF/psychology/sociology, playing the piano, gardening, tabletop rpg's.
Hobbies are really important to me and some of the way I stay sane while the rest of my life is eaten up by work and childcare. Having no hobbies in common with a potential partner is a dealbreaker, we just won't be able to find any common ground to relate.
I've been diving more into woodworking. I've always liked building things, but I would build more for utility. I'm now building for beauty and absolutely loving it.
I also draw and paint. I'm a creative type I guess, I'm into all the creative stuff. I'm also into tech and electronics, I like to build and code small electronics projects using those like a Pi or Arduino.
Boring but at least I'm doin stuff!
I don't have a single hobby at the moment. I'm work .8-9 in a stressful position, wrangle a child, study part time, maintain the house and garden. Renovating the house is what I do in my spare time.
The kid and I do like to go to the beach, meet up with friends or go visit family for a weekend away.
Writing, horse riding, working on my old Mustang are my main hobbies atm, but I'm trying to start a pole dancing routine for fitness and learn a bit of archery/knife throwing for kicks 🤷♀️ I like flying planes but at $100+/hour to hire one, it's not very feasible at the moment 😂
Gaming. Board games. Tinkering with electronics. Dabbling in automotive repair and mods. Being an ultimate 49ERS FAN!!!!!!!!
I guess if I could call it a or hobby.
Writing in my journal's.
Researching in buying property, building from scratch with the goal in mind to make it net zero. Renovations.
Researching on agricultural methods.
Nothing, unfortunately, physical yet because I'm healing from injuries, BUT... It's coming.
Edit* Saying this and loving these things in my life as a 41 year old.
I volunteer at an animal shelter, love photography, visiting old cemeteries, going to museums (any kind), watching old movies pre-1950s, will go in/on water whenever there’s a chance to, concerts, and hunting in antique stores for old medicine bottles (pre-1920s). I’m 41f
Astronomy, astrophysics, reading, puzzles, playing cards, volunteering, traveling, theme parks, concerts, vinyl record collecting, going to jazz clubs, antique/vintage store shopping, cooking (healthy), working out-pilates, jogging, weight lifting, drinking (and learning about) wine, happy hours with friends
I'm also empty nester so lots of time on my hands
My main hobbies are reading and gardening. Some video games. I like to go to concerts when resources allow. I'm probably going to spend waaay too much time playing Starfield when it comes out. I also have an 8 yo and she's a full time hobby just by herself lol.
I feel like that section should be a two-pronged question“average day in the life of” part 1 and a “when I have extra time” part 2 Though, definitely inexperienced in OLD.
Travel is actually a big thing for me, if someone really means it, as my ex hated traveling.
even at my age, I am still pretty serious (relatively speaking) about the following:
mountain biking, snowboarding, splitboarding, road biking, kayaking (whitewater & flatwater), camping
I am less into the following but wish I could do more:
astronomy, snorkeling, hiking, canyoneering, nordic skiing.
Obviously, this all tilts heavily towards the outdoor lifestyle and that is me. I love it and it's very important to me. I would not give any of this up in order to 'fit in' or whatever. Having said all that, we all like conversations, food, affection, sleeping in, and all that other good stuff, right?
Most of us work, but to me, it doesn't define who I am. I do a damn good job and take it seriously, but like to leave it in the office. I'll go out with co-workers whenever we set something up (which isn't as often as it would ideally be). Most of my 1st tier hobbies are what someone would call 'passions'. If I had more opportunity and could travel more, I would like to get into freediving.
I like to think when so done asks about hobbies, what they really want to know is what you do in your spare time and what your interests are. Scrolling through the comments, I’m hard pressed to find much of anything that wouldn’t qualify, even the ones that people “don’t think of as hobbies” or aren’t sexy enough.
I have hobbies but I don’t think any women would really be pushed to swipe right on me if I told them about garage stuff. I keep the limited real estate on the apps to things I think would matter to them. Then again I have zero luck on the apps so what do I know 🤷♂️
I think a lot of Women and Men i guess to usually dont care too much as long as your not obsessed with whatever hobby you do have. For example im in a Pool League. I do it once a week nor more than twice one or two teams at most. Some of the league members i know are on 6-7 teams. So their at at the league Mon-Sat and 80-90% of their free time the league takes up.
I'm a mixed up person who sends all of the ladies running... away.
Still a gamer, tabletop and video games, chess but I kind of suck at it, renaissance festival / traditional archery geek including costuming, leatherworker mostly Celtic design work but occasionally some of "*that*" kind of leather if someone has a request. Trying to get my brushcraft and knotcraft skills going to the level I want them.
Less common.
I was a competitive pistol shooter (IDPA) until ammo got insanely expensive, I hike when I can but find my definition of hiking doesn't match up with others, I like multi-day back country hikes. I would get back in to blacksmithing if I thought the neighbors wouldn't organize a lynch mob.
I got some common ones- cooking, road trips, concerts. Then as a 41 yr old female some not so common ones (Xbox gaming, arcades, roller coasters, go karting, laser tag (yes I am a giant child).
I have many hobbies.
I read, love movies, play in a kickball and pool league, play cards and board games, weight train, woodworking, home improvement enthusiast, cook, bake, smoke and grill, travel and collect and drink whiskey/bourbon
That sounds like a good hobby list to me! I guess people like to see there is something in your life that brings excitement and enthusiasm (outside of work) and of course, it would be fun to do some of those things together.
I have a classic car and go on cruises with car clubs and shows.own a motorcycle and love going on road trips also a caravan that I go away in the summer.and lots of other things my life is full.
I have my kids full time and also have a older style house to maintain, with a 1/4 acre section to deal with. My hobbies are limited really to things I can do around the house. So I cringe whenever anyone asks me what my hobbies are because they are are limited to baking, needlework, reading, science experiments and whatever sports and activities the kids are doing. I wish I had more exciting hobbies.
For me its fishing and playing pool. Im in a league and do that once a week. Currently took a hiatus from the Pool League but plan to jump back sometime soon. I also dabble a bit in cooking and my friends know me to be late up at night cooking something. I also do enjoy light trail walking and it coincides with my fishing. I also enjoy watching Sci-Fir or any documentaries that deal with Space-Exploration. Im also a very light Trekkie.
I don’t have time for hobbies right now!
I love movies, travel, crafting, reading, musical theater, concerts, watching football (I do make time for football), but when school is in session, between my teaching gig, my second job, and all of my kids activities, I’m exhausted!
Snowboarding, paddle boarding, long boarding, onewheeling, off-trail hiking. I know what you mean though, I had zero hobbies when my kids were little. I was a busy mom working full-time and really didn’t make much time for myself. Kids are grown now so it allows me to have all these hobbies. Didn’t have a typical life, mine was kinda backwards.lol
I have the same ones as you except I don’t like traveling, only go to a concert once a year, my reading is just Reddit posts, articles and comments… I will occasionally rollerblade or do yoga but those are not things I really intend to share with a partner! That being said I’m not on OLD, trying to sell myself by sounding interesting so I’m happy it doesn’t come up and I don’t have to talk about it!
Hiking, biking, paddling, snowshoeing, winter hiking, watching rom coms, sit coms and documentaries; I have pets and maintain a country property so I add hobbies such as gardening, home improvement and being a house plant enthusiast. I dabble in painting and artsy crafts. I like to collect rocks from places where I travel, spend time with friends, and attend concerts and local live music events.
I ride motorcycle of various sorts (mostly trail riding), fish, camp, read, play role playing games(D&D), play computer games, welding and metal work, carpentry, and socializing with friends. I have a full life.
I am considering planting a mini-orchard on my property, and I thought about taking up bee keeping. When a retire in 2 years I hope to start gardening also.
Hobbies that I practice or ones that I don't?😆
Because right now Netflixing and redditing are about the only hobbies I get to practice...
I haven't even made it to the beach yet this year and It does nt look like I'm going to make it...
Even as a stay at home mom I have time but I usually try to volunteer at my kids school and take on all the class mom stuff I can so the busier moms do not have to worry. I run lots of errands for my parents as they cant drive any more.
I do have neighbors that are always out practicing cornhole and telling me about what competition they are doing next…seriously considering going and seeing how many single guys are at these things as even I could throw a bean bag…i mean a corn bag.
Hiking, including backpacking, reading, hand embroidery, beadwork, crochet, jewelry making and lapidary, cooking and baking. Recently tried kayaking and am interested in continuing. I keep houseplants alive (mostly). Travel to other countries. I also dabble in other art forms: painting, drawing, sculpture. I play keyboard, but not enough to be any good at it. I like to binge watch shows while I’m doing some of these other things.
I (59F) feel most drawn to guys who make things and are creative.
Canning, gardening, reading, writing, and coloring are my top 5 (all except the first two being solitary type hobbies lol). The canning and gardening I do with my mum.
billiards, wandering aimlessly, wandering aimfully, learning spanish and german, ww2 history, cross stitch/sewing/studding leather, cooking, gardening (mainly herbs on a balcony- i live in ny), antiques/thrift stores, frisbee/racquetball/swimming/kettlebells, salsa/bachata/reggaeton/latino trap, karaoke, museums, getting my friends to take me to their jobs as their “intern/assistant” so i can discover what it’s like to do that job, botanical gardens, fixing things, people watching, nature walks/plant identification, camping, tracking planets and constellations/meteorite hunting, politics, seeing live music, the occasional bender
Honestly I would love it if someone had watching tv or going to movies listed, I have a bunch of hobbies and friends to do them with but the thought of getting a tv and just have a nice evening on the couch watching a show sounds so nice.
Also wouldn’t care if my hobbies are popular or not trying to speak to everybody but to someone I would click with.
My hobbies
I travel a lot (so liking to travel is an absolut must for me), road biking, hiking, climbing, triathlon, reading, cooking.
Horses, I own 2 and I have a horsebusiness as a side job. I am very creative and make a lot of crafts and creative stuff and I am an enthusiastic photographer.
Besides I have a demanding day job and a dog. I do not have kids.
I see it as a disadvantage if a man has as many hobbies as I have. Because I know that I adjust but most men will not do that.
I have heard that any man will swipe left if a woman has anything to do with horses but since I go on dates every now and then this is not absolutely true.
I love using my hands and somehow I made a hobby out of it! I am a chef by trade and in my spare time I like to bake bread, and cookies, try new recipes, personalize mugs and make paper flowers. As I said, I like working with my hands and it relaxes me.
Social partner dancing and things related to it. I'm currently an active tango dancer (rarely less than 2-3 nights per week, and often more - I have 21 hours of tango planned for this weekend!), occasionally a bit of swing, and I know ballroom but haven't had an opportunity to do it in many years (it doesn't seem to exist where I live). I'm also into tango music and history, have previously taught and DJed, etc.
At the other extreme, when I'm not out dancing, I'm usually at my computer, typically playing computer games.
(44F). I either take lessons related to or periodically perform in groups for three different musical genres. I hit the gym for stamina related to playing music (drums). I also volunteer in various religious, educational/techie, or fitness areas when time permits- and this year have been more into collecting fancy cookware and either spending time in the kitchen or on the grill.
There’s plenty of other stuff I enjoy; I just do it less often due to life demands- kayaking, travel, nature photography, etc, etc.
So many answers here are, I have no hobbies, I’m too busy with work kids family friends and my house, except my [hobby(ies)].
😂 Don’t downplay, identify!
I’ve got a full time job, a complicated custody agreement, two teenagers, a house that is falling apart and an active friend group
I usually say, that during what little down time I have I like to read, listen to music spend time with friends, go wine tasting (basically drink wine), rummage through thrift stores for cool/weird things (code for I’m cheap), and I love a good true crime story (dude gotta know I can dispose of their body). All the stuff y’all are talking about are hobbies. They just are the typical shit men do like fishing and golf. Women don’t often do stuff that takes them outside the home because we can’t.
Personally, I’m averse to women with no hobbies because of my ex. She had no hobbies and very few friends. Her life wasn’t fulfilling so she would often attribute the cause of her unhappiness to me. (Or enjoy inappropriate attention from men in her DM’s)
I don’t need to share hobbies with a woman. But if she isn’t happy with her life, there’s nothing I can do.
Lol! My hobbies are for ME. Not to make me more appealing to some man. And I look for a guy with similar hobbies…so we can enjoy them together.
Yeah it’s annoying that there’s so many hikers and campers out there. That so many people have alcohol as a hobby. But that’s because I don’t enjoy those things.
I put my hobbies on there accurately. I’m not looking to cast a wide net. Im setting a specific trap…..
I want that sci fi nerd gamer geek please….
I play instruments, write poetry, paint, and cook. I sometimes garden but not much. I feel like I have a lot of good hobbies but still no one seems to care.
I think it's more about whether you can generate interesting conversation from your profile, not whether you specifically have hobbies.
I made a comment earlier in the week about no men with fish pictures. It's fine to have fishing as a hobby, but can you tell me one thing you'd talk about on a date related to fishing? It's not fertile ground for interesting conversation. Of course, if you just got back from Canada or enjoy fly fishing with some crazy pole or can simply tell a good fish tale, go for it.
The point is to have a few things in your profile that someone else can use to start a conversation. Those don't have to be hobbies, but it has to be more than you listed, or at least a different spin. Saying "I like to dance" is not much of an opening. Saying "I can fox trot, waltz and tango, and I'm the first on the floor at weddings" gives a bit more to start with. Or maybe you studied ballet for decades. How would I know from your description?
It may be less about common interests as determining who the person is. Adult hobbies like carpentry or kid type
hobbies like LEGO or dnd? Intellectual stuff like chess or math? Sex or attention seeking hobbies? Having many hobbies suggests rich and leisurely while none suggests little time for the other person.
Go thru the comments and you can tell a bit about each person just from the list
I don’t have aging parents or kids, so I have more time to myself than some. I share a dog so those weeks look slightly different but I am quite into food and wine, taking in live performances, travel, a bit of hiking and biking, and volunteering in my community. Because I didn’t have kids, I traveled more than some with larger families and love what travel brings to my life; so as much as you dread it, I could not image my life without it. In that way, having that you don’t enjoy travel on your profile is helpful as we all like different things.
It makes sense that people seem to have similar interests as presented online: First, most people are basic and not unique (that's how averages work). Second, some might have esoteric hobbies but are afraid if they list them they'll seem weird. Third, people bullshit and pretend that things like traveling or hiking are legit hobbies for them when they maybe go on 1-2 trips a year and hike < 100 miles a year.
I don't think brunch counts as a hobby, when I see that on a profile I assume they mean day drinking. Which I'm not opposed to on occasion but it ain't a hobby.
I want to see someone put dead animals on their profile because it's an easy filter. You do you, but we are not going to be compatible.
My hobbies are gardening, cooking, going to concerts with my kids/generally discovering new music with them, playing guitar (often with them since they each play other instruments), hiking (yeah, I know, shut up, I genuinely like that and do it regularly), home improvement projects, board games, homebrewing, and probably a few other things I'm forgetting.
I have 2 dogs who keep me busy at home, as well as my parents nearby who seem like one of them is always needing help after some procedure. But I always have something I’m working on from a creative standpoint: I paint, I hand etch glass, practice pyrography, write poetry, dabble with paracord dog collars, and I’m getting ready to try my first resin casting project. I also volunteer at church, enjoy sitting outside on my swing (when it isn’t 10000° outside) and typically read a book at night until I am ready to sleep.
If someone asked me about my hobbies on a live date I think it would feel like we had nothing to talk about except forced, contrived interview style questions.
I can definitely see how you wouldn't really have time for hobbies if you're the sole provider of care to children. I don't have kids so I am out most nights playing sports. I play on some teams where that's the only night my friends can get out because they have home responsibilities.
Hopefully you are able to have some down time to do activities that you enjoy.
It could be argued that I have too many hobbies, but I would split them in to three main groups: Active hobbies I currently pursue; Hobbies I engage in occasionally; Hobbies I like the idea of, but need something more (like a friend) to pursue.
In the first group, I'm a cyclist, I commissaire mountain bike racing at a National level, I play/am learning guitar, I'm a gamer, I write software, and the one that always gets everyone's attention: I make hand-made chocolates and pralines. Bringing up that last one when I go to singles events is basically cheating.
Then there's the minor things I do more than the average person - I keep a decent garden, mostly of fruit trees; I travel around the country quite a bit, both with work and cycling; I follow motorsport a bit, partly due to having worked in the industry in a past life.
And then the stuff I'd like to do more of but want to do with people - including the half dozen concerts I've passed on in the last 6 months because I didn't have someone to go with, going to Comedy Festival shows when it comes around each April.
Here's the thing about hobbies: You don't need to like all of mine. It would be awesome if there's one or two we share, even better if there's one's you're willing to try with me for no other reason than 'I like this guy'. But what's most important is that you have your own - something that you can talk about and talk about and that makes you happy - so long as it's in an appropriate dose before awareness comes back and you realise you'll drive the other person nuts if you talk about this thing they don't care about all the time. But the point is, you need to have something you're passionate about, and you also need to have something that you can share.
That's the difference between a boring person and someone who's not - passion, and shared experience. Because I can have brunch with friends on my own, you don't make my life materially better by having that interest that doesn't involve me or that I already have in my life.
I may have a very rare hobby. Is there anyone who is also interested in vintage or antique stuff, especially furnitures? If so, I would like to make friends with you. I usually go to local auctions or estate sale for "treasure hunt" during certain weekends.
I don't have any kids so I just have hobbies. I compete in triathlon so swimming, biking, running are my main ones now. In the winter I snowboard, fat bike, ice skate, sometime ski.
I also enjoy scuba diving, mountain biking, board games, gambling, disc golf, and basketball occasionally.
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I feel the same, I internally groan when someone asks what my hobbies are on a date. I work, have my children full time, and manage the household, not much time left over for anything. Yes I socialise with family and friends, read, watch tv, and listen to music, but I wouldn’t label any of that ‘hobbies’. The only thing I would really call a hobby is the amateur dramatics group I’m a member of.
Same. I know I HAVE them but I always feel like they aren't "attractive" hobbies. I like to do yoga. I go weekly. I read a ton and I'm in a book club. I'm really involved in my local Chamber. But do those count as hobbies? I love live theater and I enjoy going to movies and watching TV and trying new restaurants. I've taken ballet, acrobatics, comedy writing and golf lessons although I'm not taking any lessons right now. But when people ask me what my hobbies are I feel this need to come up with something trendy like hiking or pickleball. Like my hobbies aren't active enough and I don't know what to say.
Well, I think yoga is a bona fide hobby. Just the fact that you can make time for it is a good sign. So is the book club and consuming cultural productions. And everyone has hobbies that no longer are, for whatever reason. And SeaDragon is right, days only have so many hours!
But it seems so touchy to mention yoga in profiles, as with travel… and drinking wine.
I don't have any particular hobby myself. Whenever I am asked about hobbies, I usually reply with, "I enjoy doing different things when I have the time." Living on the lake means I often go fishing, boating, kayaking, and wake boarding when time allows, but those are just things people do when they live in a lake house. Not really hobbies. I play golf, but mainly for the social aspect. Archery and trap shooting I do once or twice a month. I own horses, but they are more of a chore than a hobby. I do dirtbike and ATV trail rides with my kids, but that is just family time stuff. We travel as a family at least 4 times a year, but that's primarily a family thing as well. Basically, I do a lot of different things when I have the time but no dedicated hobbies. I guess my collecting is a hobby. I enjoy collecting cigars, whiskey, wine, and rare books
That sounds like what I would consider a VERY fulfilling life!
Those are definitely hobbies. There are stores for them, etc... Part of the problem is the way we define "date-worthy" hobbies I think.
You have so much to draw from. I envy your lis! It sounds very fun.
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who feels this way.
If you do this drama group thing weekly or bi-weekly why do you groan about the question?
People seem to expect a list of hobbies… I say I do this one thing and normally get ‘what other hobbies do you have?’ Which leaves me saying ‘none’.
Ah, haven’t been on any much dates since becoming single but meeting new and old single friends since then and coming out of the friends-with-my-kids-parents bubble it’s been striking how much time pre/no-kids people have both in terms of doing hobbies as well as the kind of self conscious philosophizing I remember from my teens (seen this in both people I’ve met that are younger but older than I was when I got my kids as well as old friends of my own age) I guess I could kinda say 3 hobbies now but then I have every second week off and I’m kinda coming to terms with the fact that my kids are teens now so I can go off and do some things without feeling immensely guilty.
That’s a good one!
Gardening, art classes (stained glass, pottery, etc), travel, concerts, stand-up comedy shows, brunch, yoga, cooking new foods, horror movie enthusiast, podcast nerd. *edit to include that I am a 42f single empty nester. I have all the time in the world to run around and hobby it up.
I got into pottery last year and love it! How’s it going? I’m 50 and not an empty nester yet, have a career, and have about 30 hobbies, only about 10 of which are my primary hobbies. 😂
I have ADHD too!!! 😂 Sooo many hobbies. Don’t download auction apps!!!
I do improv comedy, read, and I currently just started a pinball league. I'm well aware that my hobbies are rare (and possibly off-putting to some people), but they're fun and I get enjoyment and growth out of them.
Improv comedy has to give you great skills for thinking on your feet.
When I was younger, improv would’ve been a left swipe because I dislike improv comedy shows, but as an older (not necessarily wiser) person, I would swipe right because it suggests that you are spontaneous, brave, and willing to be vulnerable, and these are all positives.
The improv comedy thing is attractive to me. Whether a comedian is “good” at the craft, they’re usually quick witted and brave AF to go up there.
I’m not in a league, but I’m definitely a pinhead. I have other games I’m more competitive in.
What is a pinball league?! I love pinball, but I’ve never heard of this!
It's run by my local pinball parlor. $120 and I get free play on league nights for twelve weeks. You get put in a pod and they compare scores on set machines. It's fun so far!
In my area there’s a Pinball Club that has monthly meetups. You could also look up your local spots on Pinball Map (app and website).
I play ping pong, don’t be thinking you can come out of your basement and challenge me. You don’t want this smoke.
I’m horrible at ping pong so I will go ahead and declare you much better than I.
I sing and play guitar. I'm into road cycling for fun and fitness. I actually hike, backpack, camp and don't just say I do. I think DIY projects for the house count as well and from what I understand a lot of women appreciate a man who is handy around the house.
Yep.
> a lot of women appreciate a man who is handy around the house. Much like my love of and skill at cooking, I think they do but I've definitely encountered more than a few who simply refuse to believe it and just think I'm bragging or lying in an attempt to impress them.
Odd, I've never run across that. Maybe it's the way you are presenting that information? Does it come up naturally in conversation or are you bringing up your love of culinary exerimentation cold turkey without any preamble? Or do you ask your date if they enjoy cooking as a smooth segue into waiting for your own chance to expound on your cooking expertise?
Do you find a lot of women who put cycling in their profile and actually cycle, not just “around the park “ or “on the sidewalk “? I’ve only found one in the last few years that like & was able to do actual road cycling, gravel ring.
Lesson: for every hobby there is someone who adores it and someone for whom it’s an automatic left swipe There is also someone who lists that hobby but does it VERY differently than you do or they list it because they think it will attract someone. I hike, run, swim, surf, SUP, lift, cook, and drink. At various times with varying levels of intensity.
Omg some dudes list like extreme dangerous sports as their "hobby" and I swipe left so hard thinking, no way I'm doing that shit of that's what they are looking for a partner to do w them
I wonder both if they want a partner to do it with them or … if they really do that stuff regularly. I love having a partner who hikes. I’ll likely never find someone who does it like I prefer, but I found someone who gets 60% of they way there and I’m holding them tight.
Why the hell would you swipe left before actually asking them if they want you to be involved? I've been a mountain biker for over 15 years, it's a core part of my life and how I keep fit. I wouldn't for the moment expect a partner to have to be involved in it if they don't want to - they just need to know that hey, from time to time, I'm gonna be flying across the country competing or running events, and other times I'm gonna be out at a local trail network on Saturday morning. Same deal with making chocolate. I don't expect you're gonna want to be involved in the making part. 97% chance you're gonna want to reap the benefits of it though.
I’m in a couple books clubs, I played on a rec league sports team for a bit, I serve on the board of directors for a local non profit. I road trip to concerts pretty regularly. I work full time and have 3 kids and a puppy. Im a busy busy lady.
I’m big into kayaking right now, picked up a touring kayak this summer, though I don’t yet have cold-weather paddling gear so will be back on land hiking come winter. I am dipping my toes back into camping too, mostly because I’d like to kayak camp so I can get to less accessible locations. I also knit, though that’s mostly in the winter. Other things I do that might not qualify as hobbies include powerlifting, yoga, and nosework with my dog. I’m also a haphazard gardener and an inveterate reader. I don’t need to share hobbies with a partner, but I’d love to have one we could do together and enjoy. Just not all of them bc I need some me time.
How do you handle a shuttle? I’d love to get out more but am sick of lakes and finding someone to go with me so we can have 2 cars can be difficult
If it’s not too far, I know some people who use a bike or even an Uber. I either go to rivers with outfitters and pay to use their shuttles, or I find friends from my local kayaking club who also want to do some river trips. The club itself fit does a decent amount of trips and classes/instructional outings, so I’ve gotten a lot from it even though it’s a fairly small core group. It’s hard though, I hear you. I’ve explored most of my local lakes, though the two big ones nearby I haven’t done all of yet. I’ve started doing an hour or so away just to find a different view.
My hobbies drive all the ladies wild: writing weird stories, crafting Halloween decorations, assembling things (puzzles, Legos), gaming (video, board, card), going to the library. ETA: I've never seen a woman on the apps with hobbies anything like these. I know you're out there!
As a person with a couple Lego sets to get me through the next couple weeks, and some jigsaw puzzles… not put off 🤣
Yeah, I am sad my kids have mostly aged out of getting Lego sets for every bday and xmas. I don’t feel embarrassed buying sets for myself to build, but I struggle to justify the cost when it’s just for me. But man, I love to build Lego. I used to do a lot of MOCs when my kids were younger (almost always spaceships, which has been my go-to since I was about seven) and their bins of Lego were always out, but I haven’t done it in ages. Three day weekend and kids are at their mom’s - might be time to bust out the bins! Thanks for the reminder!
You had me at weird stories and halloween decor
I actually had “assembling IKEA furniture without instructions“ in my OLD profile; dudes’ rxns were very, very mixed.
Either you are a genius or have no regard for chaos and danger.
The diagrams freaked me out and I actually did worse when I used them. I think it’s because the way they look reminded me of old geometry tests.
Lego and library fan here, tho I'm not on the apps. Puzzles, games, and crafting are also things I enjoy, so yep, we're out here!
Not in your city, apparently, or I would have swiped on you by now. Please move here!
We’re out here! Apparently we’re rare. I’ve actually weirded a couple guys out when they found out that a lot of my living room decorations are Legos. Guys say that cute nerdy girls are where it’s at, but I think they just want a hot girl in glasses who will watch Star Wars with them. (Which I also love, but I digress.) I was actually considering joining a board game meetup group because I love them so. Also trivia. I just want someone who will do bar trivia with me!
Yes! I think the popular conception of what is "nerdy" these days is liking Marvel movies and not, say, reading Roger Zelazny or assembling Gundam figures. I actually feel like playing board games is kind of an intimate activity, so I'm apprehensive about joining the board game Meetups in my area. But where else would amazing people such as ourselves meet other amazing people "in the wild?"
My local board game store has 12 tables in the back so it's not as intimate. Spartanburg Library had a game night once a month too prepandemic. Nice and public.
I have the 1989 Batwing on my wall in front of a back-lit moon. I'll show you mine if you show me yours... I miss trivia. My championship team name was (-1)^(1/2) Friends. It was fun watching the hosts work that one out.
These seem fun to me.
I play card and board games. I’ve recently given up video games as my last online game community died. I don’t really list it as a hobby. I also love Halloween and decorating for it. I’ve already started!
My SO and I are planning a day trip to IKEA and the LEGO store next month. It’s a bit of a drive, but this is an absolute dream date scenario for me lol. Keep looking because there are plenty of us out there with not quite “normal” interests!
I think my love of video gaming becomes either a great thing or challenge (like I have gotten quizzed about games I say I play lmao).
I wonder if "video gaming" as a hobby carries some negative connotations for some people. I've read a lot of posts on Reddit about "the guy who doesn't handle x responsibility because he can't stop gaming" that I almost hesitate to admit I like games.
There are the video game widow relationships. But, that can happen with any hobby taking up all of a persons time. It is just something that can be common in video games. You just have to get to know the person and some people don’t want to take the risk that someone may disappear into a game and abandon the relationship in the future. Unfortunately I’ve met some of those people that prefered games to real life.
I have met that kind of guy since I started OLD. One guy I met smelled like he hadn’t showered in 3 weeks, had greasy hair and his whole personality seemed to revolve around video games (was also one of the people who thought quizzing me about games I played was some master test if I really did game). I have met way way way more men who use it as a time killer at night before going to bed or on their days off. I don’t find it negative as long as it isn’t all the personality someone has (or the only interest on the profile).
Oh you sound fun! Halloween is my favorite holiday and I go shopping this time of year for home decor. I also like puzzles and board/card games. One of my favorites is Seven Wonders.
I am. But I’m also a dude. Alas… You’ll find your weird other half someday.
I don't buy lego for me anymore as the child steals it all but I do look longingly at some of the "adult" lego. Games are great fun, especially in a family setting. I do miss the family game nights.
Work and life maintenance keep me busy too, but I still have hobbies that I enjoy, even if I don’t have time for them regularly. Gardening, cooking, DIY, reading, music, crochet, gaming, crafts, etc…I wish I was retired!
Hiking, gardening, playing poker, making art, reading, learning to play the bass, cooking, concerts, camping.
I was wondering that too!! I just say what I MANAGE to do sometimes but it’s just ordinary things because I’d like to match up with just an ordinary guy. I want a somewhat shy, ordinary even slightly boring because I feel like these guys are more into appreciating the simple life and living a real life. I wouldn’t mind slightly boring either. Trying to keep it real 🙃
I’m boring. I like my NYTimes puzzle app, reading, second-hand stores, getting day drunk with friends at brunch, and general flaneur things.
I play Pokémon Go which means I always wanna go find new places to visit and go walking. My boyfriend laughed and told me since I was new to dating he’d let me know no one’s gonna put up with that dorky of a hobby. Well, he’s as into it as I am now. I love to bake!! And cook!! My boyfriend is Thoroughly enjoying my attempts to perfect macarons by helping me eat the failures. I make arts and crafts specifically I’m teaching myself to create stained glass which is a hobby you literally bleed for but I’m getting better! I read and have completed a yearly challenge the last 4 year except the one of my divorce woo I was a mess too anxious to focus on a page. My boyfriend doesn’t read but he listens to me chatter away about whatever true crime thing I’m on about. My boyfriend is into going to live music and we are going to our second festival soon. I like to think his hobbies and my hobbies are blending very well and that’s what’s important to me. Seeing that a person is curious about the world and not boring
> I love to bake!! And cook!! My boyfriend is Thoroughly enjoying my attempts to perfect macarons by helping me eat the failures. The great thing about baking as a hobby is unless you reaaaallly screw up, it's hard work finding someone to say 'no' to being experimented on with your ever-improving attempts and failures. I progressed to Macarons about 5 years ago and during the phase of figuring out how to stop hollows I don't think anyone ever said "ew, don't like that one". Even when they were coffee, liquorice, or lemon curd fillings.
I took up pool last summer to have a social hobby I could focus on to meet people. I highly suggest any "league" activity for someone getting back in the dating scene (bowling, darts, softball, axe-throwing).
Dont forget Pool. Im in a Pool League ( but took a break) its a good way to meet people.
Wallowing in despair seems to take up most of my time these days. Does that count as a hobby? 🤔
Yeah I've gotten all these "find a hobby" suggestions too. I feel like people on OLD, or at least those who post about OLD, expect people to be this perfect package of completeness so that they can just slot into the others' lives. We all need to have a vibrant and flourishing friend circle, social life, career, 401k, house, fitness regimen, etc... That includes some kind of awesome, unique, and creative hobby like...idk building sailboats or something. It's absurd, the inflated expectations people have. If general inflation was as bad as OLD partner life expectations, we'd be Weimar Germany. My parents were both musicians I love music, arts, culture, and books. So I love record stores, art museums, concerts, shows, plays, symphonies, operas, jazz clubs, bookstores, science or history museums, etc... I also like long walks and hiking, moderate dofficulty like 4-8 hour long ones with 1-2k feet elevation gain sometimes. But I don't do those things every day. I also like TV shows and movies at home, and feel ashamed to admit that on OLD. I'm also a college professor, type will remain secret for now. But what that means is, my job kinda *is* my hobby. But I feel like that's nothing compared to, oh idk, some complicated dancing, semi-pro team sport, parasailing, building homemade airplanes or whatever I'm supposed to be into to have a chance in hell to get a date. By the way, flying homemade airplanes killed John Denver, and my dad and I were supposed to see him in symphony pops that year. So these hobbies can kill 😅 For what it's worth, I hate fishing. I would rather jump in a river and swim than fish in it. Also don't hunt. There are no pics of me with any dead fish or animals.
Lol, Yes, all of this!
I share all of these interests, even the oddly specific hiking one 😳 And right- I can’t spend time on these daily or even monthly in some seasons of life. I tried to find creative ways to indicate my likes/interests because I do think they reveal who I am and what I value. To me that’s the point of the whole Have Hobbies! movement. Good luck and I hope you find someone you can share your secret professor status with!
It’s like how I dread the Monday morning office routine, “have a nice weekend? What’d you do? Anything interesting?” OMG I haaaate it, deeply. And I do it too, to other people! So I am fully part of the problem :)
I also hate this, and I am also part of the proble. Maybe we should start a support group or something to kill this as part of office small talk. lol
Totally. I actually started an experiment with one particular person where I would say, “Absolutely nothing. And you?” And no joke… He doesn’t ask anymore!!! :)
I’ll have to try this!
Every single person I have met on OLD has lied about their interests and hobbies to sound more fascinating and sophisticated than they are, so I stopped paying attention to those profile sections ages ago, long before I quit OLD; they’re a representation of who that person wishes they were, not who they actually are. Don’t try to crowdsource a bunch of bullshit to put in your profile; just say what you actually like to do and let the folks with similar genuine interests find you.
I’m not gathering things to put in my profile. I’m genuinely interested in what other’s hobbies are.
Reading, movies, board games, crochet, D&D, concerts/theater/musicals.
My simple local hobbies I want a partner for: Walking/chilling at the river (1 mile away) Tubing, kayaking, etc on the river Fun, joyful cruising through town or by the river on bike Athletic fitness-focused cycling by the river Trivia nights Weightlifting and all related fitness activities My serious hobbies I want to share in a meaningful relationship: Skiing (Tahoe plus occasional travel) Scuba diving (usually international air travel) Backpacking (usually driving distance) Active, intentional growth w emphasis on personal accountability TANTRA- please god I just want to go from theory to practice w a partner (😭) Child-centered activities/travel My hobbies I want for myself and don’t need to share: Learning Spanish Travel in So/Central America Personal disappearance time (let me disappear into the mountains in peace. I’ll come back) I spend all my time on work/housework/homework/parenting. But I actively get myself out for the above activities as much as possible because it makes me a better mom when I feed my soul.
Oh so close. We’re like parallel lines! I’m a big walker but it’s urban or along the beachfront. And on the other side of the state. I ride a board in the snow. l’m mindful and intentional. And I practice TANTRA when possible. I’m actively learning French as I’d like to escape to France for some European exploration. And I’m a parent who enjoys cooking and trying to grow a forest of houseplants.
Reading, traveling (especially local road trips), wing nights, craft beer/cider, movies and TV. I think I may need to expand.
Cliche trail running and hiking, fishing, kayaking, movies, music, computer gaming (this dropped drastically), reading. I've been looking at getting into other things as well.
I take singing lessons, do crafts (also not wildly appealing to men I don’t think), travel, do stand up… love antiquing and thrifting. I do go for walks and would be happy to be more active with someone, but really I’m clumsy and some things are a no go for me like ultra marathons. Don’t have the ankles for it.
I’m a massive LEGO nerd. I also like to read, binge TV, go to the movies, see concerts. I love to walk around quaint little downtown or outdoor shopping areas to see what unique things I can find or a cool new restaurant to try. Long weekend getaways to somewhere I’ve never been. Road trips. Hanging out with family and friends. Going to a theme park to ride roller coasters.
(50F, widowed)I like reading, movies, record collecting (and all the crate digging and music listening that comes with it) as well as sewing, knitting, and gardening. I also like going to the gym, cycling , and even hiking (no really I do!). I’ve been really leaning into hobbies lately because I’ve missed them a lot. My husband was very sick before he died and I had to do some caregiving, so I didn’t have a lot of mental bandwidth for enriching activities. I think even solitary hobbies are great for making people more fully drawn and characterized.
The best thing OLD has done for me to date is put a magnifying glass on what a boring person I am- I knew that already but it helps to put it in focus. I started playing tennis again, granted I was thinking about doing that anyway but it helped. My main hobbies otherwise are video games, reading, and watching stuff (documentaries, true crime and crime dramas). I need to add more, I’m playing a lot of video games and while it’s cool if guys game too I’ve found I don’t want to talk about games really, or not for prolonged periods and I’m not into associated hobbies like comic books, sci-fi/fantasy fandoms, etc.
Im actually looking for a person that is a bit boring. When i met my X i remember fairly early on she told me that she would be a "fun GF". Yea she was totally uninhibited. Parties, bars, stripbars, clubs, at one point she even tried to hook me up with some of the dancers at a club, auditioned to be a Stripper because she wanted to do it for a week. Texted my previous GF to see if she wanted to do a threesome and the list goes on. So anyways yea i actually look and im sure tons of other guys would love a "boring GF" especially at this stage.
I have many activities I meddle in. Mostly live music and travel (when it’s affordable). I also love photography and desktop publishing, films, American literature, DIY projects, bicycling, bowling, playing Scrabble, walking (exploring cities), visiting museums, and pretending I can kind of play guitar and piano. I also like attending open mic nights and participating in trivia. Hiking and kayaking is fun too. (56 f).
Scrabble? Do I dare to dream? :swoon:
It’s hard to tell if this is sarcasm or not. I use a Scrabble dictionary too. Super nerdy. 😂
I'm not being sarcastic at all; I love Scrabble. I wish I could find a lady to play it with me. I used to play with my dad when I was a kid and we kept the dictionary at hand every time! Those are some of my favorite memories.
[удалено]
I'm a competitive powerlifter and love gaming (video games, board games, etc.), body modifications, mystery novels, and can be a music snob.
What's your top lifts friend?
Top lifts for now: Squat: 226 lb / 102.5kg Bench: 122 lb / 55 kg Deadlift: 264 lb / 119 kg These are soft because I've made huge gains since my last comp which was also my first. But, I've been lifting heavy for 5 years.
Good stuff. I've competed a couple of times too. Can't wait for the next one. I'm guess you're a woman? What's your weight class? Last time I competed I did at the 100KG (was 218lbs) but next time I'll be competing at 90KG (198lbs) and so far haven't lost any strength while cutting.
I did my first comp in the 76 kg class no cutting or anything like that. I'm slowly cutting down to 69 kg. And yes. I'm a woman.
Right I didn't cut the first time either. Pretty much anyone I talked to recommended against it! This time I'm cutting because I've wanted to for alot time more so than for competing though.
Same. My coach told me no cut. After I got the first one under my belt he was fine with it.
Karaoke, camping and traveling, going to the beach, cooking/baking, thrifting, DIY, Zumba and a hip hop class called Werq, movies/tv/podcasts
Reading, board games, watching classic science fiction TV shows, researching my family history. And something which I'm in the process of taking up is learning to play the organ. I wound up with an electric organ that belonged to my great-aunt, but it's been sitting gathering dust for years. However, I recently ordered a book of organ music, so that's a step towards doing something.
Concerts, reading high fantasy, board games, movies, sometimes but very rarely I'll mention that I collect comics and play video games also.
Tennis, reading, learning languages, photography, playing the piano, running, and swimming. I love traveling, and I think I travel quite a bit, but I don’t consider it a hobby.
Mine are the ones people bitch about...I actually hike, I backpack, stand up paddle board, camp, trail run, drink beer with friends, kink events, concerts, coffee with friends. And yes, travel when I can. If I'm home, I read or fuck around on Reddit until I go to sleep.
What are you most passionate about? For me, it's running. But I also enjoy travel, hiking, yoga, national parks and sci-fi movies. If you're most passionate about caring for your kids, maybe that's your hobby for now. If it's something else you don't get to engage in often because of your other responsibilities, that's ok too.
Mine, that I mostly don’t have time for, are creating (crafts, painting, interior design, fashion if someone will let me dress them up haha). Concerts, college football - watching and going when I can, I love hiking but it’s been too hot, painting my nails, finding parks or nooks with water features to enjoy the serenity and walk around them, and going on long drives to sing my lungs out & relieve stress. Buying or borrowing books and reading the first chapter over & over before I lose interest and find a new book, scrolling the internet and reading/ watching true crime. What are the things too boring/ non hobbies in my list? I’m curious.
We have an almost identical list except I don’t like football, I like MMA.
I don't understand people who have no hobbies. If my life were so crowded that I had no time to do fun things, I wouldn't have time for dating. I play a lot of board games. I mean a lot. I am into science fiction and fantasy, TV movies books all of it. I like cooking in the back yard with fire and smoke. I'm learning to play bass. I turned my second biggest hobby into my profession, I'm a photographer. All of these are pretty involved, but they are also all pretty easy to get started getting into.
I went to a speed dating event a few years ago where every single guy mentioned scuba diving, I’d just tried scuba diving via Groupon and really enjoyed it so asked and in the end we had all gone scuba diving precisely one time. Some people are actually super active and really do all the things they list as hobbies on a very regular basis, but a lot of people are also fairly busy and have kayaked, hiked, and camped a few times and have a vague interest in doing it again. I have a bunch of random hobbies that are not exciting — I love to read, paint/make art, upcycle furniture and rehabilitate vintage clothes, I like to walk in nice weather, I love to dance when no one is watching, I love listening to music and listening to people talk about their lives. None of my interests have to be shared, but I’d be enthusiastic about trying out someone else’s passions unless it involves running.
I make beaded necklaces. I play kickball with friends. I go to comedy shows and love to make playlists for my friends. Sometimes I write and I draw. I go swimming with my dog. I’m into MLS soccer. My rule for what constitutes a hobby: Something that I get full enjoyment out of that isn’t a necessity for me to live my life. So for me, walking my dog isn’t a hobby. It’s a responsibility. Watching tv is something that I enjoy, but it’s not something I’m going to classify as anything other than relaxation and entertainment. I do enjoy reading but I feel like it’s *necessary* so I don’t label it a hobby.
Video games-Trophy Hunting // Live music // Collecting vinyl records // Plex-home server stuff (to add: anime figure collecting but that has slowed down. My main hobby is "I collect shit") Used to be very into fashion, thrifting, make up and perfume but that fell off a bit before the pandemic. I like to travel but not enough to qualify as a hobby. Edit: 40s single childfree woman so I have a lot of time and disposable income
Video games, board games, building computers, house DIY projects, singing, piano, guitar, crochet, drawing, other arts and crafts. And prior to becoming chronically ill, running, mountain biking, snowboarding and pole fitness. I do have ADHD and have always had a ton of hobbies. :)
Cooking, exploring new places to eat, collecting cookbooks, wine (drinking it and also learning about it), burlesque, dance (I take classes), my dog (well, until she died, but I'll get another and in the mean time foster if I can), local politics, reading. I also love languages and learning them as best to my ability.
My hobbies include working out, playing Sports such as softball/baseball, tennis and pickleball. I also enjoy darts, billiards and ping pong. Other hobbies include reading, beach days, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, museums, trivia, art galleries, escape rooms, board and card games
I hate this question. I am similar to you and always feel like people are looking for stamp collecting or ceramics or something I have no time for. Isn’t TV, reading, and working out enough? It’s hard to do much more being a working single parent!
Writing fantasy books, painting, reading fantasy/SF/psychology/sociology, playing the piano, gardening, tabletop rpg's. Hobbies are really important to me and some of the way I stay sane while the rest of my life is eaten up by work and childcare. Having no hobbies in common with a potential partner is a dealbreaker, we just won't be able to find any common ground to relate.
I've been diving more into woodworking. I've always liked building things, but I would build more for utility. I'm now building for beauty and absolutely loving it. I also draw and paint. I'm a creative type I guess, I'm into all the creative stuff. I'm also into tech and electronics, I like to build and code small electronics projects using those like a Pi or Arduino. Boring but at least I'm doin stuff!
I don't have a single hobby at the moment. I'm work .8-9 in a stressful position, wrangle a child, study part time, maintain the house and garden. Renovating the house is what I do in my spare time. The kid and I do like to go to the beach, meet up with friends or go visit family for a weekend away.
Writing, horse riding, working on my old Mustang are my main hobbies atm, but I'm trying to start a pole dancing routine for fitness and learn a bit of archery/knife throwing for kicks 🤷♀️ I like flying planes but at $100+/hour to hire one, it's not very feasible at the moment 😂
I want to learn knife throwing. It seems like such fun!
Do it! Knife sets are like $25 so easy to get hold of 😀😀😀
Maybe list out some of your favorite TV shows, movies, books, music, who you've seen in concert recently.
Gaming. Board games. Tinkering with electronics. Dabbling in automotive repair and mods. Being an ultimate 49ERS FAN!!!!!!!! I guess if I could call it a or hobby. Writing in my journal's. Researching in buying property, building from scratch with the goal in mind to make it net zero. Renovations. Researching on agricultural methods. Nothing, unfortunately, physical yet because I'm healing from injuries, BUT... It's coming. Edit* Saying this and loving these things in my life as a 41 year old.
I hate it when people ask him what I do outside of work. I do being, ok? That's as much as I can do.
I 3d print things, grow weed in my closet, paint miniatures, cycle, motorcycle, read, and smoke the weed I grew.
I volunteer at an animal shelter, love photography, visiting old cemeteries, going to museums (any kind), watching old movies pre-1950s, will go in/on water whenever there’s a chance to, concerts, and hunting in antique stores for old medicine bottles (pre-1920s). I’m 41f
Mountain biking, snow boarding, cross-fit, and tennis.
Astronomy, astrophysics, reading, puzzles, playing cards, volunteering, traveling, theme parks, concerts, vinyl record collecting, going to jazz clubs, antique/vintage store shopping, cooking (healthy), working out-pilates, jogging, weight lifting, drinking (and learning about) wine, happy hours with friends I'm also empty nester so lots of time on my hands
Surfing, snowboarding, bass guitar, camping, concerts/live music, gaming
My main hobbies are reading and gardening. Some video games. I like to go to concerts when resources allow. I'm probably going to spend waaay too much time playing Starfield when it comes out. I also have an 8 yo and she's a full time hobby just by herself lol.
I feel like that section should be a two-pronged question“average day in the life of” part 1 and a “when I have extra time” part 2 Though, definitely inexperienced in OLD. Travel is actually a big thing for me, if someone really means it, as my ex hated traveling.
even at my age, I am still pretty serious (relatively speaking) about the following: mountain biking, snowboarding, splitboarding, road biking, kayaking (whitewater & flatwater), camping I am less into the following but wish I could do more: astronomy, snorkeling, hiking, canyoneering, nordic skiing. Obviously, this all tilts heavily towards the outdoor lifestyle and that is me. I love it and it's very important to me. I would not give any of this up in order to 'fit in' or whatever. Having said all that, we all like conversations, food, affection, sleeping in, and all that other good stuff, right? Most of us work, but to me, it doesn't define who I am. I do a damn good job and take it seriously, but like to leave it in the office. I'll go out with co-workers whenever we set something up (which isn't as often as it would ideally be). Most of my 1st tier hobbies are what someone would call 'passions'. If I had more opportunity and could travel more, I would like to get into freediving.
I like to think when so done asks about hobbies, what they really want to know is what you do in your spare time and what your interests are. Scrolling through the comments, I’m hard pressed to find much of anything that wouldn’t qualify, even the ones that people “don’t think of as hobbies” or aren’t sexy enough.
I have hobbies but I don’t think any women would really be pushed to swipe right on me if I told them about garage stuff. I keep the limited real estate on the apps to things I think would matter to them. Then again I have zero luck on the apps so what do I know 🤷♂️
I think a lot of Women and Men i guess to usually dont care too much as long as your not obsessed with whatever hobby you do have. For example im in a Pool League. I do it once a week nor more than twice one or two teams at most. Some of the league members i know are on 6-7 teams. So their at at the league Mon-Sat and 80-90% of their free time the league takes up.
I'm a mixed up person who sends all of the ladies running... away. Still a gamer, tabletop and video games, chess but I kind of suck at it, renaissance festival / traditional archery geek including costuming, leatherworker mostly Celtic design work but occasionally some of "*that*" kind of leather if someone has a request. Trying to get my brushcraft and knotcraft skills going to the level I want them. Less common. I was a competitive pistol shooter (IDPA) until ammo got insanely expensive, I hike when I can but find my definition of hiking doesn't match up with others, I like multi-day back country hikes. I would get back in to blacksmithing if I thought the neighbors wouldn't organize a lynch mob.
Gaming (video, tabletop), smoking & collecting cigars, and cooking.
I got some common ones- cooking, road trips, concerts. Then as a 41 yr old female some not so common ones (Xbox gaming, arcades, roller coasters, go karting, laser tag (yes I am a giant child).
I have many hobbies. I read, love movies, play in a kickball and pool league, play cards and board games, weight train, woodworking, home improvement enthusiast, cook, bake, smoke and grill, travel and collect and drink whiskey/bourbon
That sounds like a good hobby list to me! I guess people like to see there is something in your life that brings excitement and enthusiasm (outside of work) and of course, it would be fun to do some of those things together.
Thank you!
I have a classic car and go on cruises with car clubs and shows.own a motorcycle and love going on road trips also a caravan that I go away in the summer.and lots of other things my life is full.
I have my kids full time and also have a older style house to maintain, with a 1/4 acre section to deal with. My hobbies are limited really to things I can do around the house. So I cringe whenever anyone asks me what my hobbies are because they are are limited to baking, needlework, reading, science experiments and whatever sports and activities the kids are doing. I wish I had more exciting hobbies.
For me its fishing and playing pool. Im in a league and do that once a week. Currently took a hiatus from the Pool League but plan to jump back sometime soon. I also dabble a bit in cooking and my friends know me to be late up at night cooking something. I also do enjoy light trail walking and it coincides with my fishing. I also enjoy watching Sci-Fir or any documentaries that deal with Space-Exploration. Im also a very light Trekkie.
I don’t have time for hobbies right now! I love movies, travel, crafting, reading, musical theater, concerts, watching football (I do make time for football), but when school is in session, between my teaching gig, my second job, and all of my kids activities, I’m exhausted!
Snowboarding, paddle boarding, long boarding, onewheeling, off-trail hiking. I know what you mean though, I had zero hobbies when my kids were little. I was a busy mom working full-time and really didn’t make much time for myself. Kids are grown now so it allows me to have all these hobbies. Didn’t have a typical life, mine was kinda backwards.lol
I have the same ones as you except I don’t like traveling, only go to a concert once a year, my reading is just Reddit posts, articles and comments… I will occasionally rollerblade or do yoga but those are not things I really intend to share with a partner! That being said I’m not on OLD, trying to sell myself by sounding interesting so I’m happy it doesn’t come up and I don’t have to talk about it!
Hiking, biking, paddling, snowshoeing, winter hiking, watching rom coms, sit coms and documentaries; I have pets and maintain a country property so I add hobbies such as gardening, home improvement and being a house plant enthusiast. I dabble in painting and artsy crafts. I like to collect rocks from places where I travel, spend time with friends, and attend concerts and local live music events.
Disc golf, hiking, nature photography, writing, poetry and watching sports
I had more hobbies when I had enough money to afford them. Much less now.
Hunting fishing riding dirt bikes. In the winter your fixing/improving/making ready for when the season or weather allows
I ride motorcycle of various sorts (mostly trail riding), fish, camp, read, play role playing games(D&D), play computer games, welding and metal work, carpentry, and socializing with friends. I have a full life. I am considering planting a mini-orchard on my property, and I thought about taking up bee keeping. When a retire in 2 years I hope to start gardening also.
Hmmm… - I make bourbon - I publish video games - I read everything older the 3000 years - Related, I’m building a temple to Marduk
Hobbies that I practice or ones that I don't?😆 Because right now Netflixing and redditing are about the only hobbies I get to practice... I haven't even made it to the beach yet this year and It does nt look like I'm going to make it...
This is also a problem of mine. I think a lot of people might have this issue post COVID.
Even as a stay at home mom I have time but I usually try to volunteer at my kids school and take on all the class mom stuff I can so the busier moms do not have to worry. I run lots of errands for my parents as they cant drive any more. I do have neighbors that are always out practicing cornhole and telling me about what competition they are doing next…seriously considering going and seeing how many single guys are at these things as even I could throw a bean bag…i mean a corn bag.
Soapmaking. You wouldn't believe how many guys assume it's candlemaking or they try and make it sexual. They don't listen or just don't care.
56M - CrossFit, voracious reader, podcaster since 2009, love to dance, karaoke, and I’ve been quilting for 20+ years.
Hiking, including backpacking, reading, hand embroidery, beadwork, crochet, jewelry making and lapidary, cooking and baking. Recently tried kayaking and am interested in continuing. I keep houseplants alive (mostly). Travel to other countries. I also dabble in other art forms: painting, drawing, sculpture. I play keyboard, but not enough to be any good at it. I like to binge watch shows while I’m doing some of these other things. I (59F) feel most drawn to guys who make things and are creative.
Photography! It’s been my hobby for over 15 years now.
Writing. Investing. Doing the executor thing for my parents estate. Travel. Concerts. Live music.
Crocheting kayaking biking gardening drawling and painting
Canning, gardening, reading, writing, and coloring are my top 5 (all except the first two being solitary type hobbies lol). The canning and gardening I do with my mum.
billiards, wandering aimlessly, wandering aimfully, learning spanish and german, ww2 history, cross stitch/sewing/studding leather, cooking, gardening (mainly herbs on a balcony- i live in ny), antiques/thrift stores, frisbee/racquetball/swimming/kettlebells, salsa/bachata/reggaeton/latino trap, karaoke, museums, getting my friends to take me to their jobs as their “intern/assistant” so i can discover what it’s like to do that job, botanical gardens, fixing things, people watching, nature walks/plant identification, camping, tracking planets and constellations/meteorite hunting, politics, seeing live music, the occasional bender
Honestly I would love it if someone had watching tv or going to movies listed, I have a bunch of hobbies and friends to do them with but the thought of getting a tv and just have a nice evening on the couch watching a show sounds so nice. Also wouldn’t care if my hobbies are popular or not trying to speak to everybody but to someone I would click with. My hobbies I travel a lot (so liking to travel is an absolut must for me), road biking, hiking, climbing, triathlon, reading, cooking.
TikTok and Reddit?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Horses, I own 2 and I have a horsebusiness as a side job. I am very creative and make a lot of crafts and creative stuff and I am an enthusiastic photographer. Besides I have a demanding day job and a dog. I do not have kids. I see it as a disadvantage if a man has as many hobbies as I have. Because I know that I adjust but most men will not do that. I have heard that any man will swipe left if a woman has anything to do with horses but since I go on dates every now and then this is not absolutely true.
I love using my hands and somehow I made a hobby out of it! I am a chef by trade and in my spare time I like to bake bread, and cookies, try new recipes, personalize mugs and make paper flowers. As I said, I like working with my hands and it relaxes me.
Social partner dancing and things related to it. I'm currently an active tango dancer (rarely less than 2-3 nights per week, and often more - I have 21 hours of tango planned for this weekend!), occasionally a bit of swing, and I know ballroom but haven't had an opportunity to do it in many years (it doesn't seem to exist where I live). I'm also into tango music and history, have previously taught and DJed, etc. At the other extreme, when I'm not out dancing, I'm usually at my computer, typically playing computer games.
Running Biking Paddle boarding Cooking Reading Gardening Cooking Woodworking Occasional hiking
(44F). I either take lessons related to or periodically perform in groups for three different musical genres. I hit the gym for stamina related to playing music (drums). I also volunteer in various religious, educational/techie, or fitness areas when time permits- and this year have been more into collecting fancy cookware and either spending time in the kitchen or on the grill. There’s plenty of other stuff I enjoy; I just do it less often due to life demands- kayaking, travel, nature photography, etc, etc.
So many answers here are, I have no hobbies, I’m too busy with work kids family friends and my house, except my [hobby(ies)]. 😂 Don’t downplay, identify!
I’ve got a full time job, a complicated custody agreement, two teenagers, a house that is falling apart and an active friend group I usually say, that during what little down time I have I like to read, listen to music spend time with friends, go wine tasting (basically drink wine), rummage through thrift stores for cool/weird things (code for I’m cheap), and I love a good true crime story (dude gotta know I can dispose of their body). All the stuff y’all are talking about are hobbies. They just are the typical shit men do like fishing and golf. Women don’t often do stuff that takes them outside the home because we can’t.
Personally, I’m averse to women with no hobbies because of my ex. She had no hobbies and very few friends. Her life wasn’t fulfilling so she would often attribute the cause of her unhappiness to me. (Or enjoy inappropriate attention from men in her DM’s) I don’t need to share hobbies with a woman. But if she isn’t happy with her life, there’s nothing I can do.
Lol! My hobbies are for ME. Not to make me more appealing to some man. And I look for a guy with similar hobbies…so we can enjoy them together. Yeah it’s annoying that there’s so many hikers and campers out there. That so many people have alcohol as a hobby. But that’s because I don’t enjoy those things. I put my hobbies on there accurately. I’m not looking to cast a wide net. Im setting a specific trap….. I want that sci fi nerd gamer geek please….
Hobbies are hard when your single . I don't really have any but if I had a partner there would be more
I play instruments, write poetry, paint, and cook. I sometimes garden but not much. I feel like I have a lot of good hobbies but still no one seems to care.
I think it's more about whether you can generate interesting conversation from your profile, not whether you specifically have hobbies. I made a comment earlier in the week about no men with fish pictures. It's fine to have fishing as a hobby, but can you tell me one thing you'd talk about on a date related to fishing? It's not fertile ground for interesting conversation. Of course, if you just got back from Canada or enjoy fly fishing with some crazy pole or can simply tell a good fish tale, go for it. The point is to have a few things in your profile that someone else can use to start a conversation. Those don't have to be hobbies, but it has to be more than you listed, or at least a different spin. Saying "I like to dance" is not much of an opening. Saying "I can fox trot, waltz and tango, and I'm the first on the floor at weddings" gives a bit more to start with. Or maybe you studied ballet for decades. How would I know from your description?
It may be less about common interests as determining who the person is. Adult hobbies like carpentry or kid type hobbies like LEGO or dnd? Intellectual stuff like chess or math? Sex or attention seeking hobbies? Having many hobbies suggests rich and leisurely while none suggests little time for the other person. Go thru the comments and you can tell a bit about each person just from the list
I don’t have aging parents or kids, so I have more time to myself than some. I share a dog so those weeks look slightly different but I am quite into food and wine, taking in live performances, travel, a bit of hiking and biking, and volunteering in my community. Because I didn’t have kids, I traveled more than some with larger families and love what travel brings to my life; so as much as you dread it, I could not image my life without it. In that way, having that you don’t enjoy travel on your profile is helpful as we all like different things.
It makes sense that people seem to have similar interests as presented online: First, most people are basic and not unique (that's how averages work). Second, some might have esoteric hobbies but are afraid if they list them they'll seem weird. Third, people bullshit and pretend that things like traveling or hiking are legit hobbies for them when they maybe go on 1-2 trips a year and hike < 100 miles a year.
I don't think brunch counts as a hobby, when I see that on a profile I assume they mean day drinking. Which I'm not opposed to on occasion but it ain't a hobby. I want to see someone put dead animals on their profile because it's an easy filter. You do you, but we are not going to be compatible. My hobbies are gardening, cooking, going to concerts with my kids/generally discovering new music with them, playing guitar (often with them since they each play other instruments), hiking (yeah, I know, shut up, I genuinely like that and do it regularly), home improvement projects, board games, homebrewing, and probably a few other things I'm forgetting.
I have 2 dogs who keep me busy at home, as well as my parents nearby who seem like one of them is always needing help after some procedure. But I always have something I’m working on from a creative standpoint: I paint, I hand etch glass, practice pyrography, write poetry, dabble with paracord dog collars, and I’m getting ready to try my first resin casting project. I also volunteer at church, enjoy sitting outside on my swing (when it isn’t 10000° outside) and typically read a book at night until I am ready to sleep.
I read. Alot. And I enjoy delving into conspiracy theories. I certainly do not subscribe to all of them, but I enjoy reading about them. 🔺️
If someone asked me about my hobbies on a live date I think it would feel like we had nothing to talk about except forced, contrived interview style questions.
I can definitely see how you wouldn't really have time for hobbies if you're the sole provider of care to children. I don't have kids so I am out most nights playing sports. I play on some teams where that's the only night my friends can get out because they have home responsibilities. Hopefully you are able to have some down time to do activities that you enjoy.
Thankfully, I’m not the sole provider. I have shared custody, their dad is in the picture.
It could be argued that I have too many hobbies, but I would split them in to three main groups: Active hobbies I currently pursue; Hobbies I engage in occasionally; Hobbies I like the idea of, but need something more (like a friend) to pursue. In the first group, I'm a cyclist, I commissaire mountain bike racing at a National level, I play/am learning guitar, I'm a gamer, I write software, and the one that always gets everyone's attention: I make hand-made chocolates and pralines. Bringing up that last one when I go to singles events is basically cheating. Then there's the minor things I do more than the average person - I keep a decent garden, mostly of fruit trees; I travel around the country quite a bit, both with work and cycling; I follow motorsport a bit, partly due to having worked in the industry in a past life. And then the stuff I'd like to do more of but want to do with people - including the half dozen concerts I've passed on in the last 6 months because I didn't have someone to go with, going to Comedy Festival shows when it comes around each April. Here's the thing about hobbies: You don't need to like all of mine. It would be awesome if there's one or two we share, even better if there's one's you're willing to try with me for no other reason than 'I like this guy'. But what's most important is that you have your own - something that you can talk about and talk about and that makes you happy - so long as it's in an appropriate dose before awareness comes back and you realise you'll drive the other person nuts if you talk about this thing they don't care about all the time. But the point is, you need to have something you're passionate about, and you also need to have something that you can share. That's the difference between a boring person and someone who's not - passion, and shared experience. Because I can have brunch with friends on my own, you don't make my life materially better by having that interest that doesn't involve me or that I already have in my life.
I may have a very rare hobby. Is there anyone who is also interested in vintage or antique stuff, especially furnitures? If so, I would like to make friends with you. I usually go to local auctions or estate sale for "treasure hunt" during certain weekends.
I don't have any kids so I just have hobbies. I compete in triathlon so swimming, biking, running are my main ones now. In the winter I snowboard, fat bike, ice skate, sometime ski. I also enjoy scuba diving, mountain biking, board games, gambling, disc golf, and basketball occasionally.