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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what hobby you do?

126 replies

whathobby · 27/06/2022 13:44

Becoming more and more aware that I don't have any hobbies and aside from work I have nothing to talk about when catching up with friends.

I don't have any obvious interests that could lead into a hobby.

AIBU to ask you for ideas for a hobby?

Perhaps it is something you do or have done and can offer some insight into it.

I'm thinking something with other people rather than a solo thing.

OP posts:
sunlight81 · 27/06/2022 20:07

Watching tv
Reading/listening to books
Knitting
Sewing
Crocheting.

They are all Good at different times in my life depending on work, Fam and location (ie on holiday!)

turquoisebuttons · 27/06/2022 20:10

Nothing at the moment but amateur dramatics in the past. If you want to meet people, I’d recommend it. No need to go onstage if it’s not your thing as they’re always looking for people to make costumes, move sets around, find props, sell programmes etc etc.

Stompythedinosaur · 27/06/2022 20:12

Historical sword fighting - it is a lot of fun.

devonianBiatch · 27/06/2022 20:14

I grow magic mushrooms, they have been absolutely life changing for my mental health. I love the growing process as well as the fruits of my labour.

I love crafting. Crochet, needle felting, painting, drawing.... anything and anything that is creative.

Gardening has been a real eye opener for me. I've got a tiny little 80 litre wildlife pond that I installed last spring. It's got a little waterfall and I just love it. The kids put a goldfish in there and his name is now Deadpool cos everytime we think he's a goner he suddenly pops up to the surface. I've got lots of wildflowers and bee friendly plants and the wildlife is crazy! We've got resident frogs 🐸. Regular visiting birds. Tons of insects. I could sit and watch/weed/plant for hours.

Spagnolia · 27/06/2022 20:20

Piano, being a film extra, choir, horse riding

SunscreenCentral · 27/06/2022 20:26

Art, art history, antiques, architecture, general history with a special interest in English, French and Spanish.
Tennis (watching) wine, needlepoint, my Brompton bicycle (care & maintenance of).

A splash and dash of cookery/language-learning/fair- weather gardening.
these are the things I love and I do most of them alone most of the time

MrsToothyBitch · 27/06/2022 20:46

Reading
Scottish dance
Growing herbs/gardening lite
National Trusting
Cooking and baking
Swimming
Looking to re-add some sports to my roster :)

BathshebaKnickerStickers · 27/06/2022 20:56

Just started Walking Rugby at my daughter’s rugby club.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 27/06/2022 21:03

Cycling
Swimming
Walking
Running
Bit of archery
I was a Cub leader for 5 years until six months ago
Taking dc to/from cricket training and matches. Running the snack bar in the clubhouse. OK, not so much a hobby, but it’s a fun way of spending the morning if I’m there watching DS play a game I don’t understand anyway!

Jewelanemone · 27/06/2022 21:08

Scuba and underwater photography.

Quilling in the winter when I can't go diving.

ParabolicCurve · 27/06/2022 22:13

Archery, cycling & yoga

solvendie · 27/06/2022 22:17

Reading, running, cooking, outdoor fitness training, gym, ukulele, walking the dog

Meadowland · 27/06/2022 22:28

Walk rescue dogs at local shelter. Highly recommend it.
Great exercise, get to meet people, and gives the lonely dogs some much needed cuddles and company.

TheVolturi · 27/06/2022 22:32

Running and mountain biking.

browneyes77 · 27/06/2022 22:37

I do Wildlife/Bird Photography. I love it

It’s an expensive hobby (well it has been for me as I need big lenses for mine 🤣. I also ‘needed’ all the other gear I’ve purchased over the years - that’s what I tell DP anyway 😂), but worth every penny for the joy it brings me and the way it helps with my stress levels/anxiety.

I love being out in nature, peace and quiet with just the sights and sounds of nature around me. So it’s a great hobby for me in that respect, as I want that time alone.

However photography is also a very social hobby with things like local camera clubs etc and making new friends who share that interest. I’ve actually made lots of new friends doing this hobby! Lots of photographers will often meet up with other local photographers and do photography days out together.

Whitehorsegirl · 27/06/2022 22:38

Horse riding, swimming, gym.

Boxowine · 27/06/2022 22:43

Morris Dancing

RescueClub · 27/06/2022 22:51

Golf, I love it. Massively sociable. Join a club with a pathway to playing, so a beginners course of group lessons/12 game membership deal (you make friends/play with your lesson pals).

Two years on from first giving it a try and I’ve made so many friends through it.

Toughtimesagain · 27/06/2022 22:53

Gym, wild swimming, podcasts

Hedonism · 27/06/2022 22:55

Running and baking are my two main hobbies. They cancel each other out to some extent.

Also foraging, gardening, walking, beekeeping, choir, reading, swimming, and wildlife spotting.

I love the huge range of hobbies and interests on this thread.

Summerofcontent · 27/06/2022 23:01

I do scentwork with my dogs

Workinghardeveryday · 27/06/2022 23:02

housemaus · 27/06/2022 14:23

I think try and narrow down from what you do (or really don't) like:

Are you outdoorsy or does the thought of wearing waterproofs make you want to cry? You can count in or out stuff like outdoor swimming, stand up paddleboarding, hiking, camping, horse riding, cycling etc.|

Do you like exercising or prefer to be comfy and horizontal (like me, haha) - then you can count in or out crossfit, bouldering, Zumba, pilates etc.

Do you like being crafty or does the thought of something fiddly fill you with boredom? That covers painting or pottery classes, cross stitch groups, knitting groups.

Are you remotely interested in politics/local governance/helping causes? If so, there's campaigning for local causes or politicians, joining a local residents' group, joining a local foodbank or street homeless support team and helping out.

Like animals? There's volunteering at shelters, being a dog walker, horse riding, etc.

Want something you can do at home but meet others virtually? There are games (everything from Dungeons and Dragons to fun co-op strategy games), or puzzle solving clubs or online book clubs or cryptic crossworder groups.

Want something fandom related? There's cosplaying, fan meet ups, going to conventions, watch-along clubs for every TV show and franchise you could think of.

Like food and/or cooking? Cooking classes, 'curry club' type events, cooking for local homeless shelters...

Want to do something useful? Almost every charity ever will need volunteers - from admin to serving food to fixing outbuildings at animal shelters to sorting donations for charity shops to writing emails/bids for fundraising.

Do you want to/can you spend a lot of money, or not? Some hobbies (rally car driving, horse riding, pottery, collecting Warhammer, even some online games) can be expensive, some (online clubs, book clubs, volunteering, campaigning, running, etc) can be cheaper, and some are as expensive as you want to make them, so factor that in.

Do you want it to be regular, or ad hoc, or a mix? Park run, for example, you can do whenever you fancy but it's on regularly. Volunteering is usually set times, whereas you can pop along to a book club or debate club whenever you want.

So maybe think - "it needs to be out of the house, but not 'outdoorsy', I'd prefer it to be once a month/week/fortnight, I'm not fussed for it being charitable, I do want it to be cheap"... etc and then go from there!

Excellent post. Brilliant ideas!

littlepeas · 27/06/2022 23:07

Guitar, piano and yoga (which is also my job).

Twopenny · 27/06/2022 23:10

Drawing. I have always been a pencil artist, and a couple of years ago really put effort into learning digital painting, which is magic. There are several local sketchers' groups which are a lot of fun (though my favourite one never started up again after the lockdowns).

Language learning. Started with Duolingo a while back and can now read newspapers and magazines. I'm now really working on my listening skills with podcasts and the radio.

Walking I build loads of walking into my everyday life. Not really a social thing as I prefer to walk alone at my own pace, but it does give me things to talk about as I'm always seeing something fresh, taking photos, etc. I also know my way round every side street for miles like the back of my hand.

KyaClark · 27/06/2022 23:34

@11Hawkins

I wonder if we follow each other #bookstacommunity