I Need More Interests

Hexmage-PA

I have very few interests, and the ones I do have I tend to think about obsessively. It makes it hard for me to talk to other people because I end-up having little common-ground with them. If I had more diverse interests I could make myself a more interesting person to be around.

Basically, I'd just like to ask what type of things you guys like and how I might learn about them myself. It can be abosluteley anything; a genre of music you like, an outdoor activity, a hobby, etc.

JebusUD

Just find a thing you would like to try and do it. The more things the better.

Maybe try cooking new things. Or maybe try learning about sports.

Corvus

Maybe list your current interests so we don't post stuff you already do.

Chop Logic

Some interests I have that are good when it comes to relating to other people:

Drawing
Painting
Graffiti (my favorite hobby)
Trip - Hop
Guitar
Bass
Post - Rock
Reading
Poetry
Weird movies
Religion / reading religious texts
Stop Motion Animation


Just think about anything you think would be cool, and find out if it is cool. I never thought I would like learning about religion, turns out I do.

For outdoor things, frisbee is great if you have some friends, kayaking is awesome and more plausible than you think, geocaching is crazy (google it).

[Michael]

Scuba diving, rock climbing, hiking, and caving tend to be hobbies where the people who do it like to talk about it, plus it's something you can't obsess about too much because you are kinda limited to when you can do it. I guess you are also limited by where you live, too. They aren't super common hobbies, but I've met plenty of people who do several of them often. There's local organizations for all of those pretty much everywhere.

Oh hey, and you can combine some of those! Hiking/rock climbing or diving/caving (wreck diving is especially interesting if you live near something for it, but I guess it's not something you can just jump straight into, plus it's kinda expensive.)

I got to see (and go inside) this thing underwater with barracudas and octopi and dolphins and shit. It is definitely an interesting hobby you can talk to people about.

darkmayo

I recommend climbing as well, if you boulder its a very very cheap startup in regards to equipment (shoes, a chalk bag, some chalk ) the only thing that costs would be a membership to a climbing center (if you have one nearby or in your city)

Definately do indoor first, your hands will be chewed up but they will get stronger, as well as pretty much every part of your body. Not to mention there is tons of babes who climb (at least at the clubs I went to)

Grid System

Try a martial art or combat sport. I do judo, so I'll recommend that.

Morinoko

I second all outdoors activities:

* Hiking
* Camping: hell, you might go camping with a bunch of friends and have a good time.
* Rock climbing / bouldering
* Slackline: this is really cool and has a low point of entry, you can practice anywhere there are 2 trees or columns. Do a search on YouTube.

* Scuba diving & snorkeling are also awesome.

How about video games? Dont you have gamer friends?

pots+pans

Skateboarding/Longboarding/Surfing if you're near the sea.
Do you play an instrument?

THEPAIN73

Hexmage-PA wrote: »

I have very few interests, and the ones I do have I tend to think about obsessively. It makes it hard for me to talk to other people because I end-up having little common-ground with them. If I had more diverse interests I could make myself a more interesting person to be around.

Basically, I'd just like to ask what type of things you guys like and how I might learn about them myself. It can be abosluteley anything; a genre of music you like, an outdoor activity, a hobby, etc.

Best thing you can do is experience something new with someone else. A lot of my hobbies and things I like are due to my friends or family having introduced me to them.

It's obviously harder to do more outdoors stuff now than say July but really you should just take an interest in what they do and ask yourself "did I like that?" not to mention the bonding that goes into it.

DirtyDirtyVagrant

Drawing/Painting
PA (Are we talking interests or hobbies?)
Guitar
Music Composition
Programming
Writing
Video Games
Tabletop Games
Swimming
Tai Chi Quan (Learn Kung Fu!)

Studies-
Foreign Language
History
Astronomy
Physics
Robotics
Philosophy
Medicine
Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence
Politics
Religion

Dog

thirding rock climbing

Zombiemambo

Rock climbing/bouldering is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

THEPAIN73

Just to agree with everyone else.

Rock climbing is really fun and challenging.

Jinn

I think you're asking the wrong question, and consequently none of the above answers will help you much. What you need to do is just change your attitude. Be more open and curious. Ask people about their interests. Learn to enjoy simply indulging random, whimsical curiosity and learning about new things. Broaden your horizons, in the broadest sense. Don't just pick one of these suggestions and obsess on that, I really think a general attitude change would serve you a lot better.

Anarchy Rules!

Another vote for climbing! I decided to give it a go through a hiking club, and I haven't looked back since.

ANTVGM64

stumble upon is great for linking you to cool, new things you can learn about, watch, or listen too.

Anarchy Rules!

A good start would be to find out what sort of hobbies your friends do, you'll have someone to talk to and introduce you to others, and depending on the hobby (like climbing) not have to invest in expensive equipment without having had a taster.

Agahnim

Swing dancing is a pretty amazing skill to have. It's very fun and you can use it to impress the hell out of people.

DiscoZombie

Jinn wrote: »

I think you're asking the wrong question, and consequently none of the above answers will help you much. What you need to do is just change your attitude. Be more open and curious. Ask people about their interests. Learn to enjoy simply indulging random, whimsical curiosity and learning about new things. Broaden your horizons, in the broadest sense. Don't just pick one of these suggestions and obsess on that, I really think a general attitude change would serve you a lot better.

this is the best reply I've read so far. You can't force yourself to enjoy something. I think it's a fallacy that's ingrained in our society that you have to have common interests with someone right off the bat to be able to hold a conversation with and relate to them. Really, you just have to express interest in the other person, and ask about their interests, as has already been said. If their interests sound cool, then hey, maybe you can do that together. If not, no big deal. Some people can be interesting and fun to talk to and hang out with even though you don't like doing any of the same things they do.

That said, common interests can be a great conversational crutch if you really have no rapport with someone. I really wish I could even be slightly arsed to take an interest in sports. Sometimes being a guy who doesn't like sports can make me feel like a total leper, particularly at work.

Dhalphir

If you're near the sea, surfing/kitesurfing is a great pasttime.

Martial arts are great fun, and good for you to boot.
Ballroom dancing is often a surprising interest for many people.

Dangerous

DiscoZombie wrote: »

Jinn wrote: »

I think you're asking the wrong question, and consequently none of the above answers will help you much. What you need to do is just change your attitude. Be more open and curious. Ask people about their interests. Learn to enjoy simply indulging random, whimsical curiosity and learning about new things. Broaden your horizons, in the broadest sense. Don't just pick one of these suggestions and obsess on that, I really think a general attitude change would serve you a lot better.

this is the best reply I've read so far. You can't force yourself to enjoy something. I think it's a fallacy that's ingrained in our society that you have to have common interests with someone right off the bat to be able to hold a conversation with and relate to them. Really, you just have to express interest in the other person, and ask about their interests, as has already been said. If their interests sound cool, then hey, maybe you can do that together. If not, no big deal. Some people can be interesting and fun to talk to and hang out with even though you don't like doing any of the same things they do.

That said, common interests can be a great conversational crutch if you really have no rapport with someone. I really wish I could even be slightly arsed to take an interest in sports. Sometimes being a guy who doesn't like sports can make me feel like a total leper, particularly at work.

Both great replies. Sometimes though, just taking a chance and jumping into something can break you out of a rut and open the door to all kinds of other things. If someone is doing or reading something that looks even remotely interesting to you, ask them about it. Most people will jump at the chance to talk about something that interests them. That way you get to learn about it and you are starting up a conversation.

The activity that broke me out of my rut was cycling. It's good exercise, you can do it just about anywhere there is a road or a path and it attracts people from all walks of life. I go on club rides now and have a blast. Teachers, kids, pro racers and retirees trying to keep in shape. They all come out for the night ride. It's also a big help to have a group for support when you're just learning something.