Building New Relationships

October 12, 2009 11:38 AM

Does anyone know of any quizzes or tests that would be good at indicating what type of hobbies or interests a person should pursue? I need to take on some new hobbies and interests so that I am more involved with people. I believe by doing this it would make meeting new people a lot easier. I'm basically in a rut right now, I do the same things all the time. I took a yoga class over the summer and enjoyed it immensely. I used to play guitar, but that doesn't push me to get involved with other people.

My whole objective of finding new interests and hobbies is to find make new friends and to have something to talk about with new people. A lot of my hobbies are solitary activities that don't require me to get involved with new people. The yoga class was good and I'd like to start that up in the future again. I've seen a lot of career tests out there, but I sure don't see any tests that would recommend what interests and hobbies a person could take up. I've thought of taking up woodworking or stained glass but again I'm not too sure about the social aspect of these activities. Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Even if you don't have any idea about an online test or quiz. What have you done to start new friendships or relationships with regards to hobbies or interests?

posted by Garden to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 comments total)

The thing is, any activity can have a great social "scene" or a terrible one, depending on the group of people you meet, the environment of that specific place, etc. You really just have to try things. Pick anything you might like, or anything that you can find offered at a convenient place and time for you. Look on yelp for your area maybe. And then go. See if you click with people. If you don't, at all, then pick something else. If you do, keep going to it. You really can't do it any other way.
posted by brainmouse at 11:55 AM on October 12

You play guitar? Why not find 3 other people and have a weekly session? You don't have to be very good, or start planning your first album, bit of pub rock, or blues, in some place with enough room for amps and instruments. I've done this several times in my life, and it's a great way to meet people and have fun. If you manage to play somewhere for beer money, even better'
posted by Wrinkled Stumpskin at 12:42 PM on October 12

If you live in a fairly populated area, there might be some sort of recreation department (or adult education classes offered by community colleges or whatnot). Take a peek through the listings and see if anything sounds like fun. (Here's a link to the recreation department for me, just to give an idea of what sort of stuff might be available.*)


*I don't work for them, but I have taken classes before.
posted by sperose at 2:59 PM on October 12

This isn't a quiz or a test (but it is a checklist!) of thousands of things, hobbies, and STUFF TO DO.

A few examples just flipping through the pages:

Go to a town meeting and speak my mind
smoke a fine cigar
pub crawl in Dublin
drink a bottle of wine that's older than I am
take a survival course
donate to a sperm bank
discover a great junk store
retract a lie
set my sights higher
reconcile two enemies
hold a Twilight Zone marathon
own a monogrammed bathrobe
learn to figure skate
own a bulldog and name him Winston Churchill

Lots of spaces in the book for you to write in your own goals and accomplishments as well.

Some things are so far-fetched they're funny, like, have lunch with Oprah or own a genie, but most are things that are doable, somehow.

One of the best parts of it is that other people are out there also doing these things.

Well, well worth the price (which is $6.95 USD new).

I think this is a great question, and I wish you luck.
posted by Grlnxtdr at 4:34 PM on October 12