What do you do in your free time?

I'm more of an introvert and nature person so:

Garden, hike, spend time with my pets, cook, read, craft, work out/do yoga, volunteer, meet friends for dinner, happy hours or events... in the city I enjoy the theatre and the opera, museums and galleries and their events, zoos and aquariums, botanical gardens and so on.

Between all that, work and chores, I am rarely bored, rather the opposite.

Games, online or emulators. I finished up some Pokemon games last year. Don't get a Chromebook for that, cuz Google has no business making an OS. Talk to friends online. NETFLIX.

YT documentaries. There was that interrogation of the girl who had her dad killed by her boyfriend. Ellen Friar (he was apparently trying to have sex with her, so I have mixed feelings) I used to draw, but then I realized there is nothing I can personally draw that someone couldn't draw better and get more attention for on the internet somewhere, so that got depressing. Going out to eat by myself, and then tip crazy high. My main goal is to slowly achieve what I want without getting into any messes. Copy/pasting HTML, CSS, and JS into the online viewers to slowly learn code without going to college so I can host my own websites through AWS sometime soon. If you have a laptop or even a phone, there's really no way to get bored. People are all like "this generation is GLUED to their phones," like YEAH. Because I can talk to a random person in fucking Hong Kong about radfem over there within MINUTES if I want instead of dating the meth addict you want to set me up with. :)

Big city living here too. I know people who have used Meetup.com for attending groups with all kinds of interests. I personally have not used Meetup. I also don't do social media.

Church, volunteering, going to the movies and dinner with a friend, museums, art exhibits, exploring unusual parts of the city, holiday events, shopping, etc.

I meet the best people through volunteering.

I don't have social media. You don't need social media.

I love Groupon and GoldStar for getting ideas. Groupon gives me ideas on activities that I may have never though of before. Do I want to try a jiu jitsu class? Or a circus fitness class? An local plant walk? Why not?

GoldStar shows me museums or shows that are nearby. Live jazz music? Theater plays? Art walks I didn't know about?

I also use SongKick to track my favorite bands and musical artists to see when they are playing nearby.

I'd also suggest to make a point to look at bulletin boards in your area. Coffee shops, for example, usually have bulletin boards. Or just general fliers around on shop windows. I think people ignore them most of the time, but I've found some really cool stuff looking at those (tree planting, a Halloween magic show, etc.)

I read novels (some which are spicy romances), play a quick round of gaming on my own or with a friend, watch my favourite shows, take myself out for coffee and go to a bookshop, look after my cats, occasionally I draw too. Working full time which keeps me busy though, true spare time is rare.

In the city I sometimes go to small concerts and art exhibition.

Spend a lot of time messaging friends who live farther away.

I’ve been playing an instrument since I was young so I play in a couple different groups and practicing takes up a good amount of my time. I also do a sport and yoga. Joining a sport is a really good way to meet other people imo just because of the environment of it and it’s a good way to stay active. I’ve been going for more walks this summer but usually by myself.

I finished my masters this week and I feel you, sis.

To kill time, I joined a local sports group, an all girls club that specializes in things just for girls who want to make friends, and I go shopping.

It’s pretty easy. Find out your hobbies and where you like to go and ask if they’re doing private events. Through this I found out that my local museum was hosting a private Halloween party for adults.

Also, with the girl group, for the next few weeks, we’re doing a 10km hike, taking pottery classes, wine and painting classes. The only outings I’m skipping involves cooking because I hate it.

i feel like i spend every waking moment with crippling anxiety that i'm not making enough money...so a lot of the time i'm daydreaming how to secure more income.

i practice strength sports, indoor rock climbing and go to CrossFit classes.

i watch stand up comedy on YT. i like to create vision boards on Pinterest and have started taking coding and machine learning courses.

i don't own a car, but i have a sweet road bike, so errands take me a little longer and eat into my free time, but i also get to stay fit without even trying!

i cook all of my own meals, garden, and have a collection of indoor houseplants. i also like to send greeting cards to people i know. i deep clean my space once a month and do soooo much laundry...

my friends have a Game Night one day every week. i'd really like to get back into painting or playing an instrument.

i should mention that i don't have social media either, unless Pinterest + YT--and this forum--count.

Get a dog, become a regular at the dog park, amass a group that does all sorts of outings together is what I do. Doesn't have to be dog, just an activity where you can interact and become a regular. Volleyball, yoga, painting classes. The trick is to become the regular there. You will meet other regulars and maybe make friends because they are always there. I do suggest that the regular thing is in a third place like a park or a class. Somewhere where talking is easy.

Can I ask how you met your boyfriend?

Moderately big city dweller here as well. I don't really meet friends as I don't have any. In my free time I mostly just play guitar, videogames, walk around in forests, ride the bike or hang out with my bf. I usually find out through news what's happening in my area, but aside from big events they're not very necessary.