"What do you like to do for fun?"

[rollerskate]

I HATE THIS QUESTION!!!

Live life... But oh that's never specific enough. But if I go into specifics they will most definitely be driven away, because my answer will always involve involvement in my obsessions/interests, work (which is usually tied to the obsessions/interests in some way), my kids, just looking at/feeling stuff (sensory), etc... And that's not the kind of answer they're looking for.

Why don't they just say "what do you like to do socially?" Because that's what that question REALLY means. Only by substituting the word fun it's letting you know they don't consider anything outside of social activities "fun".

I'm always keenly aware when I struggle to answer this question how boring I must seem. But the odd thing is I think THEY are the boring ones, working jobs they hate and sitting at home doing nothing, living for the moments they can "have fun" instead of just making sure their daily lives overall are fun....

Anyone else here have similar issues with this question?

 

[Nitro]

I do a fine job of entertaining myself and could give a hoot about what others think about my idea of fun...I agree,most peoples lives are mundane repetitive going through motions crapola...I am the oldest little boy you might ever meet and have lots of toys to play with now. Obsessions? Plenty of em...Like to tell you about em? Always...Care if you are interested? Never

 

[ExplosiveTMT]

Art and playing games is what I tell them.

But that's only a tiny bit of what I do for fun.
I don't go into detail about my interests since I might go about them until the end of time.

So yeah, that question sure is a hard one.

 

[King_Oni]

Usually people who ask me this end up being uncomfortable.

Though I will say that I'm not making them uncomfortable on purpose; I might genuinely do some of the things for fun.

And then there are things I do for fun people have no answer to because it just seems odd or something to them.

The problem I have with this question is that often it comes with a certain idea of what all people do for fun and it's like answering a multiple choice question. Yet for some reason I never fall within the provided answers. Not everyone is thrilled about shopping, working on cars, playing video games or gardening.

 

[Peace]

My usual response is, "I like to sit and watch air move". What I mean is that I enjoy just getting lost in my thoughts because I HAVE NO COMMITMENTS. I enjoy many things, but not many that others consider fun. I am 49, and none of the people I know like to play in puddles, or walk in the woods and get lost in nature. My ideas of fun are unconventional, so I do most of them by myself, which is great, no pressure!

 

[rollerskate]

My usual response is, "I like to sit and watch air move". What I mean is that I enjoy just getting lost in my thoughts because I HAVE NO COMMITMENTS. I enjoy many things, but not many that others consider fun. I am 49, and none of the people I know like to play in puddles, or walk in the woods and get lost in nature. My ideas of fun are unconventional, so I do most of them by myself, which is great, no pressure!

Yup, that's pretty much me right there...

I too was an only child and raised as such. Our neighbors didn't even have kids, and our religion restricted me to associating with only kids in that religion, who mostly disliked me. So I read books, played in the woods, conducted science experiments, painted/drew/created various crafts, sang and danced in my room, whatever. And learned to be happy playing alone.

Now I try to make most of my day fun, even if I don't technically have time set aside just for that (which is often with two kids). I just soak up my surroundings, laugh and play, do things my way. Sometimes fun for me is just sitting in my room staring out the window at the sky and listening to meditation music, letting my mind wander wherever it may in my imagination.

There really is nothing specific for me...

What's funny is I always thought I would escape this question with parents, or older folks. Well, I'm 30 now with two kids, and still get it from parents and people my age alike.

 

[giraffesec]

My usual response is
Archery, Quantum Mechanics & Graphic novels.
By the time I get to Quantum Mechanics they look uneasy and try to walk off. I'm happier on my own with my Batman Novels or my Bow. I don't need other people I'm used to being on my own I prefer it.

 

[CJinherPJs]

I thought I was the only one who had an issue with this question!

I've always been aware of coming across as "boring" or "weird" upon sharing what I normally do for fun, so now I respond with, "I just do what I feel like doing". For me, it's often just allowing my mind to wander, watching funny videos or listening to music, or reading about psychology/mental illness, because I find it interesting and am due to start a Psychology degree in September. Sometimes, I really don't want to tell people anything, and don't know what to say. But I'm usually faced with questions such as;

"Do you go out much?"
Not really. Only to uni, work, the gym and sometimes shopping. I can't think of anywhere else I actually want to go.

"Oh, but surely you have friends, don't you?"
Err... no. I have quite a few acquaintances with whom I'm on good terms and share similar interests, but we're not particularly close and I'm not sure if any of them would consider me their friend. I'm content with the small amount of social contact I'm currently getting, which is enough for me. Similarly;

"Do you go out with the girls at all?"
Haha, f*ck off! Most of my tormentors at school were girls. I know not all girls my age are, or ever were, like this, but I have nothing in common at all with most of them. Therefore, "going out with the girls" sounds like my idea of hell!

Then again, I do sometimes feel like asking these people what business my recreational activities are of theirs. Like some of you have mentioned, it does feel like they expect me to give "normal" answers (whatever they may be), and have negative preconceived notions of me because I don't.

People are confusing sometimes.

 

[rollerskate]

I thought I was the only one who had an issue with this question!

I've always been aware of coming across as "boring" or "weird" upon sharing what I normally do for fun, so now I respond with, "I just do what I feel like doing". For me, it's often just allowing my mind to wander, watching funny videos or listening to music, or reading about psychology/mental illness, because I find it interesting and am due to start a Psychology degree in September. Sometimes, I really don't want to tell people anything, and don't know what to say. But I'm usually faced with questions such as;

"Do you go out much?"
Not really. Only to uni, work, the gym and sometimes shopping. I can't think of anywhere else I actually want to go.

"Oh, but surely you have friends, don't you?"
Err... no. I have quite a few acquaintances with whom I'm on good terms and share similar interests, but we're not particularly close and I'm not sure if any of them would consider me their friend. I'm content with the small amount of social contact I'm currently getting, which is enough for me. Similarly;

"Do you go out with the girls at all?"
Haha, f*ck off! Most of my tormentors at school were girls. I know not all girls my age are, or ever were, like this, but I have nothing in common at all with most of them. Therefore, "going out with the girls" sounds like my idea of hell!

Then again, I do sometimes feel like asking these people what business my recreational activities are of theirs. Like some of you have mentioned, it does feel like they expect me to give "normal" answers (whatever they may be), and have negative preconceived notions of me because I don't.

People are confusing sometimes.

Thank goodness I'm not the only that breaks out into a cold sweat at the thought of a "girl's night out"!

Girls were mean in school, and grew into even meaner women. I still have issues with females to this very day and treat them with all the caution that I would with a pack of hungry mountain lions.

 

[Rocket]

I hate when people ask me this question as well.

Recently, my sister-in-law asked me a similar question. It felt a bit -- for lack of a better word -- invasive. I suppose, ultimately, I don’t want people to really know me. As they would think that I was odd, if they knew my favorite activities/obsessions include:

- Researching autism/aspergers (by frequenting online forums, reading books, watching online lectures/talks,etc.)
- Taking online psychology classes
- Following economic trends and thinking about the next financial crisis
- Studying agile software development
- Walking my dog
- Exercising

 

[dregj]

fun is a strange thing
almost everyone i meet tries to stop me
because my idea of fun isn't theres
and its weird (apparently)
i dont try and stop people watching boring sports or drink them selves to death every weekend
maybe i should start

 

[ImAnAspie]

Spending time alone partaking in my Special Interests for as long as I can.

 

[rollerskate]

Here's my fun today:

- writing a script and setting it up with crontab in Linux so it'll automatically run every hour
- working with my two month old baby on his physical and motor development
- carrying on long theological discussions and logical debates with my six year old about Legos and Minecraft (truly entertaining to see what goes on in his mind)
- photoshopping pictures and putting them in the kids' online album
- polishing up my resume (I'm a prickler for perfection on such things)
- watching Warehouse 13 (I seem to have this thing for canceled sci fi shows most have never even heard of...)
- figuring out the most efficient way to clean the showers in the bathroom (I like problem solving even for mundane things like that...)

The one thing I did that "should have" been fun was going to bingo night here. It was loud and chaotic and I got very, very angry and fed up until I walked out.. everyone else was having a grand old time... I just wanted to be able to hear the letter and number combos being called out so I could focus on making sure I had a legit chance at calling bingo...

:-/

I just wish I could stop thinking "rollerskate, you suck!" when my attention is drawn to how I tend to just focus on practical tasks and mental exercises for my "fun" and get annoyed at other people for having socialized forms of fun...

 

[ThatSkyWing]

"What do I like to do for fun?" Why nothing, of course!

I hate that question too. :/

 

[Grumpy Cat]

"What do you do for fun?" is an alright question to me.

What question I don't like is "What do you do on all those days you have off?" cause I only work two days a week and I guess they think I should be working 5 days a week like everyone else.

 

[dregj]

please make sure your replies aren't anything beyond a very narrow range of mundane activities
or people will judge you harshly

 

[Slothra]

I've been asked this question before, I really don't have a huge problem with it. I find that people who can't share my interests/ "what I do for fun" aren't people I should be associating with anyway, it's kind of a filter, I'd say.

And an effective one, because there are so few people who stick around when I get going about spiders!

 

[tree]

fun is a strange thing
almost everyone i meet tries to stop me
because my idea of fun isn't theres
and its weird (apparently)
i dont try and stop people watching boring sports or drink them selves to death every weekend
maybe i should start

This seems like a poem, to me.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I collect molds, spores, and fungi.

 

[tree]

I collect molds, spores, and fungi.

Intentionally, I hope.