I live alone and I’m just wasting away my time here. It’s actually making me very depressed to be honest. I do live in the city which makes think there ought to be at least something to do out here. Though I can’t really afford to spent money on it every day.
So unless it’s like a one time purchase or if the costs are actually that low. What do you think I should do?
My first thought is going for walks around where you live. If there are green spaces along the way that’s even better. You can turn it into kind of a workout where you do longer and longer walks, or the same length but a little faster each time.
It’s a good way to clear your mind, it also never hurts to be active.
Some more variants if a workout isn’t your thing
- take photos on your phone when you see something nice
- contribute to OpenStreetMap by doing quests on StreetComplete (you answer questions about things you walk past)
- Geocaching, if you live somewhere with things to find
Pokémon Go is also an option!
I didn’t know the StreetComplete app. It’s so cool ! Thanks !
Mix it up by walking to local landmarks and public art.
Geocaching is free and usually lots of fun in cities. It’s like a big database of dead drops - people hide small containers with pieces of paper to sign, and post their GPS coordinates online. Frequently they’re hidden near points if interest, as well so you might find some cool shops or bars as a side effect.
Search for
Boardgame club (insert your city name here)
Usually you’ll have a handful to choose from.
The ones in our city are:
$5 entry
Last for 10hrs
Go with friends or go alone and meet people on the day who want to play a boardgame
Mostly friendly/helpful people who want to teach and enjoy games with others
Choose your level of social interaction (no one will bat an eye if you only talk to play the game, and make no side chit-chat)
Fun everytime
Look for volunteer opportunities. In my town I found a litter-picking group that met once a week. Then through members of that group I joined another one that maintains flower beds and planters around the town. Then joined an effort to rehabilitate an environment project on a nearby farm, and ended up in the beekeeping team. Another group I was in for a few years organises gentle walks for elderly folks. I learned a huge amount from all these things, and none of it cost me anything but time.
Library.
Community theater is great for meeting people and usually basically free
If you have a university in your town often they will have some clubs that are open to the whole community and occasionally public lectures.
Museums and art galleries are usually pretty cheap especially if you keep your eyes open for the free stuff. I go whenever I see free stuff, or a new exhibit I’m particularly interested in.
I know people that do the indie concert scene, just going for any random concert under 20 bucks. Sometimes the bad ones can be just as entertaining as the good. you go to maybe 1 show a week and spend the rest finding the concerts and maybe listening to them on spotify/sound cloud.
Indie movie theaters can also be a vibe. Mine is about 10bucks a ticket, but sometimes they have a free night and sometimes a pay what you can deal. I go every month or so. Last one was a scooby doo one, it had a “cheer whenever they say scooby” game, a drinking game and the previews were funny clips about scooby (robot chicken and that sort of thing) it is a very social experience and a lot of fun. Not free but clearly not for profit.
I think the best thing is to just walk around more, and just be on the eye out for stuff that interests you. Actually read the fliers on posts, join local social media groups to find out what’s up, keep an open mind and look to push your comfort zone and look out for local community stuff over corporate for profit stuff.
chess or other board games are inexpensive and you can learn a lot and make friends along the way.
Fotography can be expensive, but if you do it just as a hobby, you could take your phone or get a cheap camera and try to get up early on weekends and take some photos of the city.
reading books, especially about animals (specifically birds) could be an option too.
I suggest you read "The Game: Penetrating The Secret Society of Pickup Artists” by Neil Strauss. Not to become a ‘pickup artist’, which itself is a joke and a very shallow life even if one were “good at it”. No.
However, there is a chapter or two, I can’t remember how much but it could have been half the book, about self-actualization that I thought was very useful. About making your life full, so that you have a rich background of things you enjoy doing to bring people to.
It’s been forever since I read it, but it’s an interesting read, especially when Courtney Love is being den-mother to a houseful of pick-up artists in training. Neil Strauss can tell a story. He also wrote a biography about living with Mötley Crüe that is pretty depraved.
