# What do single people do with their time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 12, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782 "2012-12-12T01:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/41 "2012-12-13T20:47:49Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > …There’s also this thing where simply spending time with someone doing something like watching TV or reading is more entertaining than doing it alone. That is, it’s time that you don’t really feel like you need to fill that, when you’re alone, you’ll start feeling like it’s wasted time. I’ve noticed this as well. I’ve actually been in a relationship for a long time. But I agree with what you said about “feeling like wasting time” when there is no SO around. Obviously it depends on your level of introversion/extroversion, but I think most people have an inherent need to spend at least some time around other people, even if it’s just sitting there doing nothing with them. My own thoughts on being single or simply just having a lot of time on your hands: Chores are chores. It’s just stuff you need to get done, but people don’t exactly live for them. You should spend some amount of time on fitness. But again, unless you are some sort of lifestyle fitness nut, it’s probably not enough to fill your day and may fall under “chores”. “Hanging out in bars” can mean different things. Sharing a cocktail in a quiet lounge with a friend might be more appealing than the local standing room only meat market college frat bar. It’s good to get out and be with people, but you get to a certain age where filling your free time with booze maybe isn’t the way to go. Do you live in or near a major city? Just getting out and exploring around can be fun. I think ultimately you need to find things you are passionate about versus stuff that just fills your time. The other thing is that free time is like any other commodity. Too much of it and it starts to lose value. ---
**Author:** ![smokey78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@smokey78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smokey78)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/42 "2012-12-13T21:31:30Z")
baking goodies fills up the winters…And you can always find folks who would appreciate them. usually make goodies for others and seldom for myself as I keep a semi-svelte figure. I made brownies for a local association I am a member of, pumpkin bars as gifts for the veterinary office that has serviced my cat, cookie bars for coworkers. I’m not a church member, but several churches in my area welcome cookie exchanges and not expect that you become a member (the best part) as they are just appreciative anyways. A family friend of mine has out of townie relatives staying over for a month so I baked cookies for them too. Cultivate hobbies that accomodate your lifestyle and try out new ones to see if it suits you. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/43 "2012-12-13T21:42:43Z")
Well, the half the time. Don’t have my daughter, I am busy pretty much every single night. If I ever stay in its only because I’m just too worn out to so otherwise. I’ve got hobbies, friends, family, stuff to do. I do not understand where people find the time to watch all this TV tha apparently gets watched. Ndont they have stuff they wanna DO? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/44 "2012-12-14T00:01:53Z")
start knitting? ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/45 "2012-12-14T02:39:28Z")
I used to read. Books. Stacks of them. Just for fun. God I miss those days. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/46 "2012-12-14T02:50:24Z")
From what I can tell from my single coworkers, they drink. A LOT. And one is quite vocal about lounging around in his apartment naked. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/47 "2012-12-15T03:50:28Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I come home from work, feed and water the horses, feed the dogs, medicate anyone who needs to be medicated. By that time it’s usually around 7:00. I fix and eat my dinner. Take a shower, read or watch TV, go to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. On the weekends I walk my fenceline to **make sure my hotwire is working,** mow my yard, work in the barn or the pasture. I go to church and sometimes the movies. I’m busy. > > StG Um… not to hijack, but I’m curious… How do you do that, exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Noodles\_Fellicini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Noodles\_Fellicini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noodles_Fellicini)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/48 "2012-12-15T04:22:11Z")
**Ethilrist** ’s idea of parkour is probably slightly more useful than my idea, but consider taking up fencing. (The sport, not the type StGermaine has electrified.) It is SO much fun. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/49 "2012-12-15T04:43:01Z")
I got divorced at 40 years old and made myself a bucket list of mostly little things I had never gotten around to doing. Building a piece of furniture for instance, or making a bow and arrow, cooking a special dish you have always found challenging. You may have always dreamed of a garden you never had time for. Just little things like that. You may very well stumble on to something while doing your bucket list that you become very passionate about. I got hooked on primitive archery and ended up a published author and doing several TV shows that I never dreamed I would ever do. I recomend exposing yourself to as much as possible and your mind will let you know when something grabs you. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/50 "2012-12-15T23:30:54Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Um… not to hijack, but I’m curious… How do you do that, exactly? It’s easy. You just drink a few glasses of water and then wait a while before walking the fence line and peeing on it every 50 yards or so. If you don’t get that special tingling sensation in your crotch, it is time to take a closer look. In all seriousness, you can often hear little zaps if an electric fence is on as long grass blows against it. If you don’t hear anything, a quick touch will tell you. It doesn’t hurt all that much. Electric fences aren’t meant to electrocute anything. They just give a funny sensation that animals like cows and horses hate but people can tolerate it in short bursts. You can also take a screwdriver with a plastic handle and use that to test them. It will arc when you touch it to the fence if it is on. They also sell lights that turn on when a section is off as well as special testers but I have never known anyone that used them. Most people just use the listen and touch method. ---
**Author:** ![QuarkChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c5a1d2/32.png) [@QuarkChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuarkChild)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782/51 "2012-12-16T00:20:18Z")
Raise a guide dog puppy! (I did that in grad school. Very fun and you meet super nice people.) I never have any problem figuring out what to do with my time. I read for at least an hour or so every night, take my cat out for a walk (weather permitting), do cooking and baking, grow food, pester my composting worms (they would actually do better if I left them alone, I think), go to the library, turn my compost pile… …wow, my life is really boring. Well, it works for my personality, what can I say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-single-people-do-with-their-time/643782.md?page=2)