What is your gamer stereotype breaking hobby?

[barbzilla]

I really have no idea how to answer this question. It seems to me that just about anything even slightly geeky would fall under the purview of the typical gamer, and considering how diverse gaming culture really is, I would imagine that any hobby could be a gamer's hobby. I guess I will list some of my hobbies and accomplishments, and you can make of that what you will.

I was a Regional Grand Champion obstacle driver in the American Miniature Horse Association.
I still enjoy many equestrian activities, and own 8 horses of various types.
I have studied various martial arts for nearly 20 years (on and off, probably closer to 12 years continuous).
I enjoy cooking, and typically not in the general making dinner kind of way. Usually when I cook it turns into some kind of special meal or occasion.
I enjoy Jazz clubs.
I enjoy fight night at O'Malley's Pub.
I own my own business and have a B.S. in Entrepreneurship.

I could probably go on, but those activities are what I would consider my hobbies/accomplishments that people wouldn't associate with gaming.

 

[GideonB]

Honestly the only non-gamer sorta thing i can think of is that I study Korean and can hold a conversation about some things in it however those things are either gaming, travel or work. I also like to take photos of things and mess about with electronics as well.

그렇치만, 저는 한국어 말할 수 못하고 있어요 ㅠㅠㅠ

 

[DuelLadyS]

For me, it's more like being a gamer is against my stereotypically girly hobbies.

I mean, I've cross-stitched for years:
http://hoshichiri.deviantart.com/art/Mighty-Samurai-356672612

I've recently branched out into doll clothes for my fast-growing group of tension-jointed vinyl dolls:
http://hoshichiri.deviantart.com/gallery/42332080

Aside from that, my hobbies are pretty much gamer-expected spinoffs... I'm a big anime fan, I do the MLP thing... I also collect coins. Less gamer-y, but definitely nerdy.

 

[KriticalKiwi]

I feel like my definition of "gamer stereotype" is a lot different to a lot of you, 'cause all of my gamer buddies learn foreign languages and produce visual art. My stereotype breaker is I play piano, sing, dance, and act on stage in musical theatre, and regularly go to the gym.

Still a scrawny white boy though.

 

[Garrett Whetshaft]

Is this the stereotype?

Spoiler

Glasses, Thin and Boney build, an overbearing urge to discuss Science Fiction with those who have little interest in it, has completed several "Let's Play" series on Youtube, Gaming until 4am every night, Own a PS3, Xbox and Gaming PC, Has boxes of old consoles ...somewhere, Rarely (if ever) goes outside to socialise, spends All day and night on Skype/Teamspeak or similar Voip, eats takeaway food and snacks as the staple diet and believes wholeheartedly that "Star Wars - Return of the Jedi" was in fact the Greatest Movie ever made and every re-release has added nothing to the Film.

^ so I should be checking boxes by that definition.

I'm an Aggressive Inline Skater of 23 Years, I have practiced Wing Chun for 5 Years.

I guess that lots of Gamers do something like Skating, so it's the Kung Fu?
Saying that I have met many other IT Contractors that practice some form of Martial Arts, so maybe that is part of the Stereotype too!


So many of the stereotypical points are not valid, although some are

I reckon Games have become more widely adopted than back when Doom first came out

 

[roushutsu]

I've taken up gardening recently and I am loving it. I've got a nice vegetable crop coming in now.

And granted this isn't a hobby, but I volunteer at an art museum every month.

 

[The Funslinger]

I have a girlfriend.

No, seriously, that's all I can think of.

Yeah I'm pretty much this. How stupid though, that people expect gamers to do things that aren't 'gaming' and be surprised.

If only this thread were a couple of weeks ago, I could've given the same answer.

OT: Well, I'm training to join the Royal Marines. I also hunt, and make stone knives, bows and arrows, etc. I train gundogs, as well. And shoot, on top of that.

Oh, and I'm fabulous at baking.

 

[Legion]

I have actually gotten worse. I used to do karate, scuba diving and enjoyed going to certain kinds of nightclubs. As little as 6 months ago I also went to the gym several times a week.

Now? Not so much.

 

[BM19]

Well if people consider gamers shy/unsocial/awkward/whatever I'm a stand up comedian although honestly we're some of the nerdiest people alive.

Good on you. I love standup!

Mine is probably running, though I'm in the military so it's perhaps not as ground-breaking as I thought...
Um...
I love writing? Short fiction, novellas, got an idea for a series of novels, etc. Just having a hard time finding the time.

... Dammit, I think I'm just a nerd. Lol.

 

[lacktheknack]

Hmmmm...

...I enjoy working out (when I find time to get to a gym), sing, and I think I've developed a love of learning languages. We'll see how that third one turns out.

 

[Rellik San]

I like to climb, I do a little stand up, I've dabbled in internet videos, I've made a few short films, I've acted on stage, I like to do a little karaoke (though I'm terrible at it) and am something of a whisky and ale connoisseur.

 

[william12123]

Well, I'm a wanabee scientist (graduate student) so when I'm not gaming I'm testing... Hope Glados doesnt kill me this week... dunno if that counts as "not gaming".
But seriously, I read more than I game, and I'm fond of Yoga. Several of the things others have mentionned in I've dabbled (like archery, writing drawing) but my piority is SCIENCE.

 

[Lovely Mixture]

I feel like my definition of "gamer stereotype" is a lot different to a lot of you, 'cause all of my gamer buddies learn foreign languages and produce visual art. My stereotype breaker is I play piano, sing, dance, and act on stage in musical theatre, and regularly go to the gym.

Still a scrawny white boy though.

What do you mean different? The gist I'm getting from this thread is that we're considering what "non-gamers" think of "gamers" as the stereotype.

But you bring up a valid point, as I think the gamer stereotype has changed over time.

At one point gamers were delinquents, social rejects, and those who skipped school.
Then it was nerds (the old nerd stereotype, socially awkward genius) who were gamers
Now I believe it's dudebros (the COD Gamer stereotype) and nerds (contemporary nerd stereotype, person who is well-versed in certain subjects and may or may not be an elitist or hipster.) who are gamers.

And this is all assuming were are not talking about the viewpoint of the "VIDEOGAMES MAKE YOU VIOLENT" crowd.

 

[Byte2222]

I love to do Archery, it relieves stress and takes my mind off of college work, much like video games, except you know, more peaceful and quiet.

Although I kinda agree it's not that stereotype-breaking, I'm an archer too. I just spent the whole weekend in a windy field in the middle of nowhere shooting a FITA and head-to-head competition. My back is amazingly stiff.

I just wish I had the drive to get into sports without worrying about looking like an idiot.

That's the beauty of archery: Find some deserted spot in the middle of nowhere and shoot your arrows in peace without some asshole looking over your shoulder, cracking bad jokes.

Do you mean bowhunting? That's actually not a thing we do here in the UK (it's illegal as well). I know archery's sort of a solo thing but I feel that a range, beginner courses and a club should be a part of every archer's career, for safety reasons if nothing else (the archer's safety too, rotator cuff injuries are nasty). Fools who just buy a ruinously expensive, massively overpowered 70lb compound and don't have a clue how to use it really, really wind me up. Also, is it just me or do we have a lot of archers on The Escapist? Perhaps we need a group.

My other main hobby (which very much breaks the stereotype) is music. I play the violin, viola and tuba in my university's symphony, string and wind orchestras, I'm librarian for the symphony and I've been conducting the wind. The symphony, in particular, is really good, we're doing Holst's planets (all of them), Shostakovich's piano concerto and two other pieces on Sunday in a hall that seats over 2000.

 

[Pieturli]

Strength training, and none of that machine exercise isolation bullshit. Squat, deadlift, bench press, press and power clean.

 

[DANEgerous]

Hiking even to very high degrees I can go on a hike for 7 days where I never stop onto town and carry every thing I need. It is rather difficult and many my far more stereotypical macho counter parts could not make it 15 miles.

 

[IndomitableSam]

I garden, and sometimes I don't mind cooking too much. Used to do it all the time, but it's not my turn anymore, so I'm enjoying that. Gardening is container gardening, though, as we aren't allowed to dig up the grass in our townhouse, so our little porch is lined with pots. Carrots, zucchini, lettuce, a few different tomatoes.... I want to try spinach soon, too, and we've got a lot of flowers/decorative plants growing as well.

 

[lewisra776]

Martial arts, I've been training in several styles for the last 16+ years and considering my build alot of people are actually surprised to learn I'm a pretty avid gamer. Somebody mentions skyrim or pokemon or something around me and I geek the hell out and no one ever sees it coming lol

 

[Ickorus]

I play pretty strongly to the stereotype, my other main hobby is reading.

I've never really considered it a hobby but I do love cycling and swimming though recently I've had to break from that because my bike has a punctured wheel and my job keeps me away from the beach.