Introduction
Geeks and nerds love to pass their time just as much as the average person, and probably more so because they’re often more introverted or thoughtful in regards to what they pursue.
With that said, we wanted to make finding an activity a little easier for the nerds out there which is why we’ve come up with a comprehensive list of nerdy and geeky activities to get you happily grinning over.
By the way, being a nerd doesn’t always mean sitting at your computer as you’ll soon find out with this wide range of intricate pastimes.
Embrace Your Geeky Side With 17 of These Happily Nerdy Activities
1. Astronomy
Astronomy gives you plenty of things to nerd out over including telescope kits, smart gadgets, and the ability to peruse our ever-shining night sky.
It provides the quintessential geek backdrop for many movies where you’ll see the nerd character always has a telescope somewhere in his or her room.
In all seriousness, though, Astronomy is an excellent hobby that also has some real scientific benefit in helping to discover objects in our solar system and further afield, such as throughout our very own galaxy.
And who knows, maybe you’ll be the one to spot a rogue asteroid on a collision course with earth, much like in the movie Deep Impact.
2. Trading Card Games
Trading card games are strongly associated with “nerdism” in which you’ll be able to geek out and collect various prestigious cards for all your favorite fantasy universes.
This includes things like Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and heck, even Warcraft had its own TCG at one point in time.
These are probably the most popular TCG universes, however, you’ll find a wide range of lesser-known universes to collect from that can be just as fun to add to your collection or to trade with at meet-ups.
The fun doesn’t have to stop there, though, as you’ll be able to scan and upload your collections into associated video game versions of the TCG too — this isn’t always the case but most TCG offer you the ability to play a virtual version of the game that can be downloaded onto your console or PC.
3. Photography
Photography has long been associated with a more outdoorsy, active type of nerd who enjoys the raw emotion that a photograph can capture.
You can also specialize in a particular form of photography if you wish to and can become well-known for something more niche, such as nighttime photography or wildlife photography.
Some photographers prefer to work with retro equipment as they find it hard to replicate the effect that older camera equipment provides, however, in most cases we recommend grabbing a DSLR camera as they’re extremely versatile and powerful.
4. Martial Arts
Martial arts such as Karate and Kung Fu have long been seen as the quintessential hobby of edgy, fedora-wearing nerds the world over.
And in truth, that judgment isn’t far off the reality as some people really love to geek out over special hand locks, pressure point strikes, and dramatic submission moves that can really give you an advantage when it comes to self-defense.
As a hobby, martial arts can also provide you with a great workout and can help you to meet new people to make friends with.
If you’re a geek who prefers something a little more practical and hands-on then martial arts is definitely it.
5. Record Collecting
Collecting records is a romantic hobby that evokes images of digging for that hidden gem in an old record shop to add to your collection.
And in fact, there are millions of different records that you can collect, mostly old ones, however, there’s a bit of a quiet vinyl revolution going on that is resurrecting the record trade.
It’s not hard to understand why, especially since vinyl is able to produce a unique sound that is extremely hard to replicate through modern mediums.
Records are also a little more involved in that they are a physical asset that you can hold, feel, and ultimately display in your collection which we think is especially important if you’re a fan of music.
6. Rock Tumbling
Rock tumbling is a less well-known hobby that still manages to catch the attention of more thrifty geeks.
That’s because most of the material for this hobby can be sourced for free along coastlines and in rocky areas where you’ll be able to tumble them into something astounding.
All you need is a suitable rock and a rock tumbler that will slowly whittle down the uneven and sharp edges of your rock into a smooth object.
Once the rock has been smoothed down, you can then begin polishing it into something that resembles a gemstone and add it to your collection.
7. Dungeons & Dragons
D&D is probably the ultimate nerd’s hobby and is synonymous with geek culture all around the world.
It’s even managed to become an inspiration for the popular show, Stranger Things, in which D&D is featured heavily as being an influence for the in-show story developments.
As a hobby, it involves playing the role of different characters such as wizards, knights, and warlocks, whereby one person will DM (dungeon master) the game to make sure it’s played properly.
The story is pretty much yours to lead, however, in situations where you encounter fights, you’ll need to roll to score successful attacks against your enemies or use your wit to overcome them.
If you’re not sure what to expect then we highly recommend watching D&D videos on YouTube or you can go to the official D&D page on Twitch to watch some streams.
8. Warhammer
Warhammer is one of the ultimate nerd activities, especially since you’ll be able to meet up with other nerds in official Games Workshop stores all around the world.
In case you didn’t know, Warhammer is a type of topographical board game that has a system of set rules to fight enemy teams, however, most people also enjoy Warhammer for the other aspects such as model painting and reading the lore behind the factions or characters.
Warhammer has also managed to establish a succesful foothold in the video games world with popular games such as Warhammer Online, Total War: Warhammer, and Warhammer: Vermintide 2.
In fact, it’s probably one of the most fleshed-out and well established fantasy universes to ever exist and really gives other competing fantasy worlds a run for their money when it comes to vastness.
9. Herb Growing
Growing herbs is a cutesy and geeky hobby that you can do from the pleasure of your own home.
Heck, you don’t even need a dedicated garden space; you can literally grow herbs in a pot on your windowsill or make use of a hydroponics station for the ultimate organic herb experience.
This is the perfect hobby for someone who wants to start learning how to grow plants without much fuss or wants to have their own in-house herbs for different recipes that they can make.
10. Crochet
Crochet is one of the best nerdy activities for people who want to weave beautiful garments such as hats, wooly jumpers, scarves, and even more niche items like toy doll clothing.
It’s a fun hobby that can become an almost automated process once you get good enough — most techniques can become muscle memory with enough practice.
Not only is it fun but it is easy to get started when you only need two supplies: needles and yarn!
Aside from that, crocheting can come in handy when you can’t think of a specific gift to buy for someone; a handmade gift always feels a little more special as it requires more care and dedication.
And who knows, crocheting might even inspire you to become an expert with fabric crafts in general where you can eventually start knitting and manufacturing different outfits.
11. Coding
Coding is a hobby for real nerds, and when we say real nerds, we mean folks who can apply real-world practical skills and turn it into something that makes them more efficient at a certain task or completely automates it altogether.
Coding is like a sandbox for making your digital dreams come true.
It’s almost like being a god of your own universe in that it provides you with all the fundamental building blocks to do whatever you please and create whatever you want.
And better yet, you can get started with this deeply nuanced hobby completely free through resources such as Codecademy.
12. Puzzlebooks
Puzzlebooks are full of interesting tasks for you to solve in your spare time, or whilst you’re waiting to do something.
They often involve using critical skills such as logic, mathematics, and language to overcome and decipher the conundrum — Sudoku and crosswords are perhaps the most popular style of puzzle that people enjoy doing.
As a hobby, geeks can enjoy puzzlebooks, almost in a collectible fashion, especially as they come in all shapes, sizes, and styles for you to peruse.
13. Birdwatching
Birdwatching is often associated with being a bit of a nerdy activity, especially since it usually involves being alone and as quiet as possible.
This matches perfectly with the characteristics of most nerdy people who are often introverted and prefer to keep themselves to themselves.
This doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyed with others, however, it does take a certain type of person to want to sit still for hours on end whilst keeping watch for the next rare bird to fly into sight.
We recommend grabbing some birdwatching binoculars, especially since they’ll allow you to observe the birds from afar without disturbing them.
Oh, and, don’t forget a hot flask of coffee to keep you going.
14. Fishkeeping
Fishkeeping is the perfect hobby for animal lovers who want to try something a little different.
Unlike your typical cat or dog, fish come in all different shapes, sizes, and all manner of different colors/hues.
Some fish are carnivorous whereas others prefer to feast on plant matter to keep them going.
Most of the enjoyment comes from watching the fishes calmly swim around their purposefully designed tank that you’ve made with different structures and lighting to make as the centerpiece of your home.
This is a really cool hobby and most people will be really impressed when they see a tank in good condition with a beautiful design to keep yourself and the fish entertained.
15. Gardening
Gardening is often associated with retirees or older people, especially since they have lots of time to tend to a garden to keep looking perfect.
And in fact, gardening does take a lot of time, especially if you want to maintain the highest visual standard for people to see, however, smaller garden projects can also be the perfect task to keep a fellow nerd entertained all day.
Most importantly, gardening is a hobby that has a steep learning curve but is often very forgiving when you make mistakes.
This means you can build and assimilate knowledge of plants and garden tricks over the years while you slowly build your repertoire without having to worry about doing irreversible damage to the garden.
16. Reading
Reading is probably one of the oldest known hobbies and has long been associated with scholarly-type folk or nerds who want to learn more about the world.
It’s also the perfect hobby for if you want to get really invested in fantastical worlds with fictional beasts and dragons such as from Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter.
In fact, books are often the main inspiration for some of our favorite TV shows and movies such as the recently concluded Game of Thrones and the popularly relaunched Dune movie series.
If you need a quiet, cozy day to yourself where you can really unleash your imagination then we definitely recommend giving reading a try.
17. Video Games
Video games present you with the opportunity to explore vast and unique fantasy worlds where you can take on the role of a multitude of different characters.
They allow us to satisfy our inner geek by giving us abilities and powers that wouldn’t be possible in real life and free us from the chains of reality.
Going beyond the norm is what games are all about and they allow us to have tons of fun from the comfort of our own home where we’re free from judgment.
In a way, video games are similar to books but rather than telling us the path to walk, they give us much more freedom to do what we please to carve out our own destiny.
Relevant Articles
- 6 Hobbies Similar To Warhammer To Flex Your Geeky Side
- 30 Quirky Hobbies for People Who Enjoy Something a Little Different (Not to Be Missed)
- Streaming Is a Hobby: Here’s How (Including 5 Things We Love About This Geeky Pastime)
- Here’s How to Get Back Into Old Hobbies and Previous Interests (Easy 5 Step Guide)
Or you can simply browse our full list of hobbies.
Don’t Forget
If you enjoyed this article, please make sure to save our homepage to your favorites for more hobby topics, discussions, and updates about how to make your time more impactful.
