Lack of things to do in life

[Rextus]

I guess in my life I have a few issues, and this is one of them. I always feel that there is too much time and not enough ways to spend it. I'm at school, 15 years old. During the term this boredom isn't that bad, because I have lot of homework, a lot of time spent at school, so I don't have a lot of free time and so I know how to spend it easier. I feel like I have a goal in life, to do well in my studies, and a few other things like socializing with friends, going on facebook and whatever. But the truth is, I think that my life may be quite plain and bland, and having school is just a way to cover that up. Because in the holidays, and today is the first day of the holidays by the way, I feel like I have nothing to do. All there is my house and a few things inside it, like my laptop, TV, pets, maybe a few books, maybe a few other things. But I seriously, with seemingly such a limited choice, I couldn't imagine being able to have enough things to do to fill a 24 hour day. I just sit at my computer usually, try a bit of this and a bit of that but they are all boring after a while.

My theory on why I have this is because through my whole childhood I was always addicted to video games. I think whatever game I was playing was my primary purpose, so I had a goal in life. I had somewhere to aim, and any other aspect of real life was just extra stuff, icing on a cake. I don't know, but I think video games are too addictive to be played. They're like cigarettes or gambling. I trust that people reading this are mature aged and can give me a informed opinion on this. I have quit playing video games, but most of the time is the holidays I relapse and it carries on to the first couple of weeks of term. Friends who play video games and seemed to be addicted may me feel good, it supports my theory that video games are too addictive to be played. But I also know some people who play video games but they don't seem to be addicted, and are extremely organised at school. When they talk about the video game that I used to play, it makes me feel a great desire to start playing again. Yet they don't seem to be addicted. They always seem to be able to place their priorities how they wish to. So I don't know.

Is being bored in the holidays normal? Should I play video games or not? What kind of things do you do in a day? Thanks everyone. Sorry for the long post.

 

[Brian]

Hey bud,
I'm 23 but when I was your age I played a honeysuckle ton of video games, day and night, all the time.

As time wore on, and I got in to my adult years, I got out in the world with a job and my ambitions and I realized that there is a lot more to the world. I got interested in different things due to my own curiosity and the urging of new friends/workmates: Hiking, fishing, mountain biking, different sorts of events, or just cruising around town.

There's nothing wrong with video games, but you have to be able to moderate them. Right now, as long as you are doing fine in school, I'd say play 'em all you like. I look back on my teen years of gaming and honestly, even though I'm in to different stuff now, I wouldn't trade those long nights for anything. It's been a part of my saga. I might've done a few things differently, but the gaming I do not regret.

As for things to do in life. There's a lot to do, experience, and learn, and your interests will change as you grow. But here are a few things to consider, either things I enjoy myself, want to try in the future, or off the top of my head:

-Study some sort of mythology/ancient history and become fluent in it (Norse history? Slavic mythology? The Mayans?). Where did your family come from?
-Get in to Aquariums or Vivariums, and study some biology in the meantime; it really is interesting
-Become a coffee connoisseur
-Start reading. Suggested authors: Lovecraft, George R.R. Martin, Hermin Melville, to start
-Start practicing survivalism. Can you start your own fire? What sorts of things are edible in your area? What can you do to acquire clean water or build a shelter? Don't just read about it, go -do- it. I spent my evening with my brand new Fire Steel outside in the damp autumn wilderness trying to start a fire. I was sadly unsuccessful and learned that I need to either A. Keep dry tinder with me in the wet months, or B. Find drier honeysuckle. This is an unbelievably interesting topic, and one that's actually practical.
-Get a mountain bike or a good pair of hiking boots. Start using them.

The list goes on, this just scratches the surface.

 

[SophiaGrace]

why dont you try reading books? it's guaranteed to make you well-spoken and well written.

 

[Badjedidude]

-Start practicing survivalism. Can you start your own fire? What sorts of things are edible in your area? What can you do to acquire clean water or build a shelter? Don't just read about it, go -do- it. I spent my evening with my brand new Fire Steel outside in the damp autumn wilderness trying to start a fire. I was sadly unsuccessful and learned that I need to either A. Keep dry tinder with me in the wet months, or B. Find drier honeysuckle. This is an unbelievably interesting topic, and one that's actually practical.

To OP: Be a Boy Scout.

Because no matter what society/media says, Boy Scouts are some BADASS MOTHERFUCKERS. You'll learn all of this honeysuckle, AND how to stabilize a greenstick fracture while carrying an unconscious, 250lb man up a 40-degree incline.

**** straight.

Too old to be a Boy Scout? Buy as much Scout literature and survival handbooks as you can and utilize them.

You'll know you're at the right place when you can catch, eat, skin, and use every useful part of a poisonous snake.

 

[downbythebay]

Hey Rex,
Good post from Brian & the others btw... I don't think your problem is gaming, I think your "problem" is being 15 years old and stuck between being a kid and an adult. Guess what though, it's normal, so put on your face cause there ain't nothin wrong with you dude. You are simply coming to the realization that school does not = life.

After a while you will get a job and feel you have been productive in your day, and you will look forward to days where you do nothing. The problem comes when there's long stretches of idle time. People start to feel like they are useless / there's nothing to do / we're all just waiting to die and filling time with life's activities. Although the last one may be in part true, you are still alive and your motive should be fulfillment and expansion of knowledge of the world.

Look, I'm 22 & I graduated college and don't work because of feeling like honeysuckle every day (medical condition... have to wait a few months for health insurance so I can get help), and there are days I think like you are. But, you have to soldier through it because one day you'll be busy as all hell and yearning for free time. You're seemingly healthy and there isn't anything physically stopping you. Go out and drive to a park, ride your bike around and get some fresh air. Wish I could. As to how to pass the time, there's not much I can add to the others except try and make sure you use a lot of humor, because you'll find these times to be the highlights of your day. Go and tease your little sister out of good fun, make some jokes to tell your dad, goof around with your friends online or in real life. Just have fun, even in small ways

 

[Brian]

To OP: Be a Boy Scout.

Because no matter what society/media says, Boy Scouts are some BADASS MOTHERFUCKERS. You'll learn all of this honeysuckle, AND how to stabilize a greenstick fracture while carrying an unconscious, 250lb man up a 40-degree incline.

**** straight.

Hey, I hadn't thought of that. That's a great idea and will also give you people to hang out with and more sense of accomplishment.

I second this motion.

 

[Rextus]

Hey thanks everyone for all your replies. Currently my theory is: Most gamers are addicted, but that doesn't mean you can't have a healthy gamer. As long as its kept in moderation, I think its fine - just treat it like another hobby, reading, surfing, hiking, playing sport, chess w.e. I shouldn't isolate myself from what I enjoy. I'm confident that I can play games and not be addicted now. I can't pinpoint the reason but I think after a while now I feel like I have a life and I know what a real life feels like. I think the reason we get addicted to games is because we never enjoy real life fully. But I think over time now I've slowly developed real friends, hobbies, goals, whatever.. As I said I can't pinpoint what it is. Anyways, so I think next time if I feel like playing a video game I will do it. Of course, part of being not addicted means that you only feel like playing it as much as anything else; not that much. I just hope my instincts aren't wrong, because I don't actually have any scientific proof anything's changed.

And yeah, the holidays are still boring, but I know kind of what I'm meant to do. You just kind of follow your instincts in life. You do things that you enjoy, and also things that you know you need to do for things above enjoyment. A simple version of this is you just work and play. So everyday I try to do some work, I mean like Maths and all, and then I try to do a balance of things I enjoy. I think the main reason I'm still bored though, is probably because I'm stuck at home on my computer, limiting a lot of necessary key ingredients to a happy life. I try to do things that I enjoy like gaming, online videos, reading, cooking, something else. But although its in the plan of what I should do, I can't really fulfill the socialization aspect of a happy life. Its the holidays, and although I have more friends than before, I kinda forgot to ask them on a outing during school and its going to be hard to do it in the holidays, I just feel really thin-skinned about calling them up - only some have facebook. So even though I know what to do, I still feel bored because no amount of computer is going to satisfy someone without real people to talk to once in a while. In fact, its not boredom as such, its a longing for things. Perhaps loneliness is the word. I'm going to solve this once I get back to school.

Now that I've typed it all out, the concept behind all my thinking doesn't seem to be as clear as I thought it was in my mind. Nevermind. I think I'm going to type a blog of what I did and thought everyday now, its such a rewarding experience.

Thanks guys, keep posting and sharing your ideas.

 

[Calm]

You are 15, you can do whatever you want. What would you want to do most? Be able to do?

I am 22 and I feel I simply don't have any time or energy to do anything. Life just goes so fast, I am too slow.

 

[All In The Mind]

Enjoy your teenage years because once school and the lot is done it's crap from then on.

 

[Calm]

lol younger fellas saying it gets worse, things start kicking ass when you're done with school, you got nothing holding you back and if you don't like it somewhere you get to pack things up and just move around.

You make it sound so easy.

What about responsibility over various things? Finding work? Getting money? And if you move, you have to find new friends in new place. Most of the people are established with families and don't move a lot, it is harder to meet new people.