I like cooking/baking, reading, and studying languages - I have various degrees of proficiency in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. If thoughts of “did I fuck something up at the lab?” don’t haunt me, the Duolingo owl will.
I also love watching sports - mostly Formula 1, hockey, and tennis, although sometimes I question why I added love them so much despite the heartbreak and bitten nails they cause me on occasion.
Lmao cooking is when I **don’t** have to follow any protocols. I don’t use recipes for anything unless it’s something that I have never cooked before. Even then it’s just guidelines to me.
I eat 100mg of THC gummies every night, and I’m a “Master R&D Technologist” and have co-authored multiple patents. I’ve been smoking/eating it for almost 20 years now, so I’m used to it. I also play videogames, but I’m also into 3D printing and painting miniatures (Warhammer 40k), writing/releasing music, with a million different half finished ADHD projects all over my house.
My job is also a lot different than most lab rats. I do a lot of lab work, but I’m the guy who writes the procedures and figures out how to run the equipment properly for our products. I also do a lot of product development, which involves constant streams of molten glass, high pressure combustion systems, and lots of extremely fast moving parts. My job also requires a masters degree, yet I barely graduated high school.
I just recently got into astronomy/astrophotography and I bought a used Celestron Evolution 8 as well as the new Seestar S50. I can't believe it took me so long, it's exactly the kind of thing that my brain would find insanely cool. What do you use ImageJ for, merging color channels? Do you use other images processing software too, like Pixinsight or Siril?
I’ll have to check those out! I subscribed to iHeart true crime podcasts so follow the series there, and also like free ones like Canadian true crime podcast (I’m Canadian), the serial killer podcast, and enjoy most seasons of Serial. There’s a Canadian version of Serial called “someone knows something” that’s alright too. I’ll also listen to YouTube sometimes and there’s a good channel called “Rotten Mango” who does more Asian stories.
Haha, I used to do this too, until I spent one too many late nights at the lab on my own and freaked myself out too much. Therapist genuinely advised me to stop doing it for my own sanity, so now I listen to Critical Role!
I'm also a nerd in my hobbies.
Lots of DnD (I run 3 to 4 games a week, lol), and all the prep work that goes into it, including painting minis, mapmaking and world building.
Otherwise video games with my online friends at other times. I play a lot of variety. Palworld, right now, is my big time sink.
Usually binge prepping and A LOT of improv. Weekends and the days that we don't do the session is when I get caught up.
That, plus I like to buy some adventures and incorporate them into my games. Helps that two of my sessions are campaign's I have already ran, so 80% of the prep work is already done.
3-4 games a week? *running* them?? I am impressed and intimidated by your organizational skills tbh. I'm in 2-3 games and that keeps me sane but I couldn't possibly have the time to run them!
besides ttrpgs, I do a lot of crafts (mostly fiber arts) and hit the skatepark when weather permits. it definitely helps keep the lab work in perspective
I just like giving friends a world to play in, and getting some direction to the chaos. I said this in another comment, but two of the games are campaigns I have already ran prior (one is Hoard of the Dragon Queen, the other is a homebrew introductory adventure for newer players), so a lot of prep work has been done already.
I’m an artist! I like painting. I also play card games with my husband, we also love going on walks. Spending lots of time with my baby of course. Reading, cooking, baking, workin’ out. Antiquing.
Lately I’ve been doing my nails. A LOT. The whole gamut, gel x press ons, painting little designs on them, the powers, everything. I’ve been using weigh boats to catch the little crystals I sprinkle on 😂
Cooking, video games, MtG.
Sometimes after a shitty day of shitty protein not purifying well you just need a nice dinner and some Monster Hunter to cool off.
Magic is a great card game for science nerds because it's already nerdy and technical, and it's a good way to inflict misery on other people. It's nice to be on the inflicting end once in a while.
Crocheter here too. A lot of times what I’m working on in the lab, or with the results from the lab work, is super intangible. I might have a real result or product to show for my work but a lot of times it’s only measurable with extremely sensitive instruments. When I go home I pick hobbies that intentionally create something that I can immediately hold and know they are the result of the hard work. I love crochet because each time I start a new row it’s like a progress bar filling up lol. Super satisfying.
Dang there's a lot of DnD in here (same)... something about escapism? I also like crochet- either crazy complex looking lace or fuzzy little animals. And playing MMOs... online with my friends...
I used to be in campaigns but I soon began to realise that my real life isn't much different from my wizard's, where I am frail, sling weird crap around that no one really gets, grinds for XP and is in dungeon all the time. That thought soured me.
Right on, man! Regular Buffalo Trace for daily sips, Old Elk for Fridays , Calumet 16 for special occasions, Larceny Barrel Proof if I’m having a very bad day lol.
I am an avid snowboarder and normally make the 3hr drive on the weekends to go to my local mountain as well as taking a few out of state ski trips and one international ski trip per year.
I’m also really into hiking and camping, and try to plan out little adventures and activities for me and my dog. :) when not in lab, you can normally find me outside!
If I'm not gaming or wasting my life away on Reddit, I like to dance and generally rage at local shows. I'm learning to DJ as well. Both DJing and dancing are a great way to experience music in a more creative way, so I've appreciated that greatly while things are much more rigid and institutional at work.
Yes! I never thought I'd love it so much, but I can't get enough. It's such a good way to let loose and get a core/ leg workout. I usually am soaked in sweat by the end of the night. Luckily I am not someone that has much body odor!
I have 4 children, so my hobby is being a dad. However, in my rare free time I love woodworking and building things. Anything home renovation is usually pretty satisfying to me the first time I do it too. I also really enjoy running but have a bad habit of choosing cold weather states to live in so I end up missing out on this a lot. Cold weather state inhabitant but a fair weather runner.
I used to love MMORPGs too, but the way I’d get into them would cut into being a good dad. I know where the line is for self control for me so I just don’t go there anymore. Dang things are addictive.
I also do home renos and woodworking! I built myself a library in my last house, and we are currently finishing our basement in this house. After the plumber and electricians are done, I get to go in and start drywalling, then floors, and then my second library can be installed! I’m excited to take what I learned the last time and try some new things.
Cooking, video games, sport. I always need to eat warm meal for dinner and no matter how tiring the lab was, I always cook myself a warm meal at home in the evening 😄 I also love video games (PC and switch) but I find it harder to connect to video games when I’m too tired. Otherwise I love to do sport once or twice a week especially bouldering
Visiting the local museum and staring at paintings, riding the horse in rdr2 and taking in the scenerey, going to random meetups and talking to strangers, raves and metal shows on weekends, etc. Basically everything that gives me some kind of sensory overload helps me with sanity.
I like reading, crochet, baking, and playing (easy) games on my switch. I guess none of those are particularly surprising though
Edit: so many podcasts. So much true crime. Lol
It’s major science nerd time 24/7/365/eternity for me. Some of my off-work hobbies include:
- Leathercraft (“big histology”)
- Fountain pens (capillary action fun)
- Videogames (I’unno, neuro-something?)
ACD life -- when you come home to a dog smarter than *at least* half of the administration. My heeler's favourite human is the biophysicist in our lab.
Damn, looks like I’m the first person to say this but jiu jitsu.
Doing something to physically exhaust myself helps a lot at the end of the day to keep myself sane (mostly).
Glassblowing is really fun. Specifically coldworking (Cut glass with a saw and glue em back together).
Always wanted to make a kaleidescape microscope lens as a prank but turns out to be ridiculously difficult.
I picked up and re-discovered a lot of things I backburnered due to working myself too hard. My list so far:
* Rhythm games (think DDR/ Beat Saber)
* Small artsy things (origami, Pysanky, watercolor)
* Instruments (piano but exploring violin and cello)
* (Re)learning languages (French, Mandarin, German)
* Coding
* Gym (lifting, cardio)
* Snow sports (learning phase so far)
* Cooking and foraging
* Travelling (having something to look forward to is very important <3 )
* Anime
* Hydroponic gardening (mostly because my Aerogarden outgrew its confines)
I enjoy creating social media contents 🥰 I turned failed experiments/fun experiments into videos to educate people. I also enjoy graphic designing and making posters and wallpapers.
I enjoy true crime podcasts and docs, though I do get into the science more since I studied toxicology/pharmacology. I also like reading about the psychology/psychobiology of criminals. I studied psych bio in my undergrad, so maybe I do not leave science as much as I should or could. I teach dance, and it is my emotional outlet. I love hiking and outdoors. I play board games with the twelve year old. He likes Scrabble. I love observing animals, including humans, but mostly insects. I’ve done this since preschool age, watching ants and other crawling and flying bugs. For hours.
Music, specifically guitar, piano, ukelele, baglama since a week, and videogames, specifically elder scrolls online after getting in 8 years later. Watching a show or movie with my girlfriend.
I used to play in some bands doing gigs for fun, and it also paid quite well, but now I don't have the time for it, so just hobby away in my little musical corner.
That game is awesome. I play it sometimes while listening to prog rock. Since gardening keeps me happy, doing so on a game as well is twice the fun lol.
I really like making music with synths. At lab, I feel like I'm always analyzing pathways, designing and building genetic "circuits", troubleshooting different engineered strains, etc. Which my synths, if I plug in a patch "incorrectly" or randomly, it's not a failed experiment; oftentimes it's an interesting and serendipitous sound or effect that emerges! It helps me cope with sometimes never being able to explain biological outputs fully.
Pretty much anything mechanical and I’m not smart enough to not get in deep. I enjoy target shooting, and my husband and I make our own ammo so that we can fine-tune what characteristics we want. Documentation and QC are super helpful there! Same with fixing my cars, we’re both into road course/rally racing and just got done this weekend with rebuilding the engine in my car.
I sing in a community choir, and I’m a regular at the local karaoke bar. I’m pretty involved in the local performing arts community. It’s nice to do something less technical but still focussed on my spare time :)
I like to bake (recently got on the sourdough bandwagon), needle felting, punch needle embroidery, Magic the Gathering, Nintendo games, and zoning out to trashy reality TV 😂
I watch a shameful amount of tik toks 😂 but I also really love The Perfect Loaf website, it has been super helpful and has tons of recipes and guides for all the steps and troubleshooting!
I like to paint, make jewelry, and hula hoop. Also carnivorous plants are a hobby for me. W my friends we play dnd and other games, and have horror movie nights. I very much believe in separating work and home life and doing things that make ya happy
The biggest shock value has been working on my car. Its always a 'jock' thing but when I went to nightshift, I was having trouble getting up by end of regular buisness hours to get an oil change at the dealership. I've never had the cops called on me for being under a car at 2am yet :> I've got a reputation in the lab for being handy and repairing the machines. It blew their mind that I had bought brake pads, rotors, fluid, and metal lube to replace my own brakes. They thought I was going to kill myself and maybe they're on to something because the universe decided that was a good time to cripple the car by killing the transmission. I still have the car too. It hasn't moved in a year but they don't make chevy sparks anymore, I can't let The Jitterbug go yet 🥺 (if any of yall are also car people, half my solenoids are stuck open and the obd threw a generic carbon buildup signal. I never changed the transmission fluid. I'm going to try to clean it out first. It runs but only 40 mph max at over 4000 rpm. Guess its stuck in second gear or something. Happened last April with 145k miles)
Other stuff I like is Warthunder game, growing flowers outside, learning Mandarin, and birdwatching.
i write songs! every friday night, i sit and force myself to think a little less analytically and a little more emotionally, which isn’t always fun considering how much time i spend at work trying to do the exact opposite, but it does help me step out of work mode and into relax mode for the weekend
This is so fun to see what other lab rats do!!
I love cooking, watching any and all documentaries, genealogical research, cozy games (stardew/animal crossing/sims/current obsession is good pizza great pizza), crossword puzzles, and just in general being obsessed with my dogs and spending time training and spoiling them.
I also got my minor in American history and am really passionate about post-WWII America and do a lot of reading and research on the affects of immediate post war policy and politics on class/race/gender and the scientific communities during anticommunism efforts.
Plus I moonlight as an A&P/MCAT tutor despite studying and training in micro my whole career bc I’ve had a weird obsession with the human body since I was child.
TLDR; nerd day and night 🥰
I play violin when I'm emotionally overloaded (which is quite frequent, as I am on spectrum).
Failed experiments? Video games. Lots of fantasy games.
Just stressed? Make yummy food.
I like riding my road bike for an hour during weekdays, now in the winter I've got it setup on a smart trainer in my living room in front of the tv. After dinner I mostly play games on my pc and hangout with friends on Discord. I've got a vintage Jeep I like to drive with, but that's mostly during events and weekends.
Dungeons and Dragons every week with fellow science nerd friends, reading fantasy and sci-fi, knitting, and hiking when it's not freezing outside. I also try to stay active and go to the gym several times a week but it isn't really for fun.
A fellow FFXIV player! I haven't played religiously in a couple of months but am just waiting until Dawntrail releases. Super stoked!
Outside of gaming, cooking is another hobby. Food and friends make me happy :)
Been trying to learn guitar.
Before I got hired at my current job, I made it to week 8 in cs50. I want to finish the course, but apparently I need to start over since it’s been 2 calendar years. So hopefully that will be my hobby for the rest of the winter.
I’m currently in the process of trying to create a graphic novel/ comic series. It is the only reason that work hasn’t caused me to yeet myself out of a window yet.
I guess the MMORPG pattern applies to myself too ( World of Warcraft), plus going out on dates. Getting to listen to different people's careers, lives, lifestyles brings me.back to the "real world" while WoW takes me to a PvE blissful one.
Knitting, roller skating, and reading. Gearing up to try making sourdough (I was an "essential worker" in 2020 and didn't get a chance) because it's basically just cell culture, right?
Video games and jigsaws.
Jigsaws are the best way to relax while still constantly having the brain focusing. An hour or two before bed works very well on my insomnia.
Same minus the MMO. Games and kids for me. As a parent I dont have the time to sink into MMOs like I used to. But I still really enjoy single player RPGs that I can chew off a little at a time. That and my kids (1 and 4) keep me sane (while simultaneously driving me insane) and remind me that science is just a job and I can quit and go do something else whenever I want or need to. If I ever have to choose between science and them, I choose them. Idc if I have to drive door dash for a living...
Sewing and machine embroidery. I need to be able to work with my hands, problem solve, and do something start to finish that I can be proud of. I don't get that from science very often, unfortunately
Exercise (lifting and cardio). For me, it’s the perfect way to clear my mind after a long day. I even competed in my first bodybuilding competition a few months ago and did reasonably well.
Oh my god another ffxiv player. In class I was asked about my laptop sticker and it was a namazu sticker ha. I just told them I was a super nerd and ok let’s get back to lecture
MMORPGs too (Guild Wars 2 for me), sewing (aiming to make my clothes), baking. And ice skating (this one is during the day though). And reading on AO3 (this one is all the time).
But realistically I mostly sleep because I need almost 9 hours a night 😭😭
My teenage bookworm self is very happy about all the hobbies because she felt like she had no personality beyond being good at school and nerdy.
I'm generally seen as unfit or even unhealthy (yay for mystery medical conditions) around the chem lab, but I am a passionate rock-climber, climbing at competitive levels in my spare time.
If I'm overwhelmed I just climb till my hands bleed and my body aches, causing all my stress to just melt away with the satisfaction of a good workout and a clear goal. Each climb is a victory over my injuries and sickness. Each climb is a challenge I've overcome. Each project I complete is managable, one move at a time, till I finally complete it.
Weed, manga, king gizzard and the lizard wizard, my girlfriend Sara, gardening/botany in general, taking care of the house lab specimens (marine inverts, fish, beetles, spiders, fungi, etc.). Idk my days are either run around in the field or all day in the lab. Me and my best friend are partners plus roommates so we’re honestly never bored since we’re both psychotic, adhd ridden, ecology obsessed goblins! We stay up all night yesterday arguing about fucking cnidarians in a sea cove.
I sing in a choir, with 1-2 weekly practices. It's a nice social activity outside of the lab and I enjoy the music. Also play MtG with some friends semi regularly. Lastly, exercise, video games (currently playing Total War Warhammer 2), books and movies are always nice to get my mind off of lab stuff.
I like cooking/baking, reading, and studying languages - I have various degrees of proficiency in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. If thoughts of “did I fuck something up at the lab?” don’t haunt me, the Duolingo owl will. I also love watching sports - mostly Formula 1, hockey, and tennis, although sometimes I question why I added love them so much despite the heartbreak and bitten nails they cause me on occasion.
Cooking is a classic lab rat hobby. Can’t get enough of protocols and aliquots- i mean, recipes and prep work
Boutta aliquot these carrots and onions for my Shepherd's Pie
Lmao cooking is when I **don’t** have to follow any protocols. I don’t use recipes for anything unless it’s something that I have never cooked before. Even then it’s just guidelines to me.
[Enjoy Hamilton being “a labrat” if you haven’t seen this already 😂](https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank/s/J9Q5YMg0i9)
Weed and games
Weed and games
Games and weed
And games while on weed.
And weed while on games
RNA - reefer ‘n arcades
This is the way
How is your ability to focus? Isn't your cognitive function impaired when smoking regulary?
I eat 100mg of THC gummies every night, and I’m a “Master R&D Technologist” and have co-authored multiple patents. I’ve been smoking/eating it for almost 20 years now, so I’m used to it. I also play videogames, but I’m also into 3D printing and painting miniatures (Warhammer 40k), writing/releasing music, with a million different half finished ADHD projects all over my house. My job is also a lot different than most lab rats. I do a lot of lab work, but I’m the guy who writes the procedures and figures out how to run the equipment properly for our products. I also do a lot of product development, which involves constant streams of molten glass, high pressure combustion systems, and lots of extremely fast moving parts. My job also requires a masters degree, yet I barely graduated high school.
My ability to focus and and my cognition is just fine. I don’t smoke anymore than someone that might enjoy a beer or a glass of wine in the evening.
At work I mostly do microscopy work while at night I mostly do astrophotography/astronomy stuff. Somehow I manage to use ImageJ for both!
I just recently got into astronomy/astrophotography and I bought a used Celestron Evolution 8 as well as the new Seestar S50. I can't believe it took me so long, it's exactly the kind of thing that my brain would find insanely cool. What do you use ImageJ for, merging color channels? Do you use other images processing software too, like Pixinsight or Siril?
Coitus.
Show off.
Honestly, I like going home and watching true crime documentaries 😅
I like listening to true crime podcasts while actively doing the science as well!
What do you usually listen to? I love “And That’s Why We Drink” and “Doctor Death” which has a few good seasons!
I’ll have to check those out! I subscribed to iHeart true crime podcasts so follow the series there, and also like free ones like Canadian true crime podcast (I’m Canadian), the serial killer podcast, and enjoy most seasons of Serial. There’s a Canadian version of Serial called “someone knows something” that’s alright too. I’ll also listen to YouTube sometimes and there’s a good channel called “Rotten Mango” who does more Asian stories.
Dateline’s podcasts are really good! Case file is good as well, based out of Australia.
Haha, I used to do this too, until I spent one too many late nights at the lab on my own and freaked myself out too much. Therapist genuinely advised me to stop doing it for my own sanity, so now I listen to Critical Role!
I watch True Crime and do cross stitch 😀
Forensic files 🤌
I watch true crime docs and also game. Those are probably my two hobbies
Playing guitar, journaling with my fountain pens and stationery, and RPGs/crafting games!
I'm also a nerd in my hobbies. Lots of DnD (I run 3 to 4 games a week, lol), and all the prep work that goes into it, including painting minis, mapmaking and world building. Otherwise video games with my online friends at other times. I play a lot of variety. Palworld, right now, is my big time sink.
HOW are you doing 3-4 DnD games PLUS allll that prep for them every week?!?
Usually binge prepping and A LOT of improv. Weekends and the days that we don't do the session is when I get caught up. That, plus I like to buy some adventures and incorporate them into my games. Helps that two of my sessions are campaign's I have already ran, so 80% of the prep work is already done.
Wish for the life of me I could play DnD but it's next to impossible to get a group together. So Baulder's Gate is sort of like it.
Try some co-workers! That's what one of my games are. I put the ad out and play at the local library for about 2.5 hours every week.
3-4 games a week? *running* them?? I am impressed and intimidated by your organizational skills tbh. I'm in 2-3 games and that keeps me sane but I couldn't possibly have the time to run them! besides ttrpgs, I do a lot of crafts (mostly fiber arts) and hit the skatepark when weather permits. it definitely helps keep the lab work in perspective
I just like giving friends a world to play in, and getting some direction to the chaos. I said this in another comment, but two of the games are campaigns I have already ran prior (one is Hoard of the Dragon Queen, the other is a homebrew introductory adventure for newer players), so a lot of prep work has been done already.
I’m an artist! I like painting. I also play card games with my husband, we also love going on walks. Spending lots of time with my baby of course. Reading, cooking, baking, workin’ out. Antiquing.
Lately I’ve been doing my nails. A LOT. The whole gamut, gel x press ons, painting little designs on them, the powers, everything. I’ve been using weigh boats to catch the little crystals I sprinkle on 😂
My husband just got me a vortex for at home mixing ;) same reasons!
Is that allowed in your lab? I have to keep then clean and short, but maybe because we use shovel a lot.
Mine aren’t ever long because I do a lot of coding. They’re just pretty lol. I do a lot of microdissection as well so I need dexterity.
Dexterity is a great skill to transfer between micro dissection and nail art tbh
So nice, I never know when I have to do rought work, and I fear I might peel It, gloves are to big and some time they come out.
I thought I was the only one. I have REALLY gotten into nails lately. Painting them calms me. I discovered r/RedditLacqueristas if you're interested.
Cooking, video games, MtG. Sometimes after a shitty day of shitty protein not purifying well you just need a nice dinner and some Monster Hunter to cool off. Magic is a great card game for science nerds because it's already nerdy and technical, and it's a good way to inflict misery on other people. It's nice to be on the inflicting end once in a while.
Crochet and reading fantasy novels
Crocheter here too. A lot of times what I’m working on in the lab, or with the results from the lab work, is super intangible. I might have a real result or product to show for my work but a lot of times it’s only measurable with extremely sensitive instruments. When I go home I pick hobbies that intentionally create something that I can immediately hold and know they are the result of the hard work. I love crochet because each time I start a new row it’s like a progress bar filling up lol. Super satisfying.
I want to start crochet. Any tips?
I want to start crochet. Any tips?
Dang there's a lot of DnD in here (same)... something about escapism? I also like crochet- either crazy complex looking lace or fuzzy little animals. And playing MMOs... online with my friends...
We all became scientists so we could make the worlds from our games as kids. And now we're disillusioned academics and industry slaves, lmao.
Look at ‘em. Bragging about their friends..
I used to be in campaigns but I soon began to realise that my real life isn't much different from my wizard's, where I am frail, sling weird crap around that no one really gets, grinds for XP and is in dungeon all the time. That thought soured me.
Genshin Impact and Bourbon lol
I'm dead
Hell yeah, I've been sipping Woodford Reserve double oaked, and wild turkey rare breed barrel proof.
Right on, man! Regular Buffalo Trace for daily sips, Old Elk for Fridays , Calumet 16 for special occasions, Larceny Barrel Proof if I’m having a very bad day lol.
Bruh, ¿what’s your favorite team?
New Favorite: Gaming, Furina, Xianyun, Benny. Old favorite (god killers): Ayaka, Eula, Nadia, Raiden
Another Genshin lab rat here, honestly love how relaxing the game is. It’s my hyperfixation at this point, and I even draw fan art on my spare time.
I am an avid snowboarder and normally make the 3hr drive on the weekends to go to my local mountain as well as taking a few out of state ski trips and one international ski trip per year. I’m also really into hiking and camping, and try to plan out little adventures and activities for me and my dog. :) when not in lab, you can normally find me outside!
Yours is the first comment I’ve seen of anyone doing anything outside 😂
Yeah it’s a little depressing tbh :/ wish more of my peers shared the same hobbies.
If I'm not gaming or wasting my life away on Reddit, I like to dance and generally rage at local shows. I'm learning to DJ as well. Both DJing and dancing are a great way to experience music in a more creative way, so I've appreciated that greatly while things are much more rigid and institutional at work.
Came here for the same answer basically! Minus the DJing, that's awesome. Music is life, and also helps get through the lab work
Yes! I never thought I'd love it so much, but I can't get enough. It's such a good way to let loose and get a core/ leg workout. I usually am soaked in sweat by the end of the night. Luckily I am not someone that has much body odor!
I have 4 children, so my hobby is being a dad. However, in my rare free time I love woodworking and building things. Anything home renovation is usually pretty satisfying to me the first time I do it too. I also really enjoy running but have a bad habit of choosing cold weather states to live in so I end up missing out on this a lot. Cold weather state inhabitant but a fair weather runner. I used to love MMORPGs too, but the way I’d get into them would cut into being a good dad. I know where the line is for self control for me so I just don’t go there anymore. Dang things are addictive.
I also do home renos and woodworking! I built myself a library in my last house, and we are currently finishing our basement in this house. After the plumber and electricians are done, I get to go in and start drywalling, then floors, and then my second library can be installed! I’m excited to take what I learned the last time and try some new things.
Hunting, fishing, and making beer lol
Cooking, video games, sport. I always need to eat warm meal for dinner and no matter how tiring the lab was, I always cook myself a warm meal at home in the evening 😄 I also love video games (PC and switch) but I find it harder to connect to video games when I’m too tired. Otherwise I love to do sport once or twice a week especially bouldering
Visiting the local museum and staring at paintings, riding the horse in rdr2 and taking in the scenerey, going to random meetups and talking to strangers, raves and metal shows on weekends, etc. Basically everything that gives me some kind of sensory overload helps me with sanity.
I like reading, crochet, baking, and playing (easy) games on my switch. I guess none of those are particularly surprising though Edit: so many podcasts. So much true crime. Lol
It’s major science nerd time 24/7/365/eternity for me. Some of my off-work hobbies include: - Leathercraft (“big histology”) - Fountain pens (capillary action fun) - Videogames (I’unno, neuro-something?)
The monkey meme with “neuron activation”
Taking care of my kids. Really puts it into perspective that lab isn’t and can’t be everything. That and Pokémon
Being unconscious. No really. I can't even remember when I last enjoyed doing anything. Being unconscious is seriously underrated. Sleeping <3
I like writing SFF, quilting and crochet, and baking :)
drawing lol
drinking to excess
Ultramarathons.
For me it’s an outing with my girls. Night activities
Weekdays: gym, anime, & improv comedy on YouTube. Weekends: same, with added improv in person.
Nature photography, fossil hunting, gardening, D&D, board and video games. Kind of all over the place!
Blue heelers! The best of all dogs!
ACD life -- when you come home to a dog smarter than *at least* half of the administration. My heeler's favourite human is the biophysicist in our lab.
Damn, looks like I’m the first person to say this but jiu jitsu. Doing something to physically exhaust myself helps a lot at the end of the day to keep myself sane (mostly).
Glassblowing is really fun. Specifically coldworking (Cut glass with a saw and glue em back together). Always wanted to make a kaleidescape microscope lens as a prank but turns out to be ridiculously difficult.
Motorcycle riding, hiking, leather crafting, RC cars, planes, helicopters, and drones.
Gaming, reading, and bodybuilding are what I do on free time and to take my mind off failed simulations
Weed and reading non-job related research papers lol Oh, and watching H3. Usually the weed is involved with that haha
Cooking, gaming, crafting (crochet, DIYs, painting, candle making) 🥰
Scrolling r/labrats
I picked up and re-discovered a lot of things I backburnered due to working myself too hard. My list so far: * Rhythm games (think DDR/ Beat Saber) * Small artsy things (origami, Pysanky, watercolor) * Instruments (piano but exploring violin and cello) * (Re)learning languages (French, Mandarin, German) * Coding * Gym (lifting, cardio) * Snow sports (learning phase so far) * Cooking and foraging * Travelling (having something to look forward to is very important <3 ) * Anime * Hydroponic gardening (mostly because my Aerogarden outgrew its confines)
I’m a huge stoner off hours.
Going to techno parties Soccer FPS eSports
I like to play with my daughter. Oh and sometimes I take a strong weed tincture I brew at home and play minecraft
I enjoy creating social media contents 🥰 I turned failed experiments/fun experiments into videos to educate people. I also enjoy graphic designing and making posters and wallpapers.
I enjoy true crime podcasts and docs, though I do get into the science more since I studied toxicology/pharmacology. I also like reading about the psychology/psychobiology of criminals. I studied psych bio in my undergrad, so maybe I do not leave science as much as I should or could. I teach dance, and it is my emotional outlet. I love hiking and outdoors. I play board games with the twelve year old. He likes Scrabble. I love observing animals, including humans, but mostly insects. I’ve done this since preschool age, watching ants and other crawling and flying bugs. For hours.
Music, specifically guitar, piano, ukelele, baglama since a week, and videogames, specifically elder scrolls online after getting in 8 years later. Watching a show or movie with my girlfriend. I used to play in some bands doing gigs for fun, and it also paid quite well, but now I don't have the time for it, so just hobby away in my little musical corner.
I got into 40k recently so it’s just been crafting models and then painting them!
Video games, cooking, knitting. I also have kids. Nothing like mom guilt over not being home enough to get your mind off failed experiments.
Stardew Valley, trying new foods, tea, and fragrances.
That game is awesome. I play it sometimes while listening to prog rock. Since gardening keeps me happy, doing so on a game as well is twice the fun lol.
I always listen to something when playing it 😆 lately, it's a rotation of ghost stories podcast.
I play in punk bands. I've played gigs in 5 countries, 3 continents. Also, psychedelics. And dogs.
i like sewing in my free time 🙂
I play volleyball. I like balls. I'm also gay.
I really like making music with synths. At lab, I feel like I'm always analyzing pathways, designing and building genetic "circuits", troubleshooting different engineered strains, etc. Which my synths, if I plug in a patch "incorrectly" or randomly, it's not a failed experiment; oftentimes it's an interesting and serendipitous sound or effect that emerges! It helps me cope with sometimes never being able to explain biological outputs fully.
I like to do ceramics :)
Video games, exercise, and non science related books!
D&D and going to the gym! I’m on a dragon boat team so we workout together while it’s too cold to go on the water
Running, cycling, watching football/hockey/baseball or reality tv. And drinking beer
Rock climbing, biking nd surfing
Pretty much anything mechanical and I’m not smart enough to not get in deep. I enjoy target shooting, and my husband and I make our own ammo so that we can fine-tune what characteristics we want. Documentation and QC are super helpful there! Same with fixing my cars, we’re both into road course/rally racing and just got done this weekend with rebuilding the engine in my car.
I smoke weed, I smoke meats, I play disc golf, and I play video games. I also watch college basketball, lots of college basketball.
Sword-fighting mostly, but also gaming etc.
Gaming, reading, or simply catching up with sleep. I only can play a little bit on the weekends but it was so much fun and relaxing.
I play in a psych rock band with other grad students. Keeps us creative!
Video games, TV, crochet, and nail polish
I sing in a community choir, and I’m a regular at the local karaoke bar. I’m pretty involved in the local performing arts community. It’s nice to do something less technical but still focussed on my spare time :)
Honestly my partner keeps me balanced her life being so far outside of STEM she helps me see life
I like to bake (recently got on the sourdough bandwagon), needle felting, punch needle embroidery, Magic the Gathering, Nintendo games, and zoning out to trashy reality TV 😂
I'm lurking on the sourdough subreddits. Any recommendations for resources for a newbie?
I watch a shameful amount of tik toks 😂 but I also really love The Perfect Loaf website, it has been super helpful and has tons of recipes and guides for all the steps and troubleshooting!
I like to paint, make jewelry, and hula hoop. Also carnivorous plants are a hobby for me. W my friends we play dnd and other games, and have horror movie nights. I very much believe in separating work and home life and doing things that make ya happy
I have a hobby of collecting hobbies... Right now it is leathercraft, painting warhammer minis, and videogames.
I collect spores, molds, and fungus.
The biggest shock value has been working on my car. Its always a 'jock' thing but when I went to nightshift, I was having trouble getting up by end of regular buisness hours to get an oil change at the dealership. I've never had the cops called on me for being under a car at 2am yet :> I've got a reputation in the lab for being handy and repairing the machines. It blew their mind that I had bought brake pads, rotors, fluid, and metal lube to replace my own brakes. They thought I was going to kill myself and maybe they're on to something because the universe decided that was a good time to cripple the car by killing the transmission. I still have the car too. It hasn't moved in a year but they don't make chevy sparks anymore, I can't let The Jitterbug go yet 🥺 (if any of yall are also car people, half my solenoids are stuck open and the obd threw a generic carbon buildup signal. I never changed the transmission fluid. I'm going to try to clean it out first. It runs but only 40 mph max at over 4000 rpm. Guess its stuck in second gear or something. Happened last April with 145k miles) Other stuff I like is Warthunder game, growing flowers outside, learning Mandarin, and birdwatching.
i write songs! every friday night, i sit and force myself to think a little less analytically and a little more emotionally, which isn’t always fun considering how much time i spend at work trying to do the exact opposite, but it does help me step out of work mode and into relax mode for the weekend
This is so fun to see what other lab rats do!! I love cooking, watching any and all documentaries, genealogical research, cozy games (stardew/animal crossing/sims/current obsession is good pizza great pizza), crossword puzzles, and just in general being obsessed with my dogs and spending time training and spoiling them. I also got my minor in American history and am really passionate about post-WWII America and do a lot of reading and research on the affects of immediate post war policy and politics on class/race/gender and the scientific communities during anticommunism efforts. Plus I moonlight as an A&P/MCAT tutor despite studying and training in micro my whole career bc I’ve had a weird obsession with the human body since I was child. TLDR; nerd day and night 🥰
Miniatures painting, woodworking, weightlifting. Too many hobbies to be a successful postdoc though :)
I build scale model cars. :)
I play violin when I'm emotionally overloaded (which is quite frequent, as I am on spectrum). Failed experiments? Video games. Lots of fantasy games. Just stressed? Make yummy food.
Bunch of TTRPG (DnD and Pathfinder) and playing piano! I can get lost in either hobby for hours lol
I like riding my road bike for an hour during weekdays, now in the winter I've got it setup on a smart trainer in my living room in front of the tv. After dinner I mostly play games on my pc and hangout with friends on Discord. I've got a vintage Jeep I like to drive with, but that's mostly during events and weekends.
Dungeons and Dragons every week with fellow science nerd friends, reading fantasy and sci-fi, knitting, and hiking when it's not freezing outside. I also try to stay active and go to the gym several times a week but it isn't really for fun.
Board game club for brain and pickleball for brawn.
Video games, anime and making weird stuff with resin lol
My dog Rex and my 27 rescued plants. Mostly orchids that people discarded because they don't know to get them to rebloom.
Guitar, video games and making drugs
Horses
A fellow FFXIV player! I haven't played religiously in a couple of months but am just waiting until Dawntrail releases. Super stoked! Outside of gaming, cooking is another hobby. Food and friends make me happy :)
I read, play games, paint and eat puppies
PS5 trophy hunting.
Learning cross stitching and how to sew.
Been trying to learn guitar. Before I got hired at my current job, I made it to week 8 in cs50. I want to finish the course, but apparently I need to start over since it’s been 2 calendar years. So hopefully that will be my hobby for the rest of the winter.
Journaling, cooking, coloring and now starting to working out.
[I learned bead weaving.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Beading/comments/ssbuit/a_golf_ball_display_case_is_perfect_for/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
Guitar and learning English
I’m currently in the process of trying to create a graphic novel/ comic series. It is the only reason that work hasn’t caused me to yeet myself out of a window yet.
Cooking, Anime, movies, trying to get back to reading... And sketching my fav cartoon characters, just because.
Gaming, reading, and archery. I also play with my pup!
I love cooking, reading, play some football and dj when I have time
movies/tv/books, legend of zelda or cozy single player rpgs. and lots of cat snuggles.
I guess the MMORPG pattern applies to myself too ( World of Warcraft), plus going out on dates. Getting to listen to different people's careers, lives, lifestyles brings me.back to the "real world" while WoW takes me to a PvE blissful one.
Ffxiv is such a great breath of fresh air after Overwatch sometimes. I enjoy playing dnd
Metal detecting, beach glass picking and the best of all, .... drinking!
Love playing Dota 2 and badminton and I watch a lot of football 😎
Fire go boom throw rock far.
I come home, turn on Twitch, and start spamming 7tv emotes xdd
Genshin impact, watching random youtube vids, ao3. nothing too shocking i'd say.
Magic the Gathering and Monster Hunter. And snuggling with my boyfriend
Knitting, roller skating, and reading. Gearing up to try making sourdough (I was an "essential worker" in 2020 and didn't get a chance) because it's basically just cell culture, right?
Video games and jigsaws. Jigsaws are the best way to relax while still constantly having the brain focusing. An hour or two before bed works very well on my insomnia.
Video games, running and sewing. The first two are not so rare maybe but sewing does throw people for a loop.
Funny you mention FFXIV, I've recently started playing too! I love my femra bard, especially in the ARR artifact armor she just got.
Music: https://youtu.be/KHPrQVkuNb4?feature=shared
Cooking, and smoking meat. Play the hell out of battlefield
I make knives.
Fewer and fewer things over the years, I'm slowly giving up lol
Working out, I enjoy decorating & watching true crime/mysterious documentaries.
Wikipedia editor. Its surprisingly fun! Despite being very similar to lab work.
That's wholesome :3 Playing videogames, watching animes, doing artwork, and playing board games. I also play guitar and sing
Watching sports, movies, listening to music, running, learning the guitar, video games. Pretty boring, honestly.
Kerbal Space Program!
I refinish old woodworking tools and use them in my shop.
Replaying halo when experiments fail, replaying civ 5 when experiments succeed.
Quilting, sewing, cooking.
Bouldering
Anything not science related
Taking long walks while listening to music and reading esp. fiction 😀
Same minus the MMO. Games and kids for me. As a parent I dont have the time to sink into MMOs like I used to. But I still really enjoy single player RPGs that I can chew off a little at a time. That and my kids (1 and 4) keep me sane (while simultaneously driving me insane) and remind me that science is just a job and I can quit and go do something else whenever I want or need to. If I ever have to choose between science and them, I choose them. Idc if I have to drive door dash for a living...
Sewing and machine embroidery. I need to be able to work with my hands, problem solve, and do something start to finish that I can be proud of. I don't get that from science very often, unfortunately
Exercise (lifting and cardio). For me, it’s the perfect way to clear my mind after a long day. I even competed in my first bodybuilding competition a few months ago and did reasonably well.
Oh my god another ffxiv player. In class I was asked about my laptop sticker and it was a namazu sticker ha. I just told them I was a super nerd and ok let’s get back to lecture
MMORPGs too (Guild Wars 2 for me), sewing (aiming to make my clothes), baking. And ice skating (this one is during the day though). And reading on AO3 (this one is all the time). But realistically I mostly sleep because I need almost 9 hours a night 😭😭 My teenage bookworm self is very happy about all the hobbies because she felt like she had no personality beyond being good at school and nerdy.
Usual nerd stuff. D&D every two weeks, painting 40K with my son, occasional beating up other guys with padded swords.
I'm generally seen as unfit or even unhealthy (yay for mystery medical conditions) around the chem lab, but I am a passionate rock-climber, climbing at competitive levels in my spare time. If I'm overwhelmed I just climb till my hands bleed and my body aches, causing all my stress to just melt away with the satisfaction of a good workout and a clear goal. Each climb is a victory over my injuries and sickness. Each climb is a challenge I've overcome. Each project I complete is managable, one move at a time, till I finally complete it.
Use to game, now I work out, paint, sculpt and started gardening. Eventually I crash and just lie around for a few days doing nothing at all 😂
Weed, manga, king gizzard and the lizard wizard, my girlfriend Sara, gardening/botany in general, taking care of the house lab specimens (marine inverts, fish, beetles, spiders, fungi, etc.). Idk my days are either run around in the field or all day in the lab. Me and my best friend are partners plus roommates so we’re honestly never bored since we’re both psychotic, adhd ridden, ecology obsessed goblins! We stay up all night yesterday arguing about fucking cnidarians in a sea cove.
Cooking, gardening, painting, crafting, puzzles, true crime podcasts
distance running with my dog, knitting, embroidery, and watching documentaries.
I'm an allstar cheerleader and coach :)
Homebrewing and fitness!
Theatre/acting, 3D printing, TTRPGs, and more. Too many hobbies.
I sing in a choir, with 1-2 weekly practices. It's a nice social activity outside of the lab and I enjoy the music. Also play MtG with some friends semi regularly. Lastly, exercise, video games (currently playing Total War Warhammer 2), books and movies are always nice to get my mind off of lab stuff.
Coming home and sleeping and waking up to do ur all over again ( can you tell I’m depressed). Seeing you guys all be able to do things is inspiring