FAQ

The NoSurf About Page is for complete newcomers to the movement.

The NoSurf Activity List is a comprehensive list of awesome hobbies and activities to explore instead of mindlessly surfing.

It might sound shocking to some reading this now, but a lot of newcomers to the community have voiced that they have no idea what they’d do all day if mindlessly surfing the web was no longer an option. This confusion illustrates just how dependent we’ve grown on the devices around us: we have trouble fathoming what life would be like without them.

Fortunately there’s a whole world out there on the other side of our screens. It’s a world that won’t give you instant short term pleasure. It doesn’t appeal to our desire for instant gratification. But what it does offer us is worth so much more. Fulfillment, happiness, and meaning are within our grasps, and a list of inspiring NoSurf activities can serve as a gateway into the world in which they can be found.

This NoSurf Activity list was initially created by combining the contributions of: u/anthymnx , u/Bdi89 , u/iridescentlichen , u/hu_lee_oh . Without them this list would not exist, thank you.

Link to list 

How this list came to be

This list was created after /Bdi89 drew attention to the fact that it would be great to have a centralized resource made up of wholesome, fulfilling activities newcomers and experienced NoSurf veterans alike could be inspired by. Up until this point we’ve had a really great thread that /anthymx created on how to use your free time linked in the wiki. But it became clear that many more awesome suggestions for NoSurf activities came out of the community since it’s creation and that we would benefit from a more in depth resource made up of the best ideas across the subreddit.

I spent a weekend pouring over all of the submissions and sorted through them to pick out the best suggestions. I then invested a day into organizing them into distinct sections that could be explored individually. Lastly I expanded the list by adding in quality suggestions and links to resources that were missing to make the list more comprehensive and actionable. It’s important that newcomers are not just inspired, but actually follow through in adopting better habits and investing their time in fulfilling pursuits.

And thus, the NoSurf Activity List was born. No doubt it’s sure to undergo changes and improvements in the coming weeks (some sections could use some additional text), but I believe that as a community we can proud of Version 1 so far. The List is broken down into the following sections:

  • Awesome hobbies

  • Indoor activities

  • Outdoor activities

  • Physical growth

  • Mental growth

  • Self improvement and continued learning

  • Giving back to your community

Naturally not every single activity on this list will appeal to every single person. Instead of expecting this list to be perfectly tailored to each person’s interests, I believe it’s best to think of it as a source of inspiration, and a symbol of possibility. It’s a starting point from which newcomers will be able to embark on their own journeys of exploration, growth, and learn to discover the activities that bring them joy.

A call on the community

If you see a newcomer struggling with how to use their time or wondering what they’d do if they stopped mindlessly browsing the internet, please know that you can positively influence their lives for the better by pointing them towards this resource. If you see someone that seems lost, confused, and unable to make any progress, link them to this list.

It might seem like a small act on your part, but the transformative, and almost magical effect of adopting a hobby cannot be under-emphasized. As a result of your seemingly small act, someone may fall in love with fitness, writing, board games, programming, or reading. So much so that they can no longer fathom the thought of mindlessly surfing anymore, because it means less time in the pursuit of what makes them feel truly alive.

P.S. If you have some ideas you think might be a good fit for the list you can leave a comment in The NoSurf Activity suggestions thread after reading the submission guidelines. The mod team will periodically review the comments in that thread and make changes to the list after taking into account into aspects like originality, quality, broad applicability, etc. of the suggestion. This will ensure that a degree of list quality, consistency, and organization is preserved and that it remains a helpful resource for newcomers and veterans alike.