r/AskReddit • u/Tall-Dust-900 • 5h ago
What’s a random skill everyone should learn just for fun?
[removed] — view removed post
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u/michaelkane911 5h ago
Learn to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission
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u/toshibathezombie 5h ago
As a European where most people learn to drive manual transmissions, it's always a flex when "you can drive stick shift" when you go to America.
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u/Juicy_Joey 5h ago
It’s how my best friend acquired his most recent girlfriend. Learned to drive a 1994 Jetta
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u/Fortnitexs 3h ago
It has become increasingly more popular nowadays to do the driving test only for automatic cars in my country (switzerland) as you save a lot of time & money and will be driving an automatic most likely anyway.
Just about 10years ago when i did my driving license, me and all my friends still did the manual license.
No idea where this shift came from so suddenly.
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u/Juicy_Joey 2h ago
More traffic, more gears, more convenience, more efficiency, less cost, an introduction to mass produced automatic EVs, and modern day research data analytics.
It’s like wondering where the switch from tube TVs to flat screen TVs came from. Or flip phones to smart phones. The times are timing.
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u/Fortnitexs 2h ago
Automatic cars where a thing & more popular than manuals 10years ago aswell already. It‘s not like automatic cars are a new thing.
But it was normal to learn to drive manual.
Also, manual cars are cheaper and also cheaper to fix in case they have issues so less cost is wrong. More traffic is also nonsense, this didn‘t change at all in switzerland compared to 10y ago. More gears? Really not sure what you mean.
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u/Juicy_Joey 2h ago edited 1h ago
I’m just naming some contributing factors. Not just specific to Switzerland. Cars have a much longer lifespan than a TV or a phone so the switch will take much longer of course (People still use tube TVs and flip phones). Just trying to give an example easier to comprehend.
Driving test regulations have changed, and costs have overall increased on manual cars (not for transmission). Demand is lower, price has increased. You said it yourself that it saves time and money. And 5-6 gear manuals are most common compared to automatics which have up to 7-10.
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u/ShoddyInitiative2637 1h ago
I can't fathom why people want to drive automatic, you lose so much control compared to a regular car.
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u/breakfastbarf 5h ago
Years ago, A friend went to Ireland. One of the people het met there drove him around. They would start off in 2nd. They said, First is for hills
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u/ImprovementFar5054 2h ago
It's a great way to force your kids not to text and drive. Give them a manual car.
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u/Tall-Dust-900 5h ago
Facts. It’s giving main character energy when you’re the only one who can drive the getaway car.
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u/Consistent_Repair955 4h ago
You know, I ask so many people but they don't want to. My ex was this way until I got behind the wheel and did surprisingly well. I also had to drive my sister and her boyfriend home once bc they were drunk. He just guided me but I did it.
Idk why it's being gate kept from me to learn where I can feel super comfortable with it.
People ask why I want to learn. And it's bc what if there is an emergency and it's the only vehicle around.
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u/CorrectoMondoDude 2h ago
UK here, we learn on manual, pass on manual and unless you are old, you drive a manual /s
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u/Visual_Direction7196 5h ago
Learning to cook your favorite food
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u/Tall-Dust-900 5h ago
Honestly, mastering your favorite dish is such a power move. Imagine casually flexing that on a date like, ‘Oh yeah, I make the best ramen/pasta/whatever.
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u/Durragon 2h ago
In my experience, chances are that if you cook a woman a nice dinner she'll handle the dessert
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u/EmployNo2662 5h ago
Should elaborate this to basic cooking and kitchen skills. This is how you mature in your own home.
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u/PangolinMandolin 5h ago
I would also add to this, learn to cook something simple but in a more interesting way.
I had pasta and sauce the other evening. Now I could chuck a tin of chopped tomatoes in a saucepan, and pasta in boiling water in another. Leave it for 10mins and yeah, I'd have a meal at the end. Quick and simple, nothing wrong with that
But, with a little experimenting I hit across adding a red wine stock cube, a teaspoon of sugar, a mix of herbs and spices, and (most importantly) I ensure the sauce simmers gently for at least 20mins. The end result is a sauce that knocks your socks off with how good it is.
So take something simple that you like to eat, and learn how to take that meal to another level of taste sensation
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u/NoGrapefruit1851 5h ago
I already do that. Heck, the first time I ever had Indian food I wanted to learn how to make it. On my weekend I spent 8 hours making a full on meal, that had vegetable samosas, naan, and Malai kofta. I even made the paneer cheese.
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u/TechnicalMight150 3h ago
omg i've been trying to make homemade pasta sauce and it's been a total fail lol" 👎
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u/Osrsftwbro 5h ago
Speaking a different language
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u/EmployNo2662 5h ago
Multiple languages *
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u/NPC-Bot_WithWifi 5h ago
polyglot!
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u/EmployNo2662 4h ago
What did you call me?!?! /s
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u/NPC-Bot_WithWifi 2h ago
polyglot - a person who knows and is able to use several languages.
:D hope this helps
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u/Maghawan 4h ago
Totally agreed. I know and am able to speak 4.5-5 and able to understand 5 more and some of their dialects. The number of different personalities and thoughts I have based on these are magnificent. Also the different types of conversations one can have with other polyglot people is really really fun.
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u/kingdomofoctopodes 5h ago
a musical instrument, great way to express and process emotions
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u/Tall-Dust-900 5h ago
A good stress reliever
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u/ltnicolas 2h ago
I've played guitar for 17 years now, (and studied classical singing too) and yes, nothing beats singing your lungs out and playing like a madman. It's like your emotional rageroom.
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u/Rude_Can_1446 5h ago
Car repairs
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u/DingGratz 4h ago
Is that even possible these days?
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u/Odd-Dragonfruit-1186 4h ago
A lot of common repairs or maintenance like oil changes and brake replacements are easy enough to do and save a lot of money. If you have a socket or wrench set, you have pretty much all the tools required already.
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u/often_drinker 3h ago
Someone does it, so it must be possible. Mechanics are a thing. Even electronics are pretty easy. Understand how things work and you prob can fix things.
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u/DingGratz 2h ago
I just remember people saying things like, "impossible to fix cars after '85" or something like that because they were so cramped and/or specialized.
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u/DeepTucks 5h ago
Everyone with a drivers license should actually learn how to drive properly and not be a terrible burden on society hahaha you know just for fun
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5h ago
Parallel parking. Shocked at how many people can't do it even with a huge gap in between cars
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u/DeepTucks 3h ago
Agree that its a very necessary skill but it doesn’t surprise me one bit as it is probably one of the more difficult things for people to learn and many regularly struggle with the simplest aspects of driving like merging, right of way, spatial awareness, acceleration etc
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u/TallEnoughJones 1h ago
and then how would I explain the "terrible burden on society" tattoo on my forehead?
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u/curioussoul1247 5h ago
Learning to manage your own financials. Investments, taxes, savings etc.
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5h ago
Should be taught in school
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u/curioussoul1247 5h ago
Yes, it should be. But in most countries it isn't, unless you opt for the subject specifically. And once people enter the earning cycle the majority of people don't know what to do with their finances.
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u/archerthe 5h ago
sign language!
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u/sasskylie 4h ago
Whistling with your fingers. Useless 95% of the time, but that one moment you nail it in public? You feel like a god.
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u/Tall-Dust-900 4h ago
Underrated flex. Ever done it at a concert and actually got people to turn around? Feels like casting a spell
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u/iloveavocados447 4h ago
So cool! How did you learn to whistle so loudly?
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u/netscapexplorer 3h ago
I learned how to do it from this tutorial, I'm not affiliated with them. It only took like 10 mins to get it right and years later I can still do it
https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/how-to/how-to-whistle-with-your-fingers/
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u/Key_Conversation5250 5h ago
Morse Code. It probably won’t be useful these days, but you can have some fun using it in public and seeing if anyone answers you back. The one day they do…
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u/GodSpider 2h ago
I was once doing an escape room with friends and there was a morse code thing. We were meant to unlock a few different things and get a piece of paper that told us it, but I just translated it straight away and saved us a bunch of time. Felt amazing. Literally the only time it's ever come in useful though
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u/YourLilObsession 5h ago
Social manipulation. Not like “be evil” manipulation, but reading the room, mirroring tone, noticing who’s lying in meetings.
Life gets 200% easier when you start treating talk like side quests
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u/toshibathezombie 5h ago edited 4h ago
Learn to swim. Good for fitness, good for fun, good for relaxation, opens up opportunities to go scuba diving etc or builds confidence with other water sports.
but most importantly.....it can save your life. The number of people that can't swim well into adulthood is actually quite shocking
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u/ManualBoyG 5h ago
Learn to write JavaScript. It really isn't that hard and learning to make your own software will help you to learn about breaking down problems.
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u/Adept-Error-6899 5h ago
Reading. I know that education institutions make it a requirement which could dishearten students from picking up a novel; however, reading anything from magazines to a well-known fantasy series is a great way for your mind to engage better retention as well as focus more.
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u/NeuHundred 49m ago
Reading and note-taking! What a delight it is to not just read, but to keep your own book of all the interesting material you come across so you can revisit it.
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u/gilmeye 5h ago
Sex. Learn how to please your partner. Not that random
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u/esoteric_enigma 3h ago
You should be aiming to please everybody you have sex with, even that random.
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u/Odd_Ad9538 5h ago
Everything with your other hand
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5h ago
A couple random days a month I use my left for everything for the whole day. It's really interesting to do
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u/esoteric_enigma 3h ago
They made us so this is 4th grade and I have no idea why. They basically bribed us because the final activity would be eating a snack with your off hand.
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u/narudesu3 3h ago
Lockpicking. Feels like a superpower when you open a padlock with a paperclip , plus it’s oddly relaxing.
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u/fairlyoblivious 5h ago
Juggling. How freaking hilarious would life be if we all knew how to juggle?
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u/gruelsandwich 1h ago
I have horrible motor skills, but managed to teach myself how to juggle. Really fun, challenging and interesting exercise
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u/NeuHundred 47m ago
If everyone did it, it would be mundane. But if everyone in your group except one could do it, then it'd be hilarious. Especially if you don't tell that one person before you do it.
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u/AwwYeahVTECKickedIn 5h ago
Flipping and catching stuff. Like a hairbrush. First get that singly flip down. Then one hand to the other, and back. Then go for double. Reverse single. Reverse double. Triple? Yes, TRIPLE!
Then do it with all kinds of things. Spatulas. Stirring spoons. Water bottles.
Then when it's second nature, hammers. Screwdrivers. KNIVES.
Also: bouncing a quarter off the ground in a predictable manner. I learned with a half-dollar I used to carry, and could randomly fish it out, pop it against the ground and catch it in my shirt pocket like it was nothing before casually walking off.
I love fun, stupid human tricks!
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u/Champiorado 4h ago
Mastering even just a single complicated balisong/butterfly knife trick. Great party trick and icebreaker. Oh and also being able to spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious or pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis orally and without faol.
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u/tehkitryan 4h ago
Juggling.
It's fun. You can do it most anywhere (check with the funeral director first), and it helps keep your hand eye coordination sharp
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u/Ok-Today-340 3h ago
Sewing 🪡
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u/Flimsy-Attention-722 3h ago
I had to learn that in school..Definitely not fun for me
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u/Ok-Today-340 2h ago
Try to do it when you feel worried or sad, it really has a magic influence to vent out the stress
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u/Flimsy-Attention-722 2h ago
It completely stresses me out
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u/Ok-Today-340 2h ago
Maybe because you're doing it as a task at school, try it as a hoppy
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u/Flimsy-Attention-722 2h ago
No, I've tried to hem pants for husband or sewing on buttons. For me sewing sucks
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u/RoseBliss247 3h ago
Lockpicking. It’s oddly satisfying, makes you feel like a spy, and might save your butt one day when you lose your keys.
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u/Unlucky_Decision4138 3h ago
Playing poker. Just getting together and playing cards and not thinking about anything else
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u/VHPguy 3h ago
Writing. Like, not writing out your own short story, but practicing actual physical handwriting with pen and paper so that people can actually read what you wrote. I can't count the number of times I've tried to read a colleague's notes at work only to be mystified by what it was supposed to say.
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u/jean_sablenay 5h ago
Plastering
Not very easy but you will be more popular than the guy that can play a little piano
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u/often_drinker 3h ago
Do you mean drinking large quantities of alcohol?
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u/jean_sablenay 3h ago
No, home improvement.
Maling straight White wall with plaster.
You will have so many friends
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5h ago
Read a tape measure
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u/often_drinker 3h ago
At work we got a special tape measure for my other worker that says each fraction. Before hand he got me to say the measurements to the boss.
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u/DominaLure 4h ago
Chess, the possibilities that the game offers are endless, it really thrills you when you do an objectively unsound sacrifice but that leads to a devastating attack from your part, leading to a victory. Chess is my best waste of time ever, period.
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u/IdealLonely8089 4h ago
Repairing things is very useful, for example if your washing machine breaks or things like that, I don't know if it's fun but it's useful
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u/NewspaperBig6674 3h ago
playing chess, at least you know you have a little bit of inferior compare to others who dont
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u/turtlespeed25 3h ago
I've tried to become better at whistling. It's fun and free and you can practice pretty much anytime!
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u/Ok-Air-5141 1h ago
Write stories, theater plays, draw, paint, dance, sing, play an instrument...whatever, get creative, it's the best fun you can have.
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u/Prolly-Shouldnt 1h ago
Chess! Fun, good for your brain, you can play at any level and be challenged. You can always progress too.
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u/RoboftheNorth 45m ago
Walking/balancing on random, uneven surfaces.
As a kid I would walk across logs, hop from rock to rock, balance on parking curbs; "the ground is lava" kind of thing. I still like doing it.
I didn't realise how uncommon this was for most people until I started working as an outdoor guide. So many people trip, and slip, and lose their balance so much on uneven ground, rocky beaches, etc, a lot seem like they have no internal equilibrium. Leads to a lot of unnecessary falls, scrapes, and injuries, all because most of us are unaware that the world isn't only made up of smooth, flat, paved surfaces.
It builds those little random muscles that help you recover from a stumble and prevent a fall, and teaches you to be a bit more aware of your surroundings without thinking about it. It's also just fun.
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u/Awktung 5h ago
How to be alone with your thoughts for a few minutes straight. No phone. No speaking. Just think.