"You're very handy, I can tell. I bet you like to read a lot, too. I read a lot myself. Some people think I'm too intellectual but I think it's a fabulous way to spend your spare time. I also play racquetball. Do you have any hobbies?"
— Janine, Ghostbusters (1984)
A list of tropes pertaining to what a character does for pleasure or in their spare time.
Compare Occupation Tropes and Rest and Relaxation Tropes.
Tropes:
- Bookworm: Likes to read.
- Blade Enthusiast: Likes to collect blades.
- Bug Catching: Likes to catch bugs.
- Camera Fiend: Likes photography.
- Caring Gardener: A kindhearted character who likes to grow and take care of plants.
- Character-Driven Strategy: The best way to gauge a person's personality is how they play a game.
- Chekhov's Hobby: A character's hobby becomes useful later on.
- Collector of the Strange: Likes to collect an unusual type of thing.
- Cosplay: Likes to dress up as fictional characters.
- Cosplay Otaku Girl: A girl who likes to dress up as anime characters.
- Crazy People Play Chess: People who play chess are portrayed as crazy.
- Crime-Concealing Hobby: A character's hobby disguises their criminal activity.
- Cunning People Play Poker: People who play poker are portrayed as Street Smart.
- Elegant Classical Musician: People who like to play instruments are portrayed as attractive.
- Embarrassing Hobby: A character has a hobby that, for whatever reason, they don't want to admit to.
- Fanboy: An obsessive fan of a particular activity with a condescending, holier-than-thou attitude.
- Fangirl: An obsessive fan of a story who loves to ship the characters together, particularly the male characters.
- Fleeting Passionate Hobbies: A character who is only briefly, but intensely, involved in different hobbies.
- Gamer Chick: A girl or woman who likes to play video games.
- Games of the Elderly: Tabletop games associated with elderly people.
- Game of Nerds: Nerds like baseball.
- Geek: A person who is extremely passionate about one particular subject.
- "Gender-Normative Parent" Plot: A stock plot where a child takes up a hobby that challenges stereotypical gender norms, to the chagrin of their parents.
- Genius Book Club: Portraying a character as smart by having them read something classical or scientific.
- Hollywood Board Games: Tabletop Game-based characterization.
- Kitsch Collection: A collection that is well maintained by the collector.
- The Movie Buff: Likes to watch, analyze and critique films.
- Needlework Is for Old People: Hobbies such as knitting, sewing, and crochet are associated with elderly people.
- Nerd Hoard: A nerd's prized collection of items from their hobbies/interests.
- Obsessive Hobby Episode: A stock plot where a character takes up a hobby to an unhealthy degree.
- Occidental Otaku: A Westerner that is an obsessive fan of Japanese anime, manga, video games, light novels, etc.
- Otaku: An obsessive fan, especially of anime or manga.
- Pastimes Prove Personality: Someone's hobbies are a reflection of their personality.
- Polka Dork: A nerdy character who really likes polka music.
- Rail Enthusiast: Likes trains.
- Really Fond of Sleeping: Likes to sleep, beyond what is physically necessary.
- Real Men Wear Pink: An otherwise masculine man has a hobby that is perceived as feminine.
- Red-Flag Recreation Material: A character's villainy is highlighted by their choice in reading or viewing material.
- Saw "Star Wars" Twenty-Seven Times: A devoted Fanboy has enjoyed a work over and over again many times.
- Scary Fiction Is Fun: A character or characters thoroughly enjoy anything from the horror genre, even if their favorite movies/books/video games scare everyone else.
- Selfie Fiend: Likes to take pictures of themselves.
- Smart People Build Robots: Engineers are portrayed as smart.
- Smart People Play Chess: People who play chess are portrayed as smart.
- Snooty Sports: People who like to play expensive and dull sports are portrayed as obnoxious.
- Someday This Will Come in Handy: Seemingly useless knowledge becomes useful later.
- Taxidermy Is Creepy: Taxidermy and those who are into it are perceived as creepy.
- Textile Work Is Feminine: Textile work, especially as a hobby, is perceived as feminine.
- Trekkie: A devoted fan of Star Trek.
- Upper-Class Equestrian: Horseback riding is perceived as being for rich people.
- Yaoi Fangirl: A female character that is obsessed with yaoi.
