A new EduBirdie study has found that 1 in 4 Gen Zers now use their hobbies to meet other singles. Rather than scrolling aimlessly on dating apps, they’re finding connections while partaking in their favorite activities or passions.
Wondering how you can get involved in this dating trend? Jaime Bronstein, LCSW, licensed relationship therapist at Dating.com, shares four hobbies that might improve your dating life and connect you with other singles.
According to the survey, 35% of Gen Z think outdoor hobbies make a date sexier. Run clubs are a prime example of such an activity.
“Run clubs are the new hottest place to meet people,” says Bronstein. “They become the social spots as bars, except everyone’s hydrated and emotionally available.”
Not to mention, joining a run club likely means you have a mutual goal of staying active and healthy, which is attractive to most singles.
“There’s something about struggling through a long run, talking about how sore your muscles feel, and having the same goal, then grabbing coffee afterward that brings people together,” Bronstein says. “Running creates a shared experience with no pressure of a date. You are able to be more present, and since you have a shared interest, it makes it easy to have a conversation and a reason to see the same people each week. “
The survey also found that 81% of Gen Zers find cooking an attractive interest. My boyfriend is an excellent cook, and joining him in the kitchen is one of my favorite ways to spend quality time together.
“Cooking classes offer a stress-free environment with lots of opportunities for small moments that help build connection,” says Bronstein. “You chop vegetables together, ask each other questions, and taste food together. Collaborative tasks create what is called ‘fast-track intimacy’—the sense that you’ve been through something with someone.”
“Also, food creates closeness because people connect it to comfort, caring about others, and nostalgic childhood memories,” Bronstein continues. “The best classes are usually the more specific ones, like pasta making, sushi, or baking. They usually attract people who already have basic cooking skills.”
While gaming together might not seem like the most quality form of bonding, it can actually create a sense of collaboration that fast-tracks connection. According to the EduBirdie survey, 58% of Gen Zers say gaming is one of their favorite hobbies, and 31% say gaming makes a romantic interest even more attractive.
“Multiplayer games create teamwork and shared goals, which help people connect without the pressure of traditional dating,” Bronstein explains. “Whether you survive a difficult mission together or laugh in voice chats, these experiences create real closeness. You can also see different sides of a person—how they react under pressure, communicate, or handle frustration.”
If you value humor in a romantic connection, improv is the hobby for you. Improv class is bound to find you someone you can laugh with—which, in my opinion, is the most important goal in dating.
“Improv can reveal social chemistry like nothing else,” Bronstein says. “It forces you to respond in the moment, listen attentively, recover from awkwardness, and stop worrying about how you’ll be perceived, which is one of the biggest issues in dating today. Regularly doing improv helps you become a better conversationalist by learning how to build off each other’s energy rather than control it.”
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