That's basically the question in the title: what has this hobby given you?

I recently came across the same question in a Hungarian Reddit thread, and my answer was that, for me, roleplaying has been many things at once: a form of self-discovery, a psychologist, a confidence-building activity, a history, English and art teacher, and even a mentor in public speaking. But most importantly, it has been a source of new friendships and connections for someone who was once a socially isolated teenager with very little self-confidence.

Then I started thinking that this question might be even more interesting in an international community. We share the same hobby, but we come from very different political, social, and cultural backgrounds, so I'm curious whether tabletop RPGs have played different roles in people's lives depending on where they grew up and lived.

I'm especially interested in hearing from players outside Europe, or from cultural backgrounds very different from my own. Has this hobby given you similar things, or has it had a completely different meaning or role in your life?

Fun.

My career.

Getting into Warhammer around the age of ten informed my choice of subjects to study, which lead to university and into various vaguely connected jobs.

>What has tabletop roleplaying given you?

Interesting question. I think more than anything, roleplaying games have given me a good excuse to meet up with my friends, and it has been the reason I have met many new friends. My old friends are lovely but ultimately they were not as interested in this hobby as me, so I branched out. Over the years I've met many great people. It really is a wonderful hobby.

I don't recall where I read about it, but I did read about the three pillars of a healthy and balanced life. The text basically argued that every person should spend time in three areas: intellectual (reading, learning a language), physical (running, gym), and creative (painting, music). Furthermore, it is important to have hobbies that are done for their own sake; not to make something to sell, or for external validation, or to commercialize in other ways. For me, roleplaying games are a wonderful example of a hobby that is both creatively and intellectually satisfying, and it is a hobby that beautifully exemplifies an activity purely done for its own sake.

It's easy to romanticize and intellectualize our own hobbies and the things we like, but still, I do think that this hobby has so many great aspects to it. It requires reading, thinking, creativity, even project manager skills (gathering a group of adults at the same time and the same place is not easy), and many other things. The hobby is also just fun. I have many interests and do many things, but roleplaying games consistently make me laugh and surprise me.

It's a great hobby.

A lot of good times, ideas, and a hobby I love. Aside from all of that, though, it's given me an easier way to meet people, network, and it's given me a lot of work.

Both in the sense that I shared a table with a guy who interviewed me for a security position when I was younger, and in the sense that writing RPGs and RPG-related content is probably 75% of my income these days.

Mostly fun and friends. The older you get the more you grow distanced from people, but tabletop always brings us back together. There's no easier excuse to meet up and actually interact, unlike with vidya games.

Among many things, an outlet for my creativity. Making new connections in late middle age is also an opportunity I would not have had otherwise. It keeps my mind working in ways that keep me in a positive frame of mind, when I otherwise might have found myself fighting depression and frustration in my personal life.

Mike Shea says that TTRPGs save lives, and he is probably right.

The ability to meta game

Friends, fun memories and a reason to learn English and a way to learn social skills. It has also raised interest in (military) history, technology and lots of other topics.

In short- a lot 😊

Lots of fun, lots of crazy ideas and unhinged creativity, but most importantly TTRPG gave me my best friends. This month we are celebrating 40 years of playing together.

Nice to see such a positive post!

For me it’s friendship.
A place to escape.
An activity to stretch my thinking skills.
A boost to my creativity.
A focus.

A lot of good memories with many great people.

fun, creativity, self expression, many hours of very cheap entertainment, the concept of a blank space as a huge source of fun

I'm in the U.S. I play mostly solo since I no longer know people that play, but it has reignited some of my decades dormant passion for creative writing. I've learned a little bit of GIMP, aptitude in virtual tabletop, and setting up things in Tabletop Simulator. This might even lead me to learning a little XML and languages virtual tabletops use, but well see.

Would LARPING satisfy the physical aspect you mentioned?