For me, it’s a few things.

  1. A way to burn time that doesn’t feel like a digital sugar rush.

  2. Support, camaraderie, and kindness, primarily from /r/stopdrinking.

  3. Niche stuff, like ideas for local hiking and backpacking trips, propaganda posters, and kayaking info.

    • mcpheeandme@lemmy.worldOP
      40·
      1 year ago

      Same here! Crossing my fingers hard and commenting and posting way more than I did for years on Reddit.

      • Black Xanthus@lemmy.world
        13·
        1 year ago

        I have to say that I totally agree with the notion of looking for something that isn’t. ‘digital sugar rush’.

        I enjoyed the deeper and harder discussions around politics, theology and philosophy. However, I only ever posted when I had something to add to the conversation as a lot of the subs I was in were modded by experts, and I’m at best an interested layperson.

        I think for the moment at least, I need to brave commenting more. I guess we will have to so is we can attract the same experts to this platform, and get the same level of discussion.

      • TIB3R@sh.itjust.works
        5·
        1 year ago

        I think I need to find communities that were closer to what I subbed on reddit before I post. I mostly liked meme subs and a lot of the main communities aren’t fragmented enough yet for me to post memes on specific shoes/movies/gnaew I like yet. But I’ve been commenting a lot! ✊🏾

        • imaqtpie@sh.itjust.works
          72·
          1 year ago

          It’s going to take time. Reddit took many years to develop that level of niche communities. We’ve got a really nice surge of momentum right now, so it makes it easier to keep commenting when everything is exciting and growing. But when we do have a lull in activity, try to keep that same energy and stay active. I’m also commenting like 10x more than I used to in Reddit.

          It’s important to enjoy the journey, right now we still don’t have many of the communities we were used to on Reddit, but we do have an environment that is way more positive and hopeful than the jaded feeling of Reddit in 2023. I’m trying not to worry about the niche communities too much and just enjoy the things I couldn’t do on reddit, like poke my head into a wide variety of groups and be welcomed in by other users who are happy to engage. On reddit people were much more hostile to each other by default. As long as we maintain these positive vibes, the communities will organically grow back over time.

    • TummyDrums@lemmy.world
      18·
      1 year ago

      This so much. And if you’re thinking of starting a new hobby, there is a sub for it to help you get started. Not only do you have a group of veterans to ask your newb questions to, but lots of them have curated FAQs and starter guides to get you rolling. Reddit honestly improved my life in many ways for this reason.

    • socialjusticewizard@sh.itjust.works
      17·
      1 year ago

      Hobbies are really the thing. And a source for funny videos. I don’t need the big subreddits for politics and news, much as I tend to get sucked into them, but I do really like having a wide range of subforums for my niche interests. It’s much easier to find someone to talk to about a small tabletop RPG on a large aggregate site than it is to search for sufficiently active independent forums.