If you’re looking for something to talk about, few things are as useful as knowing the other person’s random likes and dislikes — particularly those you share with them.
“So, I hear you have a special love for bees.” And you’re off and running.
This could be the start of a unique and lasting friendship.
Even if you don’t know their particular leanings, though, the likes and dislikes list in this post will give you plenty of ideas.
311 Likes and Dislikes
We’ve broken up this list into two to focus separately on common likes and dislikes. That said, what one person likes might repel another, and vice-versa.
We’ve done our best to make the following lists as useful as they are entertaining.
List of Likes
Some of the items could just as easily end up on the dislikes list for some people.
If you bring any of the following up as conversation starters, remember to respect the other person’s opinion (even if it makes you rethink the idea of a second date).
| 1. Bees and beekeeping 2. Candles and candle-making 3. Essential oils 4. DIY Repair 5. Woodcrafting 6. Comic books 7. Crocheting or Knitting 8. Quilting 9. Tutoring 10. Gardening 11. Writing books 12. Journaling 13. Scrapbooking 14. Interior decorating and design 15. Book cover design 16. Making the perfect cup of tea 17. Making espresso drinks 18. Mixology (cocktails) 19. Blanket forts 20. Tree forts or treehouses 21. Foraging 22. Writing poetry 23. PDA (public displays of affection) 24. Organization (all the things) 25. Skiing or snowboarding 26. Roller skating or ice skating 27. Crystals 28. Tarot 29. Windchimes 30. Painting 31. Drawing 32. Sculpting 33. Music (their favorite kind) 34. Gaming (video games, board games, card games, etc.) 35. Baking 36. Cooking 37. Road trips 38. Photography 39. Horror fiction/horror movies 40. Astronomy 41. Astrology 42. Clouds, mist, and fog 43. Snow 44. Thunderstorms 45. Rain 46. Familiar scents (fresh cut grass, tobacco, cinnamon, etc.) 47. The ocean / the beach 48. Rivers and streams 49. Lakes and lakeshores 50. Forests/wilderness 51. Mountains 52. Traveling 53. Going on retreats 54. Urban exploring 55. Hiking 56. Camping 57. Abandoned buildings 58. Wildflowers 59. Cultivated flowers (roses, peonies, orchids, etc.) 60. Colors (their favorites) 61. Sports 62. Movies 63. Plays / stage productions 64. Pets (their favorites, if they have any) 65. Traditional dishes 66. Accessories 67. Making jewelry (or buying handcrafted jewelry) 68. Holidays 69. Learning languages 70. Collecting 71. Mythology and folklore 72. Building models 73. Witchcraft — green/herbal, kitchen, hearth, etc. 74. Modeling 75. Cosmetology 76. Bird-watching 77. Soaking up the ambiance (of a favorite place) 78. Nature walks 79. Bicycling 80. Motorcycles or dirtbikes 81. Online classes 82. Stonecrafting / stone-carving 83. Papercrafting (keepsake cards, etc.) 84. Nail art, manicures, and pedicures |
85. Spa treatments 86. Landscaping 87. Car maintenance 88. Creating gift baskets 89. Soap making 90. Soap carving 91. Social media (their favorite channels) 92. Scavenger hunts 93. Incense 94. Making flower crowns and leis 95. Jumping in puddles 96. Canoeing or kayaking 97. Fishing 98. Playing a musical instrument 99. Sunrises or sunsets 100. Web design (CSS, Javascript, etc.) 101. Dance (ballroom, freestyle, etc.) 102. Reading books to others 103. Lockpicking 104. Exploring historical buildings/monuments 105. Harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables 106. Stand up comedy 107. Decorating for parties or holidays 108. Massages (giving or receiving) 109. Skipping stones 110. Ugly sweaters 111. Numerology 112. Storytelling 113. Making lists / Planning 114. Tattoos 115. Piercings (ears, nose, navel, etc.) 116. Hair coloring 117. Pyrotechnics / Fireworks 118. Sandcastles 119. Ice sculptures 120. Haunted houses 121. Slam poetry 122. Trains 123. Storm chasing 124. Glass blowing 125. Pottery / ceramics 126. Mapmaking 127. Snow globes 128. Fossils 129. Postcards 130. Rock climbing 131. Seashells 132. Dollhouses and dollhouse furniture 133. Porcelain dolls 134. Yoga, Pilates, etc. 135. Word puzzles 136. Jigsaw puzzles 137. Sudoku 138. Comfortable silence 139. Simplicity 140. Surfing or windsurfing 141. Jumping on a trampoline 142. Cemeteries 143. Hang gliding or parasailing 144. Diving (into water or with a parachute) 145. Open windows 146. Swings 147. Roller coasters & other thrill rides 148. Lounging in a hammock 149. Martial arts 150. Spectacular views 151. Falling leaves 152. Dumpster diving (“Look what Uncle Chuck got me!”) 153. Falconry 154. Guessing something correctly 155. Gnome collecting 156. A really good sneeze 157. Podcasts 158. Adult coloring books 159. Broadway musicals 160. Hot air balloons 161. Superheroes 162. Steampunk 163. Cyberpunk 164. Archery 165. Documentaries 166. Quiet nights at home 167. Fleece-lined socks 168. Hooded scarves 169. All-you-can-eat shrimp 170. Cookie butter |
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List of Dislikes
Some of these common dislikes might be something in which your conversation partner takes an interest. One person’s dislikes list can contain another’s buried treasure.
| 1. Animal cruelty 2. Styrofoam 3. Chalkboards and chalk 4. Mess or Clutter 5. Trust-building exercises 6. Closed spaces 7. Extreme cold 8. Heat and humidity 9. Perfume or specific scent 10. Spiders 11. Snakes 12. Insects that get into the house (flies, gnats, ants, etc.) 13. Cards that are meant to be kept 14. Scavenger hunts 15. Complaining 16. Improv 17. Crowds 18. Paperwork 19. Awkward silences 20. Funerals 21. Running errands 22. Surprises 23. Acne 24. Scars from experiences you’d rather forget 25. Stomach flu and food poisoning 26. Explosive… anything 27. Escape rooms 28. Parkour 29. Certain clothing styles best left to the past 30. Certain hairstyles best forgotten (e.g., the mullet) 31. Clowns / mimes / puppets 32. Cleaning 33. Alarm clocks 34. Five-alarm chili 35. Eating contests 36. Pranks 37. Getting lost 38. Hazing 39. Puns 40. Moshing (also called slam dancing or slamming) 41. Flash mobs 42. Adult cartoons 43. Riddles 44. Craft parties 45. MLM parties 46. Certain instruments 47. Muzak/elevator music 48. KidsBop 49. Talking during movies 50. The reverberations from a neighbor’s heavy bass 51. Glitter 52. Adding the f-bomb to every phrase 53. Leggings as pants 54. Tights as pants 55. Pants under skirts 56. Socks with sandals 57. The neighbor’s eye-watering cooking spices filling the air in your apartment 58. Tepid soup 59. Lukewarm coffee 60. Flavored coffee creamers 61. People riding horses like it’s NOTHING 62. Tight, fitted clothing 63. Loose, oversized clothing 64. Arguing for the sake of arguing 65. Yo-yos 66. Dioramas 67. Politics 68. Facial hair 69. Gangsta rap 70. Boy bands 71. Gossip 72. Mushrooms 73. Guests walking barefoot in your house 74. Facebook |
75. Flashing lights 76. Peeps 77. Jump scares 78. Felt-tip markers 79. Light beer 80. That guy who always pees in the pool 81. Edible underwear (why?) 82. Crickets… in the house 83. Mugs that get too hot in the microwave 84. PewDiePie 85. Man hammocks 86. Speedos 87. Hiccups 88. When you’re about to sneeze and then… nothing 89. Scarecrows 90. Mazes 91. Scat singing (jazz) 92. Speaking in code 93. Necromancy 94. Hangnails 95. Decorating with hunting trophies 96. Queerbaiting (see Supernatural or Netflix’s Voltron) 97. Shows that kill off their gay characters (see Supernatural, The 100, etc.) 98. Topiaries 99. Play-doh in the carpet 100. The Epilady 101. Sweat on exercise equipment 102. Cleaning out the fridge 103. Hackers bullying small children on Minecraft, Roblox, etc. 104. Assembly required furniture with missing hardware 105. Tinfoil hats 106. Bronzing lotion 107. Nair hair removal cream 108. Storage closets full of stacked storage bins 109. Tattoos with spelling errors 110. Tattoos of your S.O.’s name 111. Lima beans 112. Overhearing something you can’t unhear from your dorm room 113. Instant coffee 114. Picasso 115. Junk mail 116. Being put “on hold” after waiting several minutes with a full bladder 117. Snoring 118. Miniature golf 119. Whining 120. Sandalwood 121. Hallmark movies 122. Attending school concerts 123. Cold fries 124. Certain words (e.g., moist, supple, guaranteed, okey-dokey…) 125. Jean jackets 126. Touching or stepping on someone’s chewing gum 127. Lukewarm beer 128. Ketchup 129. Hats 130. Having your picture taken 131. Deadlines 132. Burnt coffee (too much time on the heating element) 133. Shopping on Black Friday 134. Grocery stores on the weekend 135. Fairy tales where couples get married after spending five minutes together 136. Celebrities that charge for an autograph 137. Mean girls (or wannabe mean girls) 138. Leaky pens 139. Holes in the toe or heel of your socks 140. Breaking in new shoes 141. Your college roommate treating your bed like her couch |
Why Is It Good to Know Your Likes and Dislikes?
Knowing your likes and dislikes is an integral part of self-awareness. It allows you to navigate life more effectively by giving you an insight into what will bring you joy, satisfaction, and comfort.
Here are a few reasons why it’s essential to be aware of what you like or don’t like:
- It can help you make better decisions: Understanding what makes you happy and what doesn’t gives you more clarity when making big or small decisions. You can act quickly and decisively once you know what works for you and what doesn’t.
- It allows you to explore and develop your interests: Once you know what kind of activities make you feel content, happy, or energized, you can work on indulging in them more often. Doing so will help bring out the best in yourself and help you build new skills.
- It can help you identify potential opportunities: Knowing your preferences can give you a better idea of the work or activities most suitable for you. This can help you make more informed decisions about career paths or courses and classes to take.
- It can help you form meaningful relationships with others: When you better understand yourself and your preferences, it allows you to connect with people who share similar interests. This will foster deeper and more meaningful relationships than might otherwise have been impossible.
20 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Likes and Dislikes
Whether you’re just starting your journey of self-discovery or looking to deepen your understanding of yourself, these questions will help you gain valuable insights into what makes you happy and fulfilled.
So, let’s dive in.
1. What is my favorite indoor or outdoor activity?
2. What food do I always enjoy eating?
3. What topic can I talk about for hours?
4. If I had more free time, what would I do with it?
5. What subject do I enjoy learning about the most?
6. What makes me feel most energized?
7. When do I feel the most content and peaceful?
8. What type of music soothes my soul?
9. If I could pick any activity to practice daily, what would it be?
10. What activities make me lose track of time?
11. What type of environment is conducive to my productivity and creativity?
12. What would I rather spend my money on experiences or material possessions?
13. Would I rather be out with friends or stay in by myself?
14. What genre of movies do I prefer?
15. What quality do I look for most in a friend?
16. What kind of books do I like to read?
17. What type of social interaction brings me the most joy?
18. What is my favorite mode of transportation?
19. Do I prefer to talk on the phone or send text messages?
20. Do I prefer quiet drives or lively car rides?
5-Minute Likes Dislikes Exercise
Unlock your preferences and gain clarity in life by trying this simple likes and dislikes exercise. This 5-minute exercise is a fun way to clarify what you like and don’t like. Grab a notebook and pen or open a digital document and create two columns: “Likes” and “Dislikes.”
Think about different aspects of your life, such as food, fun activities, pet peeves, and work responsibilities. Now look over the list above once more and write down whatever likes and dislikes that jump out at you.
Next, write down a few words describing why you like or don’t like. For example, if one of your dislikes was “being micromanaged” at work then you could state the reason as “I don’t feel trusted in the role I was hired to do.”
Final Thoughts
With this extensive list of common likes and dislikes, now you have the key to unlock your preferences and share them when someone asks you. Try the 5-min likes/dislikes exercise again to discover your inner compass and deeper understanding about what makes you tick.
