I’ve been skating for over four months now, and I first got into the hobby because I had an old friend who skateboarded. I’ve kind of fallen in love with it ever since. Especially because I’m still learning, I’ve been skateboarding at a recreational level. 

At the moment, my goal is to integrate new tricks and learn as much as I can from other skaters at skateparks whenever I practice. It’s sort of difficult sometimes, especially because I’m learning to do skateboard tricks besides just skating to get around. 

I think the main challenge that comes with skating is committing to a trick and taking the courage to go forward with it. Sometimes you might get scared and stop before you even get there, so you really learn a lot about commitment along the way. 

Something I like about skating is how uplifting the community is. People are always willing to help you out if you’re stuck, and it makes you want to commit a lot more when you have others helping you out. A lot of professionals always have the utmost respect for you even if you don’t land a trick right away or are just starting out. People are really supportive overall and it’s really nice, especially for those just starting out because they encourage you to keep going. 

The stereotypes behind skaters aren’t really real, and I wish more people would know that. People help you out a lot and you learn a lot from the hobby. The skateparks I go to have people who have more expertise that are super nice and willing to help you out if you’re still starting out rather than being rude or otherwise. 

The people and community are amazing, and it makes it so that you feel more motivated even if you mess up, and it’s really nice. 

I’ve learned a lot about commitment and made a lot of friends along the way, so skating has been super rewarding for me.