When it comes to skateboarding, there are a lot of considerable imperfections that make up the sport. But to me, all of the imperfections are what make it so special and interesting, which is why it will always be one of my favorite hobbies.
Skateboarding has never been particularly welcomed by society, due to all of it’s noise, commotion, and rebellious image. Besides being the #1 rated sport your mom never wants you doing, here are some other well known implications with skating….
- You’ll probably get hurt at some point.
2. Tricks are hard to learn and can take months or years.
3. Anyone 60 or above probably hates you.
4. Police don’t leave you alone.
Although these all sound inherently bad, they can teach you valuable lessons about life.
Just like any other sport, injuries are sometimes inevitable. But these injuries serve as a reminder of what didn’t work, and what could go wrong if you don’t try something different. It is simply life experience. Aside from getting hurt, moving your body as much as you do through skating means that it really helps with your physical endurance since it is an excellent form of exercise. (This website gets more into the many health benefits of skating, for anyone interested.)
As for tricks taking a long time to conquer, this teaches you perseverance and that eventually, hard work pays off. Nothing feels better than landing a new trick for the first time. It reminds you that although something felt impossible at once, it actually wasn’t.
In life, there are always going to be people who don’t like you, and you learn to deal with those who don’t agree with your lifestyle by making compromises. You can still do what you love by finding ways to enjoy your hobbies without distressing others. But at the same time, all kinds of stereotypes exist about skaters that are just plain unfair, and you should never have to apologize for being stigmatized (another argument for another day).
As for police being a nuisance, there’s not really an upside to that. If you skate street spots, you can expect to get kicked out at least once or twice. But this is again where compromise kicks in….. you ever heard “Gimme one last try and I’ll leave!!!”
This usually works, but make it count! This is also where you learn that timing is essential. Certain spots are golden during a day of the week or time of day, but you can’t be greedy with your stay.
Skateboarding is the easiest form of fun you can invest in. All you need is an open mind and your board. Because skateboarding takes all kinds of forms, the world essentially becomes your playground. Sure, skateparks are nice, but at the end of the day you can pretty much skate anything if you try hard enough, which is why I consider it’s accessibility a MAJOR perk.
At some point your skateboards will become soggy, cracked, and sand caked (which I guess could be considered another imperfection), but it leaves you with a story to tell. To me, retiring an old board means another trophy I get to hang up that has where I’ve been and what I’ve learned all over it.
Overall, I feel like imperfections in skating can teach you really important values without even realizing it. At the end of the day, it is really just about having fun, and feeling free. I personally love skating due to the fact that it can serve as a creative outlet. It is therapeutic but also exhilarating. I also love that (despite the fact that girls are sometimes ridiculed by guys) anyone can skate if they really want to, because it’s for YOU, not for others.
If it is something you hold dear to your heart, just like anything else, the implications become the funny quirks that you learn to laugh about and love.
Skate Like A Girl 