Sometimes the best way to indulge your inner child is to schedule some time in your inevitably busy day to do something completely random and fun. Last week, a friend and I took a short walk to Centennial Sportsplex for the two-hour public skate at the ice rink. For eight dollars (including skate rental), we both left our phones, upcoming tests and other dramatics on the bench and skated off to do something we hadn’t done in a long time: goof off.
The rink was not crowded on Wednesday afternoon and skill levels ranged from total beginners, adults and children alike, to people like my friend who effortlessly spun around and jumped as though they were in the Olympic trials. As skill level goes, I would place myself solidly in the middle. A skating school dropout somewhere along the ISI testing chain, I can skate forwards and backwards but my backwards technique is not exactly textbook or graceful. Though I cannot do the fancy moves, I found that the easiest way to look like you know what you’re doing on the ice is to do over-the-top arm motions whenever you try a spin. A shameless effort to distract the onlookers from my lack of technique? Guilty.
It was hard not to envy the better skaters on the rink, but with the right attitude you can have fun no matter how good you are. Laughter echoed off the walls as each group wobbled along and even when I was struggling to master the art of spinning, I couldn’t help but smile.
Out on the ice, you feel miles away from the pressure of the Vandy bubble. Though the end of the public skate was sad because it meant that I had to get back to reality, meetings and studying, I felt so refreshed and happy that I was ready to conquer the rest of the week. Even if you don’t think skating is your thing, give it a try the next time you’re stressing out. Bring a friend and your coziest winter sweater and get ready to have some good clean fun. I’ll even let you wear leggings as pants.