How to Leave Your Trace With A Pair of Ice Skates
To the left is a window where you rent skates for the day that costs three dollars. There are no half sizes, so I recommend you size up. When I received my ice skates, I strolled over towards a wider room filled with people ranging from kids and older dressed similarly on benches. Everyone’s attire resembled comfort and warmth. Hats were on, scarves were wrapped around necks, and coats were zipped all the way up. And gloves were worn, don’t ever forget your gloves. There would always be someone who would dress in casual clothing like it was a warm day. That one person in just a t-shirt and jeans. Here is some more information regarding appropriate attire for ice skating. People on the benches were occupied with different activities. Some would be tying their skates or drinking their hot cocoa and others would be on their phones, specifically older people who I would assume are there for their kids. The benches are a washed-out blue color, some next to a yellow trash bin. Find a bench that barely has any shoes underneath it. It would be difficult to have your shoes mixed in with a pile of shoes, even more so when it tends to get crowded. Sitting on the cold bench, I took off my shoes revealing two layers of socks that cover my feet. My brother told me it was to avoid blisters from the ice skates, and I haven’t gotten them so far, plus it keeps your feet extra warm. Putting on the worn-out ice skates, I tied the laces that were holding on for dear life. Moreover, expect the laces to be torn and try your best to tie them tightly. Usually, I leave my shoes under the bench. You can place them in the silver locker that lays against one of the walls. Even so, no one has stolen mine the two times I’ve gone. Opposite to the rusty silver locker shelf are large windows to the ice rink. This is an alternative where you can avoid the freezing temperature from being inside the area with the ice rink and yet still watch people ice skate. Once, I saw a woman holding a little boy up to the window and she told him “look it’s your grandfather skating.”
Standing up at first and walking in skates was tricky but ensure that you take your time and soon you’ll become an expert in walking in them. The challenging part is becoming an expert in ice skating, but just wait on that for later. Try walking in them towards the other window where you pay for both the skates and admission. There is free admission, however on Wednesdays. This is also where you can buy food and drinks, I suggest the hot cocoa always. It’s only a dollar to warm you up. However, save that for when you’re out in the ice rink after an hour or so, trust me on this.
The ice rink, that’s where all the amusement is. Once you push open the door and step towards the area where the ice rink is, the beaming lights and the cool crisp air will catch your attention. The mixture of the sound of blades scratching against ice, the chatter and the vents blocked out the pop songs that played. As you walk down the ramp, probably holding onto the black railing like I did, you’ll notice wood benches. People sit there when they want a break, or to watch people skate, or to wait for when the ice is being cleaned and smoothed out by an ice resurfacer. If you see any colored skate trainers available, grab them. You’re going to need it when you’re on ice. If you’re unlucky and cannot seem to grab a hold of one, don’t worry, you’ll have to manage. Before you step a foot out onto the ice, here are some tips on how to ice skate. If that doesn't help, here's a video.
Once I stepped into the ice rink, I couldn’t move from where I was, my feet were moving but they weren’t taking me anywhere. The ice had white lines scratched all over it, going in all directions, and it glistened under the bright lights. Looking down at my skates and others’, I noticed other people were wearing their own personal skates. Their feet moved smoothly chipping away at the ice, leaving sprinkles of it to fly behind them. Sometimes, people’s scarves flew behind them as well. It amazed me how they could easily skate and do tricks on such a slippery surface. It was enough to make me feel as if I was going to lose balance and slip. My brother along with a little girl who I’ve never met before taught me how to maintain balance and how to move my feet, and it took me a long while to become familiar with being on ice. Don’t become discouraged when it takes you long as well. And just a note, be prepared to watch little kids skate better than you.
Once I stepped into the ice rink, I couldn’t move from where I was, my feet were moving but they weren’t taking me anywhere. The ice had white lines scratched all over it, going in all directions, and it glistened under the bright lights. Looking down at my skates and others’, I noticed other people were wearing their own personal skates. Their feet moved smoothly chipping away at the ice, leaving sprinkles of it to fly behind them. Sometimes, people’s scarves flew behind them as well. It amazed me how they could easily skate and do tricks on such a slippery surface. It was enough to make me feel as if I was going to lose balance and slip. My brother along with a little girl who I’ve never met before taught me how to maintain balance and how to move my feet, and it took me a long while to become familiar with being on ice. Don’t become discouraged when it takes you long as well. And just a note, be prepared to watch little kids skate better than you.
It was a regular occurrence for people to fall while ice skating, and you might possibly be next. But that isn’t a terrible thing at all. In a magazine website known as Psychology Today, there is a post “On Falling Down and Getting Up” by E. Paul Zehr, where he discusses the importance of resilience and how our response to our challenges in life affect who we are. In terms of ice skating, the ice rink is a place where you are bound to fall, but what you do with that statement affects your experience in the ice rink. It was difficult for me to register that it was okay to loosen up and become secure with the idea of falling. Falling is a part of learning. Zehr states “Resilience is about constantly picking ourselves up and trying again” (1). There is no doubt that those who have mastered the art of skating have constantly fallen, but to get where they are now, they picked themselves up. They experienced what other people in the ice rink were currently experiencing; falling and getting back up. Although there was a contrast between people who effortlessly glided across the ice, people who weren’t skilled enough to skate without a skate trainer, and others who struggled completely, they were all in different stages of ice skating. All evidence of resilience. Zehr mentions “Yet our short term responses to the challenges we face have implications for how we will "evolve" within our own lives and across our lifespan” (1). After spending hours in the ice rink, it became a normal circumstance for people to fall and get back up. Watching people pick themselves up was encouraging and made me feel comfortable with doing the same, despite being in front of people in a completely unfamiliar environment. People reacted differently to these incidents. Some would simply get back up with no reaction, others would sit there on the ice for a while and then get back up, and there were people who would laugh it off and go back to skating. And yet, they all had no choice but to get right back up. “When we fail, fall behind, or fall down, we are left with a choice: do we try again, catch up, and stand up, or do we remain where we are?” (1). These thoughts and questions roam our minds when we’re in a situation like laying on ice after falling. It was almost like I could see people contemplating this by their facial expressions, even behind their pink tinted nose and cheeks that were caused by the cold, or maybe from embarrassment.
When I wanted to take the next step in skating without a skate trainer, my friend who works there, offered to hold my hands and guide me. She motivated me with her encouraging words and then before I knew it, my hands were no longer in hers. I felt a sense of pride and happiness. I couldn’t believe I was doing fine without a skate trainer. Although I wasn’t skating like a professional, this was good enough. Just like her, the other workers were friendly people. There would be at most two of them in the ice rink to ensure everyone was safe and following the rules. My friend told me that when she's usually out in the ice rink, kids would constantly ask her to do a trick. So of course, I asked her to do the same.
The ice rink is where you cross borders and boundaries. It is where you come out of your comfort zone. It is where you get ice residue on yourself from falling and although the ice rink left its mark on you, you left your trace on it. This place taught me numerous lessons and encouraged me to face challenges. I gained memories and a new place I’ll visit more often. This place might just do the same for you, only if you let it. Perhaps, this cold place isn't so cold.
Here are some links below that you should check out!!!
https://www.spinemd.com/news-philanthropy/winter-fun-tips-to-prevent-injury-while-ice-skating
https://howtheyplay.com/individual-sports/Figure-Skating-Tricks-For-The-Beginner
https://www.playkettering.org/health-benefits-ice-skating/#/:~:targetText=Skating%20works%20nearly%20every%20muscle,and%20the%20heart%20rate%20up.
Zehr, Paul E. “On Falling Down and Getting Up.” Psychology Today (2018): 1. Web. 7 November 2019.
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