Since it’s a new year, it seems as if everyone is trying to take up more hobbies in 2024. Whether it be focusing on taking care of their health at the gym, or being more mindful of their peace, people are making a greater effort to care for their future. While admiring the fact that people are taking up hobbies, it appeared that a couple of my friends have had more of an urge to do more activities outside. This has included their desire to take up roller skating or skateboarding.
Historically, surfers have attempted to bring the surfing trend to land and this was where the rise of skateboarding came to be. Skaters from Hawaii and California became known as ‘asphalt surfers’, using boards with metal rods and wheels to maneuver through the streets. While the handling characteristics became more common within the skateboarding community, more people became comfortable enough to create their own tricks to participate in competitions and show off to others. From then on, the 70s were full of various countries creating their own skateparks with ramps, pipes, and curbs. Germany became one of the few international hubs of skateboard parks that influenced not only the growth and interest of skateboarding as a whole but has made it a cultural staple in many areas. Clothing brands have even dedicated themselves to creating skateboard-friendly clothing that will allow those people to move comfortably and freely; an example is Vans and DC Shoes. The music and film industry started to use skateboarding as a synonym for those who broke the rules to find creativity and freedom in their life, while simultaneously illustrating a deviant image of dare-devils; it brought a whole new idea of risk to the lives of teens and young adults. Skateboarding also had the opportunity to reach the competitive world of international sports, where people could win anything from money and honorable ribbons, to gold medals at the Olympics.
As time has passed, people have had different opinions towards the idea of skateboarding. In the past, some of the people who skateboarded were known to skate on public roads, causing commotion to pedestrians and those in traffic. The stereotypical mentality the public had towards them was that they did not respect those surrounding them. Because skateboarding is perceived as deviant (as it does not fit the social norms), people over history were more inclined to think that those who skateboarded were mischievous riff-raffers. With this in mind, people were not as interested in participating because they believed that the rest of the world would judge them as misbehaving influences. So, historically the interest in skateboarding seemingly diminished. But this was not true- as seen in the current trend of younger people joining skateboarding culture.
Unfortunately, in the past, skateboarding was really exclusive to women. People thought that the falling, tricks, and the overall mentality would be harmful to them. This idea spread like wildfire and a large majority of women were discouraged. But in recent times, there have been programs that have been created for different groups of people to join, including women. One of the many skateboarding groups that have appeal to women in the US is @grlswirl on Instagram. They make an effort to open up a community skate, where anyone can join to learn or to travel with them. This grants the opportunity for newcomers to join and discover the love for skateboarding that others also have. The chance for people to join new hobbies and increase their love for their current hobbies in this new year is just beginning. And it starts with people paving the way for them.
To everyone starting New Year resolutions and expanding their hobbies, good luck. And may each moment be filled with discovery that only helps change the history that has already been created.