So, look, since I bailed out of finishing high school, I had refused to leave whatever domicile I occupied more than once every few months. Stayed with family, friends, significant others, whatever. Living with a best friend right now who gets it. But... I think skating is curing my hikikomori tendencies. I first started skating late, late at night in my apartment complex parking lot, then other empty parking lots at night, and I finally have started to practice during the day, too. I'm getting outside almost every single day for the first time in... like a decade. I don't feel as empty and unmotivated anymore, no longer spending all day sleeping or watching "video junk food" type content on YouTube. Going through a tough time for personal reasons right now too, as of super recent, and every time I get on my board, nothing else exists, I forget about the entire rest of the world, I stop thinking, it's just zen. Skateboarding probably saved my life.
I know this is a super corny post, but I guess I just wanted to share how much it means to me to be a part of a hobby and community that's made me a... slightly more functional person, and a far more happy and motivated person. I think my soul would've rotted away had it not been for starting skating. There's always something new to work towards, there's so many cool people in the community, and the dopamine rush of cleanly landing a trick, no matter how simple, helps me feel true accomplishment and joy that I never thought I'd feel again.
Thank you, to the skating community for being cool and welcoming as fuck, especially my first time visiting a skate shop, and thank you to skaters for their many online tutorials that helped me learn while still too anxious to go to a skate park and ask for help, and thank you to... anyone reading this long-ass sappy post, lol. Thanks, from the bottom of my heart. Hope this wasn't too terribly cringe.
On that note... any other hikikomori or ex-hikikomori skaters out there? Or skaters with agoraphobia?