Besides the Ongoing Festivities, I Have been Indulging in Pottery!

This time I wanted to direct the camera towards my hobbies. When I look at my life, I really wasn’t one of those enthusiastic people that had too many hobbies for their own good. As a child, I used to take private lessons often (switching between piano, violin, saxophone, and Russian), but I never felt like I had a true hobby. Yes, I liked to read – but I would read a little and forget about it for around a month, I liked to do art (once in a full moon), and I would hang out with friends. But truly, my hobby was Japanese. So, I learned in my spare time (again, once in a full moon).

When I entered college, I found that I had been so busy with life that I didn’t even have time to think about lunch. I became exhausted, overwhelmed, and tired. The only way I would encounter my interests was through elective courses (I took literature and computer science), but even then I had to give in papers and do tests, which I can’t call relaxing).

Now that I look at it through an objective lens, there are different ways to acquire interests. On the summer before I left for Japan, I found my gardening hobby through spending time with my dad, which would be developing a hobby for the sake of deepening a connection. Another would be through exposure during class, where I found I have so much fun when I critique literary works! (I think it serves to quiet the judgmental part of my personality). I’ve learned to appreciate cooking because of my current stance (a broke, study-abroad college student), and I like to study Japanese characters (Kanji) to impress the teachers and fellow Chinese students in my class (I have to say, the ‘impressing fellow Chinese students’ part of my hobby is not going well… I am still working at it though).

One thing I promised I would do when I got to Japan was: take upon myself a new hobby. However, I found out quickly that all the hobbies I used to have would cause some stress in my daily life- gardening was just taking too much out of my budget, cooking didn’t seem as much fun when I am alone, and I am still failing to impress those Chinese classmates. That’s when pottery came to save the day.

I started getting curious about pottery during summer break. I really wanted to experience it, but I noticed that you need so much equipment to make it a reality and paying for lessons is no-less-than expensive. However, my school in Japan offered a pottery club, where for a mere $30 you could practice pottery whenever, however, and with whomever you wanted. I go there often, usually in the mornings where no one is around, put on some music, and go at it. There aren’t any teachers, but I try to utilize the advice I got form older club members. It is so much fun and gives me a time to relax alone. The pictures I attached are my creations (the cat cup on the top, and the candle holders on the bottom).

I just learned to use the electric wheel, meaning I am progressing very, very slowly. Yet, I don’t mind. With my already dynamic life, I think I can stand to take things easy!