So I'm going skating at a different rink tomorrow. This rink has a later session, so I can get an extra 2 hours of sleep. But I've never been there, so I bet it'll feel strange. I almost feel like I'm betraying my "home" rink to go and skate at this one. I know I am not obligated to skate at one and only one rink, but I know all the people who work and skate there, so I think it'll just be strange going to somewhere different. Just had to get that off my chest, my mom thinks I'm crazy for thinking like this.

Not crazy at all.

I have several rinks where I have to skate because of working all day. It took a little time, but I eventually got to know everyone at all of the rinks as well as I did my main rink.

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When my old rink closed because of the hurricane it took me 3 months to get over the fact that I'd have to start going to a new rink. When the old rink reopens I'll most likely skate at both. You're definitetly not weird for feeling that way, but it'll be fine

Been there and done that. Yep, feels totally weird. Be polite and friendly, you'll make many new friends before you know it. And yes, everyone will be checking out your skills. =-) It's okay, don't worry about it. Just remember, you'll be checking out theirs too!

Chico

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."

It's good to try out different rinks. Different rinks can have different ice hardness and things like that. It pays to have sharp blades.

hmm I'm moving country in a few weeks and I know exactly how you feel. I'm gonna miss the incompetent staff, the annoying parents, the nice parents, the hill at the end of the ice, the beach on the ice, the crack in the ice and most importantly my coach . Sad really, how the place becomes such a big part of your life warts and all!

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Wow.... that does sound like a interesting rink there hahahaha. Actually, having skated in colorado rinks, and then skating in a rink in north queensland (australia), I see vast differences. Colorado rinks...full size luxury, zamboni, quality ice and surface, and the surface does not melt. North queensland rink...less than half NHL size, slushy ice, no zamboni....well...it's sort of a mini tractor with a little scoop on the front to shovel or smooth the ice, and that's about it.....and by mid session, you're skating on a few millimetres of water. Very primitive. Yep....a world of difference. But better than nothing.

When we get disgusted with our rink (stinky rooms, deep ruts on ice, dirt everywhere)-we complain to the manager that it's like another rink we know and he usually fixes the problems-usually. Of course, he can't fix the problem of snotty kids (attitude, not noses), hockey skating during public sessions, bad music, crappy snack bar foot (actually he can fix that he just doesn't want to because people actually LIKE that stuff!!!), etc.

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

I was all nervous about going to the rink, and then today, I woke up with some "female issues". All I want to do is curl up on my bed with my puppy on one side and my kitty on another. On top of that, my radiator is broken so it makes so much noise, it kept me up all night. But I think tonight, I'll probably stay at my dorm room which is closer to the rink, and go skating tomorrow.

Sorry to hear your woes, sue123. Your story about the radiator reminds me of a time in college when one fellow couldn't take the noise anymore and was observed banging at his radiator in desperation (and in vain) with an empty pot and screaming at the top of his voice. He of course woke up the rest of the floor, but they sympathised with him and he was a normally reserved person so they knew how over the top the radiator noise must have been.

Have fun when you do go skate, though!

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Supposedly my grandfather, also the landlord, fixed the radiator today. I haven't been home, cause now I'm feeling better, so I'll be able to skate tomorrow. I really hope it's fixed though. Because I was really going crazy. Even my dog left my room because of the noise.

This sound like the rink where I skate!

Let's see. . . Because of my schedule, I regularly skate at 3 different rinks. a Then there's a 4th, 5th and 6th rink I've used for competition warmup when the competition is at my rink. . . Oh, and I get my blades sharpened at a 7th rink! And every rink I go to, I see someone I know. So, obviously, everyone else skates at different rinks, too! :p