Why I started cubing
Jayden Smith (15, New Zealand)
About a year ago, one of my classmates at my school bought his 3×3 to school one day. I didn’t really notice or care all that much, but a couple of days later, some other classmates, inspired by the first, brought their cubes to school as well. These people were sort of the popular kids in the class, and had lots of friends. I wanted lots of friends, and my brain told me if I was like these people, that would help get me friends. So I started learning how to solve the rubiks cube. I brought to school the cube that my family owned, and started learning, both from these people and YouCanDoTheCube. However, I had a bit of trouble, as the cube I was using came from last century and was extremely stiff and frustrating. I printed out some formulas that I had the most trouble learning, and carried them around in my pocket. I thought I was ‘cool’, because I could solve the cube in under two minutes. Boy was I wrong.
By the time I had learned to solve the 3×3 without the use of any helpful formula guides, my classmates had moved on from a 3×3, solving 2x2s and 4x4s and even a 7×7. By the time I had realised that solving a rubiks cube was not something that made someone cool, and that I didn’t need any more friends, which was what I originally set out to do, it was too late. I had become addicted to cubing. I still became better friends with the people who started the ball rolling, but I became less ‘cool’ than I was before. However, that doesn’t bother me now, as I have found something fun and enjoyable to do in my spare time, and some new friends to do it with. I can now solve a 3×3 in about 30 seconds, and I can solve the 2×2, the 5×5 and the pyraminx, and I am learning how to solve the square-1 puzzle. That is the story of I met the cube, and how I got some new friends, and how I found a fun, enjoyable pastime.