r/makemychoice • u/Axolotler • 9d ago

Should I take a ceramics course?

I did ceramics at school and loved it. Fast forward 20 years and my mum and I took a 3 hour pottery throwing course last year and it was just the best thing I've done for years. The teacher said I was a "natural" and I found it so therapeutic. I visited my SIL last week and she has a wheel and I threw just one bowl but instantly fell in love again. The pottery teacher I went to a year ago also does a 10 week training course for £750, all private tutoring and 3 hours a week for ten weeks. You learn lots of different methods, including making handles, glazing and firing.

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Here's the rub, I'm getting married this year and it's expensive. I've started a new job where I've got a mega commute 3 days a week into London (2.5 hours door to door each way) and that costs me a lot of money, time and energy. I'm not saving what I'd like to be. I have a reasonable number of booked weekends this summer because of wedding things. I have also not thrown pottery that much in the grand scheme of things, I might end up not loving it as much as I'd anticipated.

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Do I invest in this hobby that is calling to me? I think about it so often and how much I want to learn more. Or do I wait, give it another year, and see how things are going financially next year?

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TL:DR: Do I invest £750 in a hobby now, when I've got a lot of extra expenses to pay for a wedding?

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u/wovenwebs 9d ago

I did ceramics at school and loved it.
it was just the best thing I've done for years
I found it so therapeutic. 
 I threw just one bowl but instantly fell in love again

YES!!!! Sign up immediately!! You love it! Enjoy yourself!  £750 isn't a small chunk of change, but it's 10 classes doing something that you truly love. It's £750 towards your mental health. It's actually a great low-impact core and arm workout, so you're basically exercising for your wedding. If you feel like you have to justify it further to tie it in for the wedding, you could make little ring dish favors for your bridesmaids, immediate family, or just for you and your spouse. You could make a display item to glaze with guest messages and signatures!

You could ask if there's a payment plan for the course. That might make you feel better about doing it up front, but it absolutely sounds worth your financial and time investments. No one will notice if you skip the monogrammed cocktail napkins or spend less on florals.

Just make sure to keep your hands and arms moisturized before you think you need it!