Treehouse: When you’re the new kid, you learn fast—no weekends off in karate class

Yo, so I’m from outta town, right?

Everything’s kinda fresh and weird when you’re new somewhere. My dad hits me up one day like, “Hey, there’s this crew doing karate lessons out in Topanga Canyon.” I was like, “Karate? Never done that before, but sounds kinda dope.” I’m straight-up a white belt, total rookie, but figured it’d be sick to try something new, maybe meet some people, and get a little action in.

First day I roll up, I meet the guys. They’re chill, but lowkey I can tell they’re sizing me up, like, “Who’s this dude?” I mean, I’m not gonna lie, I’m there partly to make friends, but mostly I’m just tryna learn the moves and get better. Still, it’s kinda obvious, and I feel it. They got their inside jokes, their little nods and looks, and I’m just standing there like, “Okay, cool, I’m not really in on this yet.” It’s a bit awkward, especially in class when everyone’s flowing and I’m just trying not to trip over my own feet or mess up the stances.

About a month in, they invited me to kick it with them on a Saturday. We weren’t training or anything, but honestly, that day definitely felt like a verbal karate class for me—lots of back-and-forth, some friendly sparring with words, but no beef or anything serious. Just the usual banter and inside jokes that I wasn’t fully part of yet. It was a little awkward, but I rolled with it.

I kept telling myself, “Yo, I’m here for the karate, that’s what matters.” I’ve been telling my dad I wanna do karate for real, and that’s the honest truth. It’s not just about trying to fit in or be part of the squad—it’s about pushing myself, learning some discipline, and sticking with something that’s actually challenging. So yeah, maybe I’m still the white belt outsider, still figuring out the flow, but I’m here grinding. That’s what counts.

Sometimes it’s a little weird being the new kid, especially when they’re all cracking jokes and I’m just nodding along, trying not to look lost. But honestly, that’s part of the process, right? You gotta start somewhere. And even if I’m not fully in the circle yet, I’m putting in the work. I’m showing up, sweating it out, and learning the moves. That’s what I’m about.

So yeah, it’s a little awkward being the new kid, but I’m owning it. I’m here for the karate, for the challenge, and yeah, maybe for the chance to kick it with some cool dudes. But mostly, it’s about me proving I can stick with something, even when it’s tough or a little uncomfortable. And who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be cracking those inside jokes right alongside them. For now, I’m just focused on the kicks and the punches.

-throwing punches and dropping bars