Juniors Lawrence Mullen and Maddie Chili led the Maker Hub's weekly Maker-Gami Monday event in Harper Hall of the Colonnades Neighborhood to teach students the art of origami.
Before starting, one student attendee asked how hard making the origami would be.
“Origami can only get so intense,” Mullen replied.
Using a step-by-step instruction site, those in attendance began attempting to make lily flowers. Several were excited by the idea at first but quickly realized they lacked the necessary skills.
Sensing the frustration, Mullen and Chili reminded everyone that trial and error was all a part of the process. The students then scrapped their flower idea and decided to make rabbits instead.
“We embrace failure here at the Maker Hub," Mullen said. "If it doesn’t work out, then we’ll find a way to make something else work."
Mullen even admitted he himself is no expert in the complicated art of origami, but said that learning through error makes success much more meaningful.
“Just from coming and starting out on simple origami things and working your way up, you pick up the skills that you need to do more advanced things,” Mullen said. “That holds true for pretty much everything here at the Hub.”
Though the initial efforts at making lilies ended hastily, participants ended up creating some pretty cool spring rabbits by the end of the night. According to Chili, origami takes time to master and has constant room for growth.
“I think what makes it a key part for people to come out is that it’s good to be frustrated,” Chili said. “It’s good to work through that. It’s a good skill to learn and to be able to get a positive outcome from.”