What Makes a First Shared Experience Feel Low-Pressure?

Two friends want to spend time together, and one suggests trying something new—say, a beginner pottery class. It could be fun to learn side by side, but it may feel like an obligation if the pace or expectations are assumed.

What makes an invitation like that feel genuinely comfortable to you? Is it choosing the activity together, knowing either person can leave early, or having no expectation of being good at it?