DePauw's campus hosts four distinct cliques of transportation. Understandably so, the walkers comprise the traveling majority. Bicycles, a popular choice among college students, still remain respectable. This year, however, there has been a disruption in the status quo: Razor scooters and skateboards are gaining popularity, and they are gaining fast.
Biking has always been the fastest mode of campus travel, and it still is today; neither skateboards nor Razors can compete with the speed of a bicycle. Comfortable, speedy and simple, the sure-fire bicycle can hardly lead someone astray. The biggest hang-up with bikes is the lock-up process; dramatically slowing down the overall speed, locking a bike simply can be a hassle. Thus is the trade-off of riding and protecting the bicycle. Razors and skateboards can boast of their own perks.
Razors, the up-and-coming rookie to the DePauw's traveling scene are not new, but have only recently established noticeable standing throughout campus. No one really understands why the Razors have made such a sudden comeback, but most everyone can agree with their practicality. Offering stability and moderate speed, the Razors provide their riders with a unique transportation method. The walking passerby cannot help but to admire the Razor in a nostalgic stupor, cursing their inferior transportation. Okay, maybe that is a little dramatic, but the point remains the same.
Skateboards, the west-coast tablet of ollies and kickflips, have also earned a strong reputation on campus. Here is where my bias comes in: being a skateboarder myself, I cannot help but to favor the grandeur of the skateboard.
Each skateboard's deck tells a story; artists create fantastic and eclectic designs to add personality to the skateboard. In my eyes, decks undoubtedly beat out Razors in the style category. Beyond this, skateboards can boast a smooth ride.
Versatile and personable, skateboards come in all shapes, sizes and functions. Whether you want a longboard, a shortboard, two-tails or a penny, skate shops across the United States, and across the Internet, have a comfortable option for you. I offer you a nutshell of definitions: longboards are used primarily for riding and are not ideal for tricks. Shortboards incorporate the smooth wheels of longboards, but are shorter for simpler maneuvering. A board with two tails (slight slants on the edges of the board) is used primarily for street and vert skating to perform difficult and impressive tricks. A penny board is made out of thick, pliable plastic, yet they are the smallest of all skateboards. Pennies are great for casual travel with smooth wheels.
I favor the skateboard for these reasons, but you certainly do not have to share my feelings. If you like the Razor, please continue riding one of the most iconic staples of our generation's youth.
But in all seriousness, just weigh out the options and factor in your preferences and personality. Do you like the thrill of speed? Do you enjoy the casual stroll throughout campus? Do you live on the Razor's edge of remembered youth? Or do you want to shred, carving your initials in the pavements of time? The choice is yours.
- Weilhammer is a freshman from Indianapolis, Ind., majoring in English writing.