My feelings toward you are very complicated.

One part of me reveres you and your excellent talent. While I am hiking to class in the sweltering heat or bitter cold, you have managed to cut down your commute time by at least half by cruising across campus. And even compared to the campus cyclers, you are much better off. You are not mandated to follow traffic patterns. And unlike a cyclist, you are not required to constantly use your legs. A few pushes here or there, and you cruise several more feet until you need some additional acceleration.

Then storage options are much more safe and convenient. Instead of wasting five minutes on each side of your commute by locking up and securing your mode of transportation, you can strut you skateboard into class and lean it up near the front. Another advantage of this method is that you are able to keep a constant eye on your skateboard if ever a thief should decide to nab it.

So for this, I admire your genius in picking your mode of transport.

However, there are several other factors that I feel we need to address. The first of such being that you are far too quiet. Very rarely am I able to hear your approach until you are right behind me. The problem with this being that I actually want to move out of your way so that I do not inhibit your travels, but since you are so close, it is nearly impossible to decide which way I need to move in order to not be an inhibition.

The other, and possibly most important factor, is that you flat out worry me. I know that you are competent skateboarders and have probably been cruising on a set of wheels since you were knee high to a grasshopper. But to be fairly straightforward, I just know that one day you are going to be flying along to class and fall and hurt yourself.

And for those of you who like to do tricks out by the stairs, I admire your guts. I am glad that you have fun and that skateboarding makes you happy. But my stomach gets knots in it every time I have to walk by you.

I am positive that one of you is going to fall and bust your head open.

And on top of this, very few of you actually use helmets. I know that this cramps your hairstyle. And who really wants to look like a fourth grader who is just learning to skateboard anyhow?

But it would put my poor worried heart at ease if you would don a helmet. I feel like this is not too much to ask. If your mother were here, she would probably request elbow and kneepads as well.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoy sharing the sidewalk with you.

Just please be careful coming around the corners and wear your helmet.