If you've been on campus recently, chances are you've seen the run-of-the-mill ways of transportation. Bikes, longboards, skateboards, even roller blades have shown up time and time again on campus. However, there is one form of transportation that you have probably never seen or thought of before. That, my friends, is the scooter. Now, when I say scooter, some of you are probably thinking about those motorized atrocities that overshadow what I'm actually talking about. No, it's not a moped. No, it's not a hover board, it's a scooter! A good ol' Razor scooter.
Razor scooters are pretty much the greatest thing to ever be conceived in the late 90s. I had one when I was ten years old that still sits in my garage to this day. They're basically skateboards but with a handle so it's easier to balance yourself. The reason I've never taken up skateboarding is because of the invention of the scooter. You really get the sense of being on a skateboard without ever having to step foot on one in your life, it's great. Here's the catch, though. Scooters are seen as elementary forms of transportation, and what I mean by that is that they should've stayed in our childhoods. But guess what? They're making a comeback and I have myself to thank for that.
Last semester, I had back to back to back classes. That meant I had ten minutes after my first class to get to my second class, which was on the other side of campus, and then 15 minutes to get to my third class, which was back on the opposite side of campus. The first couple of weeks I tried to fit a bike rack on my car, which failed. I tried speed walking, which worked getting to my third class, but not my first. I tried driving, but parking on campus is killer, so needless to say that didn't last very long. So, finally, I sat down and thought about riding my scooter, which I hadn't ridden in I don't know how long. It was crooked and made a lot of noise, but if it meant getting to class on time, I was all for it. The first day riding it, I got a ton of confused looks from people on campus. I didn't understand it. It really is no different than riding a longboard or riding a bike. If this is how I choose to get to class, then let me do it. Of course, my fellow theatre majors got a kick out of it. The cast of my first show I stage managed even bought me a new scooter because my old one was falling apart. Despite its dorky connotation, riding my scooter made me feel like the coolest person on campus.
Today, I still occasionally ride my scooter around campus. It's so freeing and so much fun. Lately, I've been seeing more and more scooters pop up around campus, which is awesome. Surprisingly, it's becoming more accepted by the student body, too. A scooter certainly is a nicer change from the more intimidating longboard riders.
And it has a kickstand. Beat that.
