It has become nearly impossible to not notice a skateboarder on any given day around Kennesaw State, and these talented students share a creative world with each other.
While the term “skateboarder” easily identifies any person in this diverse group, it may not be a surprise that KSU students are riding on many different wheels. Longboards, penny boards, cruisers and skateboards are seen most often. However, they still comprise only a fraction of the ways students are getting around campus.
“I find it really fun. I skate to and from class when it’s not raining,” senior environmental science major and longboarder James Gregory said. “It’s a sport of trial and error.”
Gregory went on to share just how much he enjoys the sport, noting it is not only a means for transportation but also a hobby that has brought him many lifelong friends.
“I have a group of friends that will meet with me pretty regularly on the top of East Deck,” Gregory said. “And we’ll just get together — some people longboard … skateboard, rollerblade and stuff like that. We have a good time.”
No matter what type of board or wheels a student chooses, one is sure to find a community on campus to be a part of.
“If you have a cruiser, a skateboard, a longboard — you can relate,” junior media and entertainment major and skateboarder Tony Collins said. “It’s sort of the same thing that comes with community. They understand where you’re coming from.”
While Collins shared how he is new to skating, having only picked up the sport a few months ago, both he and Gregory said it is deceptively easy to make friends with students that skate.
Though it may be easy to befriend other skaters, finding good times to skate on campus is a more difficult task.
“Usually it’s easier in the evening or mornings when not as many people are here,” Collins said. “When there are a lot of people, you have to dodge them — tell them to get out the way.”
Both Collins and Gregory agreed that time is the most important factor on campus. Student traffic can make an already challenging sport much more difficult — even on the road.
“You have to be careful in parking lots — comfortable in your ability to not hit or have your board hit cars,” Gregory said. “Probably not the best place to learn how to skate.”
Gregory suggested that the best places to learn how to skate are on the top of parking decks during non-peak hours.
Skateboard culture is very much alive at KSU, with many students making relationships as they get from point A to point B. Any students who may be interested in the sport can easily involve themselves in the community.
“If you see someone with a skateboard, it’s usually pretty easy to go up and strike a conversation,” Gregory said.
