Skateboarders are taking over the sidewalks of A&T. There has been an epidemic of skateboarders around campus making their way to class.

Skateboarders are taking over the sidewalks of A&T. There has been an epidemic of skateboarders around campus making their way to class. It seems as though it is becoming a way of life for these students, but everyone has not accepted this movement yet.

“I got tired of walking. I just wanted to get around campus faster,” said Marquis Butler, freshman graphic communications major. Butler said he started skating because everyone in his hometown was a skateboarder. “I am from Columbus, Ohio, where everyone skateboards. I think we just like the thrill of it,” he said as he laughed.

Skateboarding is not just a hobby that these students have picked up; their peers and idols such as Lil Wayne inspired them. “I was mainly inspired by my friend Stanley. He is a good skateboarder and watching him made me eager to learn,” said Terry Doone, freshman psychology major.

Campus seems to be the most appealing place to skateboard rather than downtown because the police that patrol downtown give out tickets. “There have been rumors that you can get a ticket for skateboarding downtown, so that’s mainly the reason why I skateboard on campus,” said Rashid Sita, sophomore mechanical engineering major. Sita said that campus police have recently been giving out tickets for skateboarding in certain areas. “The campus police just started ticketing us for skateboarding in the new circle where the new Academic building is located, which is the ‘hotspot’ for us skateboarders,” said Sita.

However, skateboarders are criticized because most black people do not consider skateboarding as a sport that black people usually participate in. Sita explains that he believes most black people consider the activity as a “white person’s sport” because they are afraid of hurting themselves in the action. “People tell me that skating is for white people all of the time,” Sita continues “It’s just a sport! Everyone has their own sport. And my sport is skateboarding.”

Other A&T students have noticed this outbreak of skateboarders, and some seem to be quite amazed with how many there have been. “I am a senior and in the four years I’ve been a student here, I have never seen so many students skateboarding,” said Sandra Jeter, senior psychology and political science major.

Skateboarding has also taken the interest of other students. Jeter believes that it is a nice sport to participate in and hopes to learn how to skateboard one day. “I think that skateboarding is cool! I would definitely learn how to skate; it’s different. And I am a person who likes to explore different things,” said Jeter.

Furthermore, students are not the only ones who have become aware of the skateboarding activity on campus. The facility employees have noticed too. “I personally don’t have a problem with them skateboarding, as long as they don’t run into me or other students,” said Hampton Sanders, campus facility employee. Sanders explained that the skateboarders have been destructive when they skate on the concrete seats near the new academic building. “They are ruining the seats that were just built. By them skateboarding on the edges of them, that messes up the structure of the seats,” Sanders said with concern.

Although skateboarding on campus seems to be an inspiring activity, it can be an issue in some areas on campus; however, the skateboarders will not stop. “I have been skating for a long time, and I will most likely not give up skateboarding,” said Sita as he smiled.

• Alexis White, Register Reporter