Parked outside Paresky Commons and dorms are no longer bikes, but a new craze of scooters in all sorts of shapes and colors. Students reflect that scooters are not only effective for traveling across Andover’s campus, but they also serve as a means of self-expression.
Gabriel Gelber ’30
“Scooters are smaller and more practical to carry around, definitely smaller than bikes. I think they take less work, and they’re easier to get around with. It’s been a lot of fun, and it helps me get to places a lot faster. For example, you can get into town in under two minutes. The only negative part is going up hills, but it’s still faster than walking. I chose the pink and the neon green because I didn’t want mine to look exactly like other people’s scooters. I don’t think anyone else has bright colors, and it’s really unique, so it’s easy to tell. For safety I always leave it in my dorm instead of outside at night.”
Catherine Chun ’30 (she/her)
“I’m not necessarily an international student, but I still thought it was much easier to bring a scooter along than a bike. If I want to go home, it’s going to be much harder to bring my bike back. Also, in my dorm Nathan Hale, there’s a pretty big scooter culture here. A lot of the kids in my dorm have scooters, so I wanted to be able to hangout with them, it’s a group mentality. My scooter’s actually really old, probably around 12 years old. The stickers on my scooter used to spell my brother’s name but now it’s mostly peeled off. The sticker also makes it look unique. I definitely think the scooter culture will go on for a long time. What I’ve seen is that, basically, everyone is on scooters. I don’t think it’s something that’s going to go away anytime soon.”
Sebastian Bellhayat ’29 (he/him)
“I feel like a bike is just doing too much. Scooters are fun and efficient. And [since] a lot of people got scooters, I decided to follow the trend. I’ve had this one for a day since my last one got stolen. I had to get a new one. I bring it to my room every night to keep it safe. I think the trend might die down in winter, it’s just too cold, and with the snow, but you never know. I like this one because it’s got big tires and it looks nice. I like to go off-roading with it.”
Owen Lasater ’29 (he/him)
“It’s easier to ride a scooter around campus, it’s convenient. I’ve had it for two months now. Great purchase, it’s fun to use. I don’t think there’s really a culture around it, just that people have been using them more. People just need to get to class faster. I keep my eyes on the road. I never ride distracted or use my phone. I keep it in good condition. I chose this design because it was the cheapest one and is decent enough to get around.”
Sara Lee ’30 (she/her)
“Since Andover’s a big campus, I thought it would be more efficient if I got a scooter, and it’s also really fun. I wanted to get to my classes on time and scoot around in my free time. I got it off Amazon. It’s so fun to ride around campus, and I think it’s a really good investment. Even if it’s expensive, I think you should get a better quality scooter. It makes me really happy, and my scooter is my emotional support. Everyone else has black, gray, and white scooters, so I wanted something special, like the pink color. I actually don’t have a lock yet, but I just park it next to the bikes. I also ordered a scooter lock that’s also pink, and it’s on its way.”
