Amongst the bikes and skateboards racing around, there has been the appearance of a new way to hover around campus. The two wheeled hover board has been seen all over campus. People rolling to and from class or just cruising around with friends. No matter your opinion on the new mode of transportation it’s hard to say you’ve never wanted to just try riding, just to see if you have the skill. As fun as the hover board is to charge down hallways with is it really a practical way to get around campus?

Stepping on a hover board for the first time is a scary moment. The second you put weight on it the wheels take off, whether or not you are completely ready to go with it. At first it may be difficult to just simply stay in one spot without going forward or back. Once you figure out your balance it’s like a whole new world. You feel like you are flying as you whiz down halls and around corners. You may find yourself crashing into a few walls or falling on your face but there is always a reason to get back on. Once a master at hovering the board almost becomes a part of you. It’s hard to keep from lifting your arm and yelling “for Narnia!” as you take off charging down a hallway. With the quick and simply turns and power to hover on many surfaces the board is a fun toy to use by yourself or with friends.

The hover board makes for a great toy and distraction from homework, using it as a serious way to get from place to place is a different story. Unlike a bike or long board the hover board has to be charged. This may not be a problem if you make a ritual out of keeping the battery fully charged. Even then things just don’t always work out. Like our phones dying when we most need them, hover boards can leave us far from home with no choice but to walk. It’s never fun being seen caring the machine that’s supposed to be carrying you. Many people look down on the hover board because it comes off as lazy. Biking, skate boarding, and walking are all a form of physical activity. Leaning back and forth however doesn’t burn the same amount of calories. As a community who cares about our health many seem to turn down the hover board. Like any other thing in life the hover board has both pros and cons.

The hover board is a fun device to cruise around on and easy to use, however it’s not the most practical. Many view the hover board as a fun toy, similar to a pogo stick. Fun to use but not meant to get from place to place. There are those who use their hover board as a practical part of their everyday life. If you are the owner of hover board it truly is up to, whether or not you agree with majority. Hover free and hover proud.

By Laura Wildfang