It was almost midnight and freshman Kyler Asato was on the third floor of Henley visiting a friend. As people in the vicinity prepared for bed, loud noises reverberated from the fourth floor.
The problem? Skateboarding.
Yep. Skateboard tricks in a dorm room.
Skateboarding is a common mode of transportation at Chapman. But non-skateboarders are just sayin’: A time and a place. And be mindful of prohibited areas. Like dorm rooms.
“Like sure, you’re more than welcome to practice skateboarding tricks, but be mindful of location and time,” said Asato, a sociology major.
While Chapman’s student conduct code allows for any “boarding” on campus, the use of a skateboards within the buildings are actually prohibited. What some might not realize is that there are other prohibited areas, including parking structures, staircases balconies, and construction zones.
When it comes to boarding, certain ones are noisier than others. According to freshman English major, Liam Noonan, skateboards tend to be louder than longboards because of the wheels. Longboards have larger, softer wheels which not only make riding smoother, but less noisy.
“I think they [skateboards] are so annoying just because they are so loud for no reason,” said freshman computer science major, David Hernandez. Hernandez is a skateboarder but prefers longboarding on campus.
Skateboards are mostly for tricks, while longboards are strictly for cruising at faster speeds and for longer distances. Hernandez explained that longboards are more practical for transportation between classes.
Another part of the student conduct code said that anything that is a “disturbance or distress” to others students is a violation. But Noonan defends the skateboard culture.
According to Noonan, it’s not a big enough problem to ban skateboards. It isn’t a big deal unless someone is being obnoxious about it. Noise isn’t considered a big issue if students are just trying to get to class.
“I don’t think it’s something that can control,” he said. If it helps them get there on time, then it’s a small price for the people sleeping in to have to pay.
Asato agreed that skateboarders just have to be considerate of the times in which they choose to ride.
“Like the fourth floor of Henley in your room? How about no. At eleven or twelve a.m.? Definitely not,” said Asato.
