I meet up with Nicholas (Nick) Pollio in Vaughn courtyard on a beautiful sunny day.
“Hey, Vic, how are you today?”
I turn and smile as Nick comes whizzing across the courtyard on his Segway. Dubbed “The Segway Guy” by many, Nick is well-known across campus (although he can be just as well-known for his dapper-dress days). However, I know that he is much more than his Segway or his Spina Bifida, which is the reason why he uses a Segway to get around. Here’s a few things you might like to know about Nick:
Age: 20
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Davie, FL
Major: Psychology
How are you involved on campus?
“Gaming Club, Psychology Club, and I volunteer at Glazer Museum.”
What’s your favorite song at this moment?
“Wish You were Here” by Pink Floyd
What has been your favorite part of UT?
“The diversity. It lets you get all of these different perspectives. It helps you shift past your preconceived notions.”
How do you spend your free time?
“Videogames, watching YouTube videos, hanging out with friends. Finding new places to eat, hiking in nature, playing sports—basketball or football mostly.”
What’s one of your dreams or goals in life?
“I’m wanting to go into clinical psychology to become a counselor. I want to help people find more positive outlooks on life and perspectives to help them live more happily and be more satisfied with their lives.”
What can’t you live without?
“Video games. Without them I would be at a loss. Specifically, the Halo series.”
What is your favorite quote?
Carl Jung “Knowing your own darkness is the best way to know the darkness in others.”
If you had one superpower, what would it be?
“Telekinesis, so then I could also pick myself up and fly. Or to be able to do actual alchemy—like instantly turning coal into a diamond.”
What are the most important things in your life?
“My family, friends, and goals.”
What are three words that describe you?
“Resilient, empathetic, free-thinking.”
Single or Taken?
Single (happily)
When I asked Nick what else he wanted people to know about him, he responded, “Just because I have a disability, that isn’t who I am. I make it a point to go through my days like nothing is wrong. Because, to me, nothing is wrong. I was made how I was meant to be.”
If you want to get to know this charming man a little better, you can add him on Facebook. You can also stop him and say hi when he isn’t jokingly tagging on the end of Segway tours as they pass through campus.