Living the Dream.

L

l_KeViN_l

Active member
Well recently I have been thinking about my future and skiing's involvement in it. Basically my plan is to take a year off after highschool with some cash and move to a resort out west and work/ski. Then I could see if I could live comfortably off what I'm doing and base my life around it, or go to school for engineering/technician. So I wanted to get some advice from those who are living the dream. (so all the rich 13 year don't bitch)

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Sorry I can't really give you advice... but what are some decent schools out west? I want to go to school and ski but my entire family wants me to go to Wellesley because it's some stupid tradition... bah.

And then Trogdor smote the Kerreck, and all was laid to burnination.

TROGDOR THE BURNINATOR!
 
Well I was looking at taking Ski Resort Management at Selkirk college, but I think it would be a stretch going to school, having a job, and trying to get as much skiing in as possible. However, if your really committed to doing this for a career you would definitley benefit from it.

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i'm not sure if money is an issue for your family or not, but it is for my family, and when I proposed that idea to my parents, they weren't too fond of it because evidently it's harder to get scholarships if they aren't fresh off your senior year (ie you take a year off, THEN get teh scholarships and/or financial aid)

Brody

i wont drop out of high school for skiing, mom

 
yea.. but thats why you get a job and student loans.

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dude, just letting you know that is a great idea. I am going into my fourth year of college, still have a coupel more for my masters, and I would give anything to have taken a year off. well done. also, dont let skiing be the main influence on where you go to school. Check the academics, then the skiing

'Yeah, I'll get that cleaned up lickity-split. Speaking of lickity-split what do you say you and I meet up later, see what's going on? Just kidding. But seriously, I'm new in town, kinda lonely, looking for my parents..'
 
yeah kevin im doing the same thing in a year...im taking a year off, so i might as well use it to ski as much as i can. i wanna move out west, and get tons of skiing in while i work a part time job. and if i have time take a course or two at a community college so i dont comlpetely forget how to do work. its gonna be sick if i go through with it.

Joel
 
yea. well listen, if you can get a job at whistler, they offer staff housing, free dual-lift tickets, 50% off food, some discount on retail, and free lessons.

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I took a few years off after High School and moved to Whistler for a year. I don't regret the choice because I had a blast. Living the ski-bum life is really enjoyable but I got tired of being poor pretty quickly. Definately go for it man, you're only young once.

you can't spell sick without ck
 
Vancouver must have some nice schools?

And then Trogdor smote the Kerreck, and all was laid to burnination.

TROGDOR THE BURNINATOR!
 
I totally respect what CKO just said. That sounds pretty darn good.

Brody

i wont drop out of high school for skiing, mom

 
Ya but also its not hard at all to go to college and ski alot, i went to university of utah this year got a 3.2 worked 3 nights a week and still got about 100 days in. So its all how you manage your time

 
Personally, I know that if I'd taken a year off I would have never started college because I'd just want to ski (also, I was 16 so it would have been hard to live out on my own for a season). I'd say it's better to go to college now (somewhere near some decent mountains) and get your education, then ski-bum a few years after that to see if you could make a living out of it, then you have your education to fall back on.

I know a guy who has just turned 18 who has taken two years off to snowboard. He's got some small-time sponsors just now, and got 4th in the British championships I think. He's put his life on hold just to snowboard, which is cool to see him 'living the dream', but if he just keeps trying and never gets anywhere then he'll have wasted years of his life and won't have much to show for it.

I know another guy who has been at college for the past 5 years, is sponsored by Rossignol (snowboards), got 2nd and 3rd places in the British University Championships (in slopestyle and big air), and has just gotten a distinction in his masters degree. He can go off an do whatever he wants now. He's travelling around the world starting tomorrow (France glacier riding, then New Zealand season, then Australia, Hawaii, Whistler season). And he has a top-class degree to fall back on.

Think about it hard before you jump at an option that may not be right for you.

 
I took a winter off of school and worked at a couple big resorts. It's more work than you think and it's really hard waking up to tons o powder, then realizing you're on the 7am lift prep. team and can't ski until 4pm. Granted, you still get a lot of skiing in.

My suggestion would be to pick what you wanna do, then find a good school with a good mix. That's what I've done now. If you're interested in Engineering, check out Utah State or the University of Utah. U. Of Utah has several (4) resorts within like an hour......and if you're GPA is 3.0 or higher you get an honors rate on a season pass. I can't remember how much I paid, but I skied more than I studied.

PM me if you want to know more about colleges near skiing.......I have a whole freakin list, complete with what the school best offers academically.

P.S. You should take a summer off instead of a whole year and go to Argentina....did that one summer and it made me regret ever taking a winter off to ski in North America.

By the By, good luck getting to places like Whistler, Americans usually aren't the first to get hired.

 
My brother is doing the exact same thing this winter. He got differed admission to University so he knows he can always go back. He wants to go out and ski during the day and also work. He is super stoked about it, he cant wait...it gives me a sweet excuse to go visit and ski. Good luck with it...I want to do that same.

 
yea, I'm Canadian, and want to stay in Canada to go to school because it is cheaper. I think it was BamBam that said he thought it was better to go to school first.. well I disagree because the whole point is to determine if I can live off the dream, if its something doable then I would to go into ski resort management somwhere and get a management job. However, I can understand what your saying, get all your education done, then try it out. I understand most people doing this sort of thing don't have access to a computer but is there anyone actually bumming around right now?

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my brother took a year off after college and moved to florida to work at a golf course. He said it was a gppd decision. If I were you I'd go to college first. After you take a year off school it'll be hard to get motivated to go back.

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ive talked to a few ski bums outwest and they all said the same thing. go to school first (if you really want that additinal education) because if you take a year off of school then you will never want to return back to school

 
but how can I go to college first if I don't kno how I want to live my life!! thats what I'm saying.. the whole point of taking a year off is to determine whether I should stick with the dream and round my education around it, or scrap it and find a more 'reliable' career.

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Secure jobs are overrated, but a job that makes you happy is invaluable to the quility of YOUR life.

Taking time off of school may seem sweet, but note that when you're 50 it aint easy to be a ski bum, and it's even harder to go to school.

Try going to Chile or Argentina for a summer, get a taste of some ski bummin. Take enough money to get you there and a little cash for while your there. You'll see how hard it acutually is. I've done it........enough times. That's why I'm still in school and don't plan on leaving till I'm done.

Get your ticket (degree), and then ski bum ALL you want. Going to school will tell you whether or not that's the lifestyle for you just as easy as ski bummin.

 
morbumps4me - well put.

Kevin, the best decision you could make is simple; do what you love doing and the money will follow.

You could go to college, get a 9-5 job, retire with a good ammount of money, but then what? You may have a steady job but is it really worth it if you are not truly happy?

I say pursue your dreams, chase after what you love doing.

If you are uncertain what you want to do with your life then try them all. Even if you took a vacation and lived in South America or Whistler for a few months and discover that it is not what you want to do with your life, it was not a waste.

Because you narrowed the search down to what you want to do with your life.

Learn all you can, take some classes and get your feet wet.

There is no better time for you to travel and go after what you love doing, but stay motivated.

If you wait a few years to travel it will probably just become more difficult, you will have a job, commitments (whether it be car payments, house payments, girlfriend/wife, children, whatever)

The time is now.

Go for what you love doing and the money will follow.

Never stop learning.

That's my advice to you.

Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Ski.

 
yeah rossiscratch and i rode with this unbeliveable kid at tremblant and told us all about how to get a job in whistler and mentioned all the above stuff such as lodging and 50 off food

Kbus1224: I see how it is, ski movie more important than me?

npublicenemy900: no the whole movie just iannick b

 
yeah i have no clue what i want to do for an education either but my best advice is to start narrowing stuff down to what you dont want to do. so far all ive come up with is i dont want to work in a cubical all day starring at fake gray walls. i dont really want to work in retail much either because so many custumers have become such bitches because of super stores that american bussiness owners are disapeering.

 
OK first off ignore everyone above me and below me in this thread. Here is the deal. Taking a year off of school is fucking retarded. College is awesome, I would go to school for the rest of my life if I could. I have a job, I go to school and I can ski everyday. In a few years I'll have a nice degree in the Business Recreation field with an emphasis in ski resort management. Then it is off to grad school to get my Doctorate. Ok in the up comming years I will have skied more than 99% of the earths population, and I will be a doctor. Now comes decision time, the fisrt few years of school do not matter. Pick a true ski school, don't get tricked into thinking a school is a ski school unless it is within a half hour from a decent ski area. There you have it, more skiing than you can shake a stick at and a nice old degree. If that Gafney guy could do it so can you. P.S. CU sucks!! Wasted State Represent!!

I Blame God.

You only have one liver, but you gots two lungs.
 
'and I will be a doctor'?? say what?

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well put phrosty..

hoked on foniks wurked fur me.kant u tel?

jigga say wha??

*OFFICIAL NS SQUID*

LISTEN TO GUNS N' ROSES
 
I think people put too much emphasis on an education. A diploma is nice but you gotta do it right. I am a lowly storeroom worker, 3 of my colleagues have degrees. One in psych, one education and one architect. Here is what they taught me: If you get a degree in a bunk field like communication or general studies or philosophy you may as well wipe your ass with the parchment. If you take too much time off after you graduate, employers wont look at you. Tech (computer) jobs are not what they are cracked up to be, pay is low and work is spotty. The best fields are engineering and science because most people crash and burn 1st semester. All I'm saying is dont think you can graduate, ski a few years then just 'fall back' on your education and slide into a nice CEO position making $120 000 a year.

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'Your mom has a nasty gouge.'

'Regular tastes kinda tangy, the supreme is sour and diesel tastes pretty good.'

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