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December, 2024

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Ski resorts are where college degrees go to die

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shiftyparty
Posts: 284 - Karma: 291
So I heard this recently and got me thinking. Anyone NS out there managed to do seasons and actually use their education/degree for a better than minimum wage job? What do you think is the best job when doing seasons?
May 5 2014 10:35PM
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ReeferMonga
Posts: 387 - Karma: 385
By the way you look and sound... The best outcome will be getting 2% poured all over you by hoodcrew...
May 5 2014 10:49PM
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BigScaryLarry
Posts: 1448 - Karma: 2,732
hooking or stripping. how i survive
May 5 2014 10:50PM
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GrahamGould
Posts: 713 - Karma: 2,439
I have thought about this before, because a lot of the ski bums I know have bachelor's degrees. I think even if your not gonna use your degree right away, its probably nice to know that if you ever want to leave and get a "real" job, you will at least kind of be able to
May 5 2014 10:56PM
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Barmski
Posts: 4342 - Karma: 811
Yes. Certified PGA Golf Professional- seasonally. I used my Management Degree and PGA Degree. Its seasonal obviously. I work nights in the winter.
May 6 2014 12:53AM
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joshua
Posts: 5046 - Karma: 1,280
I think the reason why many ski bums have college degrees is because most of those people come from middle/upper class families, where even if you don't necessarily plan on doing anything requiring a degree, going to college is considered a pretty much mandatory thing.
May 6 2014 12:02PM
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Download-My-Apps
Posts: 5069 - Karma: 1,017
I tried, and will continue to chase the dream. But ski resorts are the land of over educated and underpaid.

Unless you are a doctor or physiotherapist, there isn't much demand for education in ski town unless you're willing to take a pay cut, since everyone else is.
May 6 2014 12:16PM
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montanan
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 1,346
joshuaI think the reason why many ski bums have college degrees is because most of those people come from middle/upper class families, where even if you don't necessarily plan on doing anything requiring a degree, going to college is considered a pretty much mandatory thing.


good point. never thought about it like that before..... makes sense.
May 6 2014 12:21PM
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3604 - Karma: 3,958
Yes, I have a college degree aimed at the ski area industry and I use it to the fullest in my current position.
May 6 2014 1:09PM
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D_Elgar
Posts: 210 - Karma: 391
When not coaching I use my communication degree in marketing PR and sales working for a zipline company in whistler....so yes I guess my degree have helped get me a better job here in whistler and have kept me skiing as much as possible... Without my degree who can say what I would be doing
May 6 2014 1:18PM
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quixotic
Posts: 6937 - Karma: 2,980
title with some truth... I have a bachelors degree and work for minimum wage at a ski resort. I had a job with my degree before I started this job. Made twice as much money an hour, but in all honesty I'm happier now. being outside every day and living in the mountains is better than being in an office with no windows in an area flat as a pancake.
May 6 2014 1:54PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,664
there is nothing wrong with getting a degree, paying off your loans, and doing what you want until you decide to settle into something or somewhere. it's not like your degree will expire. most "ski bums" realize that someday that lifestyle may not be what they want anymore. maybe they'll have different priorities, or maybe they'll be physically unable to keep skiing at that level.

that's when a degree comes in handy and you can live comfortably after ski bum life.
May 6 2014 4:29PM
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danbrown
Posts: 11939 - Karma: 21,833
for the most part you're right, but it's a nice feeling to know i have something to fall back on if need be.
May 6 2014 4:32PM
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404404
Posts: 11358 - Karma: 21,035
I work at Timberline Lodge in the summer and graduated with a BS. However Oregon minimum wage is 9.10 an hour plus tips so it works out to be a good amount of money. One of the guys I work with averaged out his pay to hours, and was making $29 an hour.

Problem is being in a manager situation is you needs to be year round (a lot of times), and work your way up. Your also not getting paid that much. Maybe $12-16 an hour if your work out your salary to an hourly wage.

If you want to ski and make money move to a place with a good minimum wage and then find a tip job.
May 6 2014 4:43PM
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skiskate
Posts: 787 - Karma: 823
I use my degree for 7 months a year until its winter and then take off the winter to ski. Dont work while im in town, but i get the best of both worlds.
May 6 2014 4:53PM
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3604 - Karma: 3,958
ParryWithAnAI work at Timberline Lodge in the summer and graduated with a BS. However Oregon minimum wage is 9.10 an hour plus tips so it works out to be a good amount of money. One of the guys I work with averaged out his pay to hours, and was making $29 an hour.

Problem is being in a manager situation is you needs to be year round (a lot of times), and work your way up. Your also not getting paid that much. Maybe $12-16 an hour if your work out your salary to an hourly wage.

If you want to ski and make money move to a place with a good minimum wage and then find a tip job.



Not using that great GMC Resort/Hospitality degree to the fullest?
May 6 2014 5:20PM
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3604 - Karma: 3,958
SkiBum.Yes, I have a college degree aimed at the ski area industry and I use it to the fullest in my current position.



And I will expand on this.

Lots of people think the ski area industry is a dead end with none or not many "real" jobs. What it comes down to, is what you put into it.

If you want to ski all day and smoke weed and drink at the bars all night, then you can do that, bump chairs, and make $9/hr.

If you put in work, effort, and have an idea of where you want to me and do, then you will succeed. If you want a "real" job in the ski area industry you will also have to realize you will not be skiing every day. Or if you are, you will be skiing for "work" which is different then what skiing is for most of this site.

Higher up positions at ski areas or related parent companies can lead to a very good salary, with some pushing and exceeding 6 figures. Even lower entry manger or supervisor positions can get you full time, year round work, benefits and $30-$50k a year.

So hopefully that gives some insight, or most likely, will just get looked over on this site...
May 6 2014 5:26PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51783 - Karma: 163,979
I didn't feel like college was going to be good for me. I had a ton of people pushing me to do it. Some of the adventure type programs were new and I had family even sending me newspaper clippings of stuff.

I mean it's nice that they cared but I'm happy that I didn't go. I've thought about going and learning another trade, and maybe going and taking some small business management type classes at some point.

Where I'm at now it's very unlikely I would be benefiting at all from a degree. Would I probably have some useful knowledge, of course but I'm not looking for a certificate. If I try to get an education in the future it's going to be about the education and not really as much as having something to tell people I learned stuff.
May 6 2014 5:27PM
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bobs
Posts: 4801 - Karma: 868
joshuaI think the reason why many ski bums have college degrees is because most of those people come from middle/upper class families, where even if you don't necessarily plan on doing anything requiring a degree, going to college is considered a pretty much mandatory thing.


Lots of this. Bunch of grads in ski towns didn't put themselves through college and don't have a financial pressure for it to immediately pay for itself.
May 7 2014 2:28AM
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Shifties4Dayz
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 553
I have a degree, not in a ski town, and irately make minimum wage after gas and all the unpaid overtime I get. Being on salary sucks.

Don't to to college. It's a waste of fucking time
May 7 2014 8:31AM
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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,746
op answer is Yes. college is a form of indentured slavery.

if you have a job using your college degree you are working 9-5 to pay off debt and can only shred as a weekend warrior, not much reason to live at the resort, especially when your week was so dreadful with tourists and gapers you get drunk on friday night and are hungover saturday, end up skiing less while living at the hot girl-free zone known as a resort... and dont try to call in sick, your employer will check to see if you used your pass...lol
May 7 2014 8:48AM
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EastShoreDrive
Posts: 188 - Karma: 862
Serious question, does anyone with a degree (or on salary) really work just 9 to 5 anymore? It doesn't seem like it.

I applaud those of you living the ski dream. Keep it up for the rest of us.
May 7 2014 1:08PM
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ny300z
Posts: 1299 - Karma: 1,708
N.L.op answer is Yes. college is a form of indentured slavery.

if you have a job using your college degree you are working 9-5 to pay off debt and can only shred as a weekend warrior, not much reason to live at the resort, especially when your week was so dreadful with tourists and gapers you get drunk on friday night and are hungover saturday, end up skiing less while living at the hot girl-free zone known as a resort... and dont try to call in sick, your employer will check to see if you used your pass...lol


this really got me thinking.

I am 31 with a good IT career and have been seriously looking at jobs at major ski resorts in IT but maybe its not really worth moving and leaving my entire life to chase the ski dream when i would be working 9-5 everyday and not get to ski as much as a "ski bum" would

plus the lack of girls and fact that i live in a pretty nice place already(long island) might not be worth it either

now im even more undecided what to do
May 7 2014 1:24PM
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Shifties4Dayz
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 553
EastShoreDriveSerious question, does anyone with a degree (or on salary) really work just 9 to 5 anymore? It doesn't seem like it.

I applaud those of you living the ski dream. Keep it up for the rest of us.


I work normally 5am-7/8pm. 5 days a week. And only get paid for 40 hours
May 7 2014 4:15PM
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m1k3vb
Posts: 75 - Karma: 273
FUCK COLLEGE! Post-Secondary education is a joke. Read a book, save your money, and go do something interesting for a change.
May 11 2014 10:51AM
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HamFaceGirl
Posts: 5242 - Karma: 2,676
m1k3vbFUCK COLLEGE! Post-Secondary education is a joke. Read a book, save your money, and go do something interesting for a change.


Can't tell if trolling or not
May 11 2014 11:16AM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
The idea that you would go to college just to work a minimum wage job is kind of rediculous. Take time off ams be a ski bum before you commit to that type of debt. Skiing is a rich mans sport. The best way to ski more is to make as much money as possible to support that lifestyle. Making 80k my first year out of school. Putting and investing away ad much ,money as possible right now so I can afford a nice ski house one day.
May 11 2014 1:28PM
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Sir_SkrillALot
Posts: 1736 - Karma: 668
I've always wondered why there arent more CS/Engineering types who freelance/telecommute from the mountains...
May 11 2014 2:31PM
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paige.
Posts: 1932 - Karma: 926
A lot of jobs in the environmental field tend to be highly seasonal - lots of work Mar/Apr-Sept/Oct and not a lot available after that. So I've met a bunch of people who do field work or similar all summer, then ski bum in the winter. They're not making a ton of money and move around a lot but it seems to be a good way to get a variety of degree-related work experience under the belt before looking into a Masters degree or something more permanent.
May 11 2014 5:33PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
EastShoreDriveSerious question, does anyone with a degree (or on salary) really work just 9 to 5 anymore? It doesn't seem like it.

I applaud those of you living the ski dream. Keep it up for the rest of us.


I'm on (good) salary with full benefits and I work 8-6 every day. I guess being a ski bum sounds great in theory, and I'd love to be able to ski 150+ days a season, but I also have a great career with even greater potential in the future. I wouldn't trade what I have to be a ski bum so I'll just enjoy my 15-20 days a season I get.
May 12 2014 12:18PM
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ny300z
Posts: 1299 - Karma: 1,708
KravtZThe idea that you would go to college just to work a minimum wage job is kind of rediculous. Take time off ams be a ski bum before you commit to that type of debt. Skiing is a rich mans sport. The best way to ski more is to make as much money as possible to support that lifestyle. Making 80k my first year out of school. Putting and investing away ad much ,money as possible right now so I can afford a nice ski house one day.


you got pretty lucky making 80k first year. Most doctors and lawyers dont make that and most people take years to make that. And i thought kids coming out of college were struggling to get $50k a year jobs...guess not

95% of people wont make that much though kids, dont get your hopes up unless your graduating from Harvard
May 12 2014 1:29PM
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Sir_SkrillALot
Posts: 1736 - Karma: 668
ny300zyou got pretty lucky making 80k first year. Most doctors and lawyers dont make that and most people take years to make that. And i thought kids coming out of college were struggling to get $50k a year jobs...guess not

95% of people wont make that much though kids, dont get your hopes up unless your graduating from Harvard


What are you talking about? median doctor salary is 150k or something...
May 12 2014 2:57PM
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TheGreenBastard
Posts: 215 - Karma: 135
Ive worked at resorts for 10 years, i dont have a degree, i feel like if your thinking your just going to fall into a dope salary job at a ski resort because you went to school, your fooling yourself, most people in this industry care about experience in the work place and character over education
May 12 2014 3:48PM
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ny300z
Posts: 1299 - Karma: 1,708
Sir_SkrillALotWhat are you talking about? median doctor salary is 150k or something...


first year out of school?

If your still in high school or college im not gonna argue with you about the real world. I was told i would graduate and start at $75k too but its bullshit. Ive been in my career 10 years, $80k is a lot, even here in NY let alone the middle of nowhere
May 12 2014 4:01PM
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Sir_SkrillALot
Posts: 1736 - Karma: 668
ny300zfirst year out of school?

If your still in high school or college im not gonna argue with you about the real world. I was told i would graduate and start at $75k too but its bullshit. Ive been in my career 10 years, $80k is a lot, even here in NY let alone the middle of nowhere


fortunately ive graduated from high school and college so im not just talking out my ass. yeah 80k is a lot but depending on what you studied it isn't too hard to get an 80k a year job. yeah theres a ton of these delusional college business majors thinking they will be making 100k 3-5 years out but if you are a somewhat decent programmer and actually can get shit done you are undervaluing yourself if you are getting paid less than 80k in any big city.
May 12 2014 4:27PM
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ny300z
Posts: 1299 - Karma: 1,708
Sir_SkrillALotfortunately ive graduated from high school and college so im not just talking out my ass. yeah 80k is a lot but depending on what you studied it isn't too hard to get an 80k a year job. yeah theres a ton of these delusional college business majors thinking they will be making 100k 3-5 years out but if you are a somewhat decent programmer and actually can get shit done you are undervaluing yourself if you are getting paid less than 80k in any big city.


yea of course it depends what your field is...doctors, lawyers, programmers yea your right but most fields take more then 5 years or more to get to 80k.

Im a Manager of IT for a big company that ive been at for 8 years and barely make that.....programmers and network engineers make 100k though. But even that field took them 5+ years to get to that much.

the kids these days are insane thinking they can make 100k easy. Especially if your not in a big city like you said.
May 12 2014 4:43PM
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mski
Posts: 4791 - Karma: 3,803
Yup
May 12 2014 5:10PM
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jca
Posts: 4172 - Karma: 6,310
ny300zyou got pretty lucky making 80k first year. Most doctors and lawyers dont make that and most people take years to make that. And i thought kids coming out of college were struggling to get $50k a year jobs...guess not

95% of people wont make that much though kids, dont get your hopes up unless your graduating from Harvard


Trades.
May 12 2014 5:40PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37591 - Karma: 122,375
i really feel like anyone saying "fuck a degree/college" really didn't apply themselves that much at all in school. who are you to say i wont benefit from a degree?
May 12 2014 5:55PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37591 - Karma: 122,375
DeebieSkeebiesi really feel like anyone saying "fuck a degree/college" really didn't apply themselves that much at all in school. who are you to say i wont benefit from a degree?


but then again, im just some dumb high school kid so what do i know. but i feel like with your degree, its what you make it, honestly. like its your choice if you want to work those shitty jobs and have a shitty life, you know?
May 12 2014 5:57PM
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Daph
Posts: 5978 - Karma: 5,010
TheGreenBastard, most people in this industry care about experience in the work place and character over education


So much this
May 12 2014 7:53PM
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Static
Posts: 8565 - Karma: 4,123
ny300zworking 9-5 everyday and not get to ski as much as a "ski bum" would


That's the part about living in a ski town that sucks, the decent paying jobs are 9-5 and usually held by some motherfucker that doesn't even ski.
May 12 2014 8:22PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51783 - Karma: 163,979
TheGreenBastardmost people in this industry care about experience in the work place and character over education

yahtzee


DeebieSkeebiesi really feel like anyone saying "fuck a degree/college" really didn't apply themselves that much at all in school. who are you to say i wont benefit from a degree?


Well you have a ton of people on the other side saying "Go to college and you'll get rich" so deal with it.

DeebieSkeebiesbut then again, im just some dumb high school kid so what do i know. but i feel like with your degree, its what you make it, honestly. like its your choice if you want to work those shitty jobs and have a shitty life, you know?


If you're talking about working something that get's you on the hill a ton all season and is enough to live on I wouldn't call that shitty. If you're talking about some people who absolutely love their job on top of that I really wouldn't call that shitty.
May 12 2014 8:27PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37591 - Karma: 122,375
theabortionatoryahtzee




Well you have a ton of people on the other side saying "Go to college and you'll get rich" so deal with it.



If you're talking about working something that get's you on the hill a ton all season and is enough to live on I wouldn't call that shitty. If you're talking about some people who absolutely love their job on top of that I really wouldn't call that shitty.


not at all, nothing wrong with a job that gets you cashflow for skiing, and more opportunities to do so. thats a dream for anyone, Its just the people that piss and moan with degrees that say "fuck em, they dont get you anywhere" that work shitty, dead-end jobs that they put them selves in that i have issues with. they seem to be the biggest complainers.

like i said, im a retard HS kid that still needs to get my shit and priorites figured out, so my apologies if i offended anyone
May 12 2014 8:39PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
I used my degree AFTER a few seasons of ski town living, but I never got to work in a ski town.

Most of the people who get to use their degree probably don't ski everyday. They probably have office jobs for one of the big resorts, and work their way up the totem pole.

Personally, I would prefer living in a place like Seattle, Denver of Salt Lake and skiing every weekend day. It is some driving, but you can still ski a lot. This mean getting a real job AFTER a mountain season of 120 days, and being happy with 30 day seasons.

I live in socal, and have a ski lease at Mammoth. I get 30 days a year, most at Mammoth, some down south. I am happy with 8-10 weekend trips, two 4-5 day trips, and some days south at Mt. Baldy (if they have snow) or Mt. High.

The point of my rambling is that there are ways to make things work, depending on what your goals are. If you have lots of student loans, don't make a career of ski bumming or you may never pay them off.

If you want to ski bum forever, more power to you. Some would say being a contractor all summer and a ski bum in the winter is wasting a degree, but I don't quite see it that way.

But as a place where degrees go to die...I can see that line of reasoning.
May 12 2014 8:47PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51783 - Karma: 163,979
DeebieSkeebiesnot at all, nothing wrong with a job that gets you cashflow for skiing, and more opportunities to do so. thats a dream for anyone, Its just the people that piss and moan with degrees that say "fuck em, they dont get you anywhere" that work shitty, dead-end jobs that they put them selves in that i have issues with. they seem to be the biggest complainers.

like i said, im a retard HS kid that still needs to get my shit and priorites figured out, so my apologies if i offended anyone



A lot of people have inflated ideas of what their degree will get them in life. Then you got all kinds of people that push the same thing, that a college degree is the band-aid for everything. If you get one your life will be perfect, if you don't it's going to be horrible.

Then you have people on the other side that are bitter because they got a degree eating skittles and came out of college without a job offer to make millions. Or they came out with a degree in a field that also requires experience but feel they deserve the good job now, and are unwilling to work below what they feel they're worth.


Idk. There's derp on both sides of the issue.

In the end people have to weigh the pros and cons and do what's right for them. I'm not a fan of people telling people they shouldn't go to college but I'm definitely not a fan of people saying "You have to go to college" which seems to be pretty damn prevalent.

/yolo
May 12 2014 10:04PM
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Spiri7o
Posts: 2163 - Karma: 1,100
Shifties4DayzI have a degree, not in a ski town, and irately make minimum wage after gas and all the unpaid overtime I get. Being on salary sucks.

Don't to to college. It's a waste of fucking time


This is such a dumb response, one that someone who didn't go to college would say
May 13 2014 9:07AM
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N.L.
Posts: 2420 - Karma: 2,746
ny300zthis really got me thinking.

I am 31 with a good IT career and have been seriously looking at jobs at major ski resorts in IT but maybe its not really worth moving and leaving my entire life to chase the ski dream when i would be working 9-5 everyday and not get to ski as much as a "ski bum" would

plus the lack of girls and fact that i live in a pretty nice place already(long island) might not be worth it either

now im even more undecided what to do


that is a huge decision! everyone forgets that know matter what you have to work, so even if you miraculously come out of school with a 80k a year job, you are earning every dollar of it. on top of that lets be real kids, a sales manager makes 80k, and you dont get that job out of school, you get it with years of sales experience, and grow in to management, four year degree or not! and if drs start over 100k its becuase they have eight years worth of debt to pay for life.

work for experience, not money, go ski while your knees are young!
May 14 2014 8:50AM
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ShredMasterPlus
Posts: 1159 - Karma: 807
There are jobs out there that degrees help, in parks to be a warden res con(reasource conservation) you need a degree in Biology. Money isn't amazing but your making close to 30/hr and usually working 4on3off as well as loads of vacation days so if you use 4 days of vacation you get 10 days off in a row plus you can ski 3 days a week. Good way if you ever wanted to "settle down" but stay somewhere that isn't some shithole city(I hate citys). for now i just work in a campground for the summer and take the winters off.
May 15 2014 12:38PM
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armchair_skier
Posts: 2356 - Karma: 29,752
ReeferMongaBy the way you look and sound... The best outcome will be getting 2% poured all over you by hoodcrew...


RIP Hoodcrew
Apr 30 2021 8:31AM
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