A quick word on blocking ads
It looks like you are using an ad blocker. That's okay. Who doesn't? But without advertising revenue, we can't keep making this site awesome. Click the link below for instructions on disabling adblock.
Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!
GayWolf420Hard to say. But I turn 29 this fall and kind of yearn for that "stability" and to go back to just skiing for fun and not as a paycheck. I enjoyed being a patroller but it's not about the money and it gets tiring eating ramen every night. No college degree however, so its the blue collar route until something comes about
**This post was edited on Jul 7th 2024 at 11:18:37am
Farmville420I work a 9-5 and go to Ruby hill on weeknights and ski on weekends and once the mid season injuries start compounding that's beyond plenty
Canis_lupusWhat do ya do for work/ do you like it?
KalmarJalmarSomething that pays semi well and has a flexible time schedule. There are some office jobs where it doesn't really matter when you are doing your job as long as you are not past deadlines. This allows for skiing during the day and working in the evening or weekends or whenever you are not skiing.
1spliff2guinniesThis would be the most optimal route I would say, or perhaps a job that offers a 4 on 4 off schedule (not sure how popular this is in the US) type of job. If you are a good content creator, you could try do a 'Van Life' type channel, but it is probably unrealistic. You could try and become an engineer or an electrician and work full time for a ski field as well, so you aren't in boots everyday but get to be in the mountains. There are so many variables it is hard to give a definite 'one-size-fits' all answer tbh. I'm sure you'll work it out holmes.
KalmarJalmarI'll also add that having and employer who allows you to use your summer vacation weeks during winter is a nice thing to have. I hope I'll find one like that when I end up to the adult life.
crimeenthusiastworking construction on ski lifts give you off for months in winter. livable pay but you work 60 hr weeks during work szn and live at the mountain whose getting the lift.
BigPurpleSkiSuitBeen doing tech sales for a little while now, and the flexibility is kind of unmatched compared to any job I had before my degree.
Yes I'm 'in office' 4 days a week, but I can work hard as hell on those 4 days and ski the other 3 with no worries and do well more than my quota which gives me even more flexbility if there's a pow day and I really want to go ski it.
I'd recommend getting a real job, and working hard enough at it to earn you the right to do it flexibly. There's a joke that remote work is just an option for people who make more than 200k a year, but the reason they make that much is usually because they're trusted to get their shit done. As life goes on, you eventually start to care about more than just skiing, and financial stability makes a huge difference in who will be interested in being in a relationship with you, and what you can do throughout life.
Canis_lupusIm blinded by the idea i can get a work from home job straight after college
Farmville420Civil Engineering and I like it, my specific company isn't the best rn but like as a career path it's nice and getting a PE will be cool
weastcoatWondering if getting a PE allows for more ski time / flexibility as such. I’m going for mine but part of me wonders if it’s even worth it. Not trying to sacrifice ski time and it’s so hard to take extended leave I feel like.
STEEZUS_CHRI5TGetting your PE is just going to make you more valuable to the company and they'll probably expect more from you. Senior engineers are busy
**This post was edited on Jul 9th 2024 at 12:54:13pm
weastcoatWondering if getting a PE allows for more ski time / flexibility as such. I’m going for mine but part of me wonders if it’s even worth it. Not trying to sacrifice ski time and it’s so hard to take extended leave I feel like.
eheathThe unfortunate reality is that when you get older and pursue your career, you won't be able to ski 5 days a week. Sure, there are careers you can purse where you can ski more, but IMO I would not pick a career based on how much you can ski.
Work/Life balance is very important but most careers with future growth and livable salaries you will be working 5 days a week and you have to adapt to that. Making good money means more vacations, more opportunities, but you will have less time to do things you enjoy. You learn to prioritize your free time and appreciate your vacations. Quality over quantity.
If you work some low wage job your entire life, you might have more free time to ski but you will work longer in life and have less stability. Overall, pursuing a career with financial stability is far better.
partyandBSL take imo. work hard so you can retire early and play in your 70s?? or play while you’re youthful and able bodied and work in your 70s lol.
imma set myself up to retire at a decent age while playing through it all with continued 100+ ski seasons and 100+ bike days a year. you don’t need to be a weekend warrior in order to have a successful career and financial stability.
partyandBSL take imo. work hard so you can retire early and play in your 70s?? or play while you’re youthful and able bodied and work in your 70s lol.
imma set myself up to retire at a decent age while playing through it all with continued 100+ ski seasons and 100+ bike days a year. you don’t need to be a weekend warrior in order to have a successful career and financial stability.
Farmville420Depends. In the public sector you get a 3 day weekend basically every month, shit tons of PTO, and barely do any work at all and never stay late or anything. You cap out in terms of salary but you'll make decent money, mid 100k is generally what my friends are making rn.
In the private sector you work a shit ton more but can earn more than a living. My bosses at both jobs I've had were making upwards of $500k and yeah they didn't get to take big vacations and work Saturdays a bunch but $500k is generational wealth and as you get older you might see the value in that.
eheathI never said you couldn't do that, I'm just saying in general from the perspective of fresh college grad, you shouldn't pick your job based on how many days you can ski.
I work a m-f, 9-5 job and I ski 30-40 days a year which I'm completely happy with, that's every weekend + weekday powder days. I golf 80+ times a year which is far more achievable as I can golf every day (same with biking).
Skiing is a tough one to justify doing daily to me, you'd need a flexible schedule and close proximity to a ski resort, both of which are rare.
This is all assuming you are single and have no other responsibilities in life other than going to work and going skiing. Add a wife, health/fitness routines, a couple of kids, then some unexpected life shit and you're not skiing or biking anywhere near 100 days.
Sometimes its hard to get our heads out of our skiing bubble, what you wish to achieve will be difficult, but I hope you do.
**This post was edited on Jul 9th 2024 at 1:33:17pm
partyandBSlol maybe if i didn’t ski as much i wouldn’t have gotten a divorce 🤔
yeah if the white picket fence with wife kids and a dog is the goal then yeah, probably not responsible to risk injury all the time while skiing and biking. and that is totally a respectable pathway.
in response to OP you can totally prioritize your career AND skiing. you can develop leadership/trade skills along the way and if you need to pivot out for a new direction such as starting a family, you may need to reassess your career as you go. but i really don’t think you have to choose establishing your career OR skiing.
eheathI never said you couldn't do that, I'm just saying in general from the perspective of fresh college grad, you shouldn't pick your job based on how many days you can ski.
I work a m-f, 9-5 job and I ski 30-40 days a year which I'm completely happy with, that's every weekend + weekday powder days. I golf 80+ times a year which is far more achievable as I can golf every day (same with biking).
Skiing is a tough one to justify doing daily to me, you'd need a flexible schedule and close proximity to a ski resort, both of which are rare.
This is all assuming you are single and have no other responsibilities in life other than going to work and going skiing. Add a wife, health/fitness routines, a couple of kids, then some unexpected life shit and you're not skiing or biking anywhere near 100 days.
Sometimes its hard to get our heads out of our skiing bubble, what you wish to achieve will be difficult, but I hope you do.
**This post was edited on Jul 9th 2024 at 1:33:17pm
1spliff2guinniesI resonate with the "head in the skiing bubble" mentality, and for a while it did affect what jobs I wanted to do. I've gone through a bit of a grieving process with skiing recently when it just sucks to feel like that it can't be a priority like it used to be. Some of my happiest memories are family trips & ripping with my old man. It used to be such a part of my core identity and I've been struggling to fill that void with something else that "scratches that it" (boxing is starting to fill it up).
I think that's the crux of it for a lot of people. Our gear is like our uniform to show that we are part of "that club" (especially park skiers) and we put so much effort into getting out there. When mine started hanging up in the closet a few more days than it used to, it felt like I was losing a part of myself.
I think for the majority of us we eventually get to that point. I think embracing the acceptance stage is actually quite liberating and allows you to think about other opportunities that are beneficial, i.e. moving somewhere father away from the mountains in order to get a better salary and work/ life balance, rather than the stress of trying to maximise the days on the snow and the arsenal of tricks you want to land, and from experience, crappy jobs catch up with you eventually. I'm happy with lofty 3s and sliding through mellow kinks.
weastcoatBeen thinking that same thing. Seems like the guys that are working hella overtime. I’m gonna get my FE though since I just graduated in case I want that when I’m older to bring in bank. But man do I wanna live out my 20s a little more.
VTshredder69Pretty sad how my life went from skiing 30-40 days a year to now 4-5. But in all honesty I just found things to replace it that I can also enjoy.
Enduro is local and free. Gym is local and almost free. Both combat my 8 hour of nubmer crunching depression. Being active in general is one of the most important things for me personally. As long as i can keep up physical exercise i find i can keep myself happy.
I also can't do jack shit in the park any longer but at age 34 i shouldn't be trying anyways.
mattytruyou're still good for park at 34 just have fun with it
Farmville420nd once the mid season injuries start compounding that's beyond plenty
GrandThingsSkiing as much as you want
Having a successful career
Having a healthy social life
Pick two.
Canis_lupusFinally got around to reading everyone's replies. Grateful that this thread blew up more than I thought it would. It's neat hearing everyone's perspectives outside the bubble of skiing. Big s/o to @theabortionator and @eheath for their insights and kind words.
Skiing for me is the source don't get me wrong, but I fear I'm growing up a little quicker and I'm starting to prioritize different aspects of my life (not necessarily a bad thing). Skiing has never been an all encompassing thing as compared to other "ski bums" as I've always seen the importance of relationships, other hobbies, and careers which is what this whole thread is about.
Regardless, I'll be skiing til I'm 80 and if reducing my amount of days on hill in exchange for an improved overall life/wellbeing is the answer then I'm totally fine with that. I'm glad I could hear others outlooks on how that can be possible.
