Is higher learning worth it? Or is snowboarding a legitimate alternative?
Many parents see college as a requirement for their children. They see it as a ticket to a better life and a better job for their kids. Not many see snowboarding or skiing as a smart life choice. Really, they should reconsider.
Here’s what college costs the average student:
- 5 years of their life (the average student finishes in 5 years, not 4)
- $25k+ in student loans, $100k+ if they want to go to prestigious university
Is it worth it? Let’s have a look at some arguments that justify this cost of time and money.
1) Kids learn to socialize in college
If by ‘socialize’ you mean ‘drink a lot of alcohol and have lots of sex’ than yes, kids do learn a lot about ‘socializing’ at college. I’m not sure how this is different from what a kid can do anywhere else.
Spend a season living at staff accommodation at a big ski resort and you can learn just as much about ‘socializing’ as you would at college for a fraction of the cost and time.
2) Kids learn how to ‘think’ at college
If by ‘thinking’ you mean ‘repeat exactly what your lecturer wants you to think’. College is just another way to avoid the real world for another 4-5 years. You learn more about thinking by going out and living your life, instead of putting yourself inside a bubble for 4-5 years and parroting back whatever professors tell you.
You can spend 4-5 years snowboarding/skiing and that will teach you just as much, if not more about learning how to think and master new skills and it’ll cost a lot less too.
3) College graduates make more money than non-college graduates
This is probably one of the most misleading statistics ever. It’s constantly quoted by every university and college in an attempt to get your kids to come to their college.
Why it’s wrong:
Who’s to say that college is the reason that college graduates make more money? Take 100 college graduates and 100 kids who never went to college. Of course the 100 who went to college are more motivated to succeed and make more money. There’s no proof that college is the reason they’re making more money.
Now instead, take 200 kids who are going to college and force 100 of them to quit. Now see if the 100 who quit ended up making less money. I think you’d be surprised at what a motivated kid can do without spending 4-5 years of their time and $25k in college.
So how about snowboarding? It opens just as many doors for someone who’s motivated to succeed and earn money.
How about my friend Nev at Snowboard Addiction who sold 17,000+ dvds and snowboard training videos in the last year. That was thanks to his experience in snowboarding and snowboard coaching.
Or how about Anthony over at Vivo Headwear who started his own headwear and clothing company that now does collaborations with huge names like Red Bull? Or how about the hundreds of other snowboard companies started by ex-pro snowboarders?
Did you know one of the leading executives at Quiksilver is a former snowboard pro who got his opportunity thanks to his former links to the company? Sure he had to work his way to the top, but it was because of snowboarding that he got that chance.
Final thoughts
So, I know I came off pretty anti-college, but really I’m not. There are legitimate careers that require college degrees such as law or medicine or engineering. However, not every person is destined for or will be happy in these careers.
For other careers like business, college is like spending 4-5 years and $25k+ in exchange for a chance at more job interviews. Personally, I can think of easier, less expensive ways to get job interviews. Never underestimate what a little creativity and passion can do to get you a job.
Heck, did you know Steve Jobs got one of his first jobs at Atari by walking in and demanding they give him a job? Never forget that many careers have come from following passions such as snowboarding. Also, don’t think that snowboarding would mean just lazing around all day.
Snowboarding might mean working on becoming a level 4 instructor, coaching or even starting your own business in the snow industry. That’s what I ended up doing and that’s exactly how many businesses in the snow industry began.
At the end of the day, you should consider your options carefully because just like going to college, there are advantages to snowboarding and following your passions.
– Jed