You’ve been offered the job, you’ve bought all the new gear and you’re rearing to hit the slopes! The prospect of your first ski season is an exciting one, but it is important to remember that at times it will be hard work! To make the most of your ski season it is important to be prepared, so read our tips on how to survive your first ski season so you’re ready for whatever the snowy mountains have in store!
Get your accommodation sorted early
The earlier the boring practical stuff is sorted, the sooner you can focus on getting excited for your adventure, and researching and deciding on the right accommodation for you in plenty of time means you will enjoy your ski season so much more. If you are someone who needs their 8 hours to function, you probably don’t want to be sharing with party animals in staff quarters, so it is worth investing time and looking into your options to save heartache later down the line. There are plenty of accommodation options out there so be proactive in ensuring you find one that suits your needs!
Budget, budget, budget
It is an unfortunate fact that you are not going to earn millions working a ski season, so hopefully you’re there for the experience and the slopes rather than the cash! That being said, obviously you will get a wage in return for your work, and since this is likely to be just enough to cover living expenses it is important you are savvy with your money! Make sure you spend wisely to ensure you have a roof over your head and food to fuel your mountain adventures, making beer the last financial priority! No one wants to return home halfway through a season because they adopted a millionaire lifestyle in the first few weeks!
Friends for life
The other season workers are going to be the most consistent people in your life for the next few months, so it is important you put effort into making friends with them! Although you may feel overwhelmed, especially if it is your first time away from home, resist the urge to spend every evening Facetiming your mum and get out there and socialise! These are the people who you will be hitting après-ski with and then keeping you motivated the next hungover early morning, so make bonds early and you’ll be sorted for the season.
Show your dedication
It is not only relationships with fellow colleagues you need to establish – it is also important to impress the boss! They are the person that will determine how you spend your previously mentioned hungover morning, so show willingness and impress early on to get in the good books, which might work in your favour later whether it is through extra shifts (which equals extra money!) or the invitation to return next season.
Make the most of your days off
Although you may be partying all night and want to sleep all day when you finally get the chance, it is important to remember why you are there … to ski and snowboard! Make the most of your free time by hitting the slopes at every opportunity, and remember that otherwise you would have to be paying (not being paid) for the luxury! It is likely that your employer will provide some benefits such as lift passes or ski or snowboard hire, so take full advantage of this and soon you’ll have moves to rival the professionals!
Stay safe
We’ve all heard the dreaded tales of those who head off on their first ski season bright eyed and excited…just to return a week later because they were overconfident and braved a jump they weren’t ready for. Know your ability, rather than taking risks to try and impress people you’ve known for a week. Don’t ruin your season before its even properly begun, so stay safe and look out for others too – you might have to provide the words of wisdom that stops someone tackling the red run even though it’s their first time in the snow!
Stay motivated
Repeat seasonaires talk about the lack of motivation that hits around the mid-mark of the season, when the lack of sleep and homesickness begin to take their toll and make you question whether you really want to be there. This is the time that you will lean on all the amazing new friends you made during the first week, and remember that you are in the fortunate position of being able to spend everyday on the mountains! Putting things into perspective should allow you to break out of your slump and enjoy the rest of the season…it is an amazing opportunity, so remember that!
Follow these words of wisdom and you will be sure to have an amazing first ski season, and who knows… it might be so fun that you go back a second, a third and a fourth!
