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iliketobeoutside
Mar 18, 2003, 4:34 AM
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It is the age old debate, climb or homework. College is getting tough, but all i want to do is climb. The sad part is all i do is climb. I need advice from people. How does one balance work and play?
-Jamie
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xanx
Mar 18, 2003, 4:39 AM
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go to school, graduate, get a good job and make lots of $. that way u can eventually start ur own gym and climb 24-7 and take trips whenever u want.
seriously, don't let urself turn into a bum just because of climbing unless u are prepared to live that life. i know some people who will probably never make more than 50k a year but they will always b climbing and i know they will be quite happy like that. i couldn't live like that, personally, but if u can, hey, go for it.
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alpinerockfiend
Mar 18, 2003, 4:44 AM
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Seriously, touching on what xanx said, I think the answer to your question comes from withing yourself. You alone know what will make you happy and lead the way to a fulfilling life. So just meditate on that for a while, and the answer will hopefully be a bit more clarified.
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apollodorus
Mar 18, 2003, 4:49 AM
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Do your homework while belaying. The best part is you'll have to learn solo climbing real fast. :D
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flying_dutchman
Mar 18, 2003, 4:52 AM
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its so tempting to drop the books and climb... ten weeks and im a free man... for a few months; then second year and the painfull process repeats itself again.
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trenchdigger
Mar 18, 2003, 5:04 AM
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I know the feeling... UCSD engineering senior here, right in the middle of finals week... ugh. But I'm going to try to squeeze in a little bouldering tomorrow, just to blow off some stress. Yah, it means an hour or two less of studying, but I figure the peace of mind will be well worth it. Just like everything in life, you have to maintain a balance. I work my ass off during the week and play hard on the weekends.
Alright, I'm procrastinating again... gotta get back to da books.
~Adam~
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naturalhigh
Mar 18, 2003, 5:09 AM
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this is a question that I wrestle with day and night... you think I'd have it figured out by now, given that i'm commited to be in grad school for the next 5 years, but no. I debate becoming a professional researcher or working as a guide for the rest of my life... my current plan is to get my PhD, go into private industry, make beaucoup bucks while living cheaply (hell, I live on less than 20K now... and still afford trad! =D ), then retire early and continue to live cheaply and live for climbing. maybe go to work as a guide then... or work with the FS...
heh
can you tell I don't know what the hell I'm doing?
seriously, strike a balance. my trick now is work as efficiently as hell - cram two weeks worth of research into one week and then take a week off =) hell ya!
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northerntouch
Mar 18, 2003, 6:05 AM
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I know that obviously some people can't handle it for some reason, but if climbing is what you like doing, why do anything else just for money. I recently left a good job and have turned my life upside down to teach climbing and hopefully become a guide. I'm pretty broke now, I live month to month. But I have never been happier. You know that feeling you get when you risk it all on the crag? Just imagine applying it to your so-called real life. It's cliche but do what you love, and the rest will follow!
Good-luck
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coldclimb
Mar 18, 2003, 6:23 AM
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I won't go into the details, as it will piss me off and make a really really long post going into the absurdities and stupidities of the education system. Suffice to say, I refuse to let my school interfere with anything at all. I would rather be bludgeoned to death by little kids while being eaten by ants than do schoolwork on my own time. I give the school eight hours, and if it can't get done then, it can't get done period.
I've got tons of quotes from famous people who didn't like schools. Einstein, Lincoln, Bob Dylan, George Bernard Shaw, the list goes on. Each of them shared my belief that the way schools are forces people who learn differently to conform to a universal standard and be judged that way.
Uh oh, I almost got started. :evil:
Everything important I learned at home, by myself. This includes how to climb, and everything I know about computers, which are my two most passionate hobbies/jobs.
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benkiessel
Mar 18, 2003, 6:23 AM
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i am going to fort lewis (fort leisure), and i get out of class every day at noon so i climb in the afternoon and i skip school when i can to climb. i figure i should climb when i can, i would rather go to school another year and like it then be a book worm and not climb.
but thats what just me.
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trenchdigger
Mar 18, 2003, 6:48 AM
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In reply to: I know that obviously some people can't handle it for some reason, but if climbing is what you like doing, why do anything else just for money.
I love climbing. I also love kayaking, fishing, diving, backpacking, etc. I've helped guide a few kayak fishing trips for a friend of mine, but I'd much rather just be out there enjoying it myself or with my friends than to be doing it as a job. Once it becomes work, it loses some of its appeal to me. I lose the freedom to go where I want to go, when I want to go rather than having people in tow most of the time.
In response to coldclimb (nice signature, by the way), there's no doubt you can make it in life without utilizing a university to obtain higher education, especially if your mind ranks near the "genius" level like most of the names you mentioned. People like that are the exception rather than the norm. I do a lot of programming for work, and it does seem that the computer skill related jobs are much less reliant on institution based education and more reliant on compuer nerds like us that actually do that kind of stuff for fun.
I'm an engineer. Some say I'm sick, but it's what I love to do. I work hard doing what I love during the week at work and school, then I play hard on the weekends.
That's what keeps me happy. If any of you truly are not, then you might want to look hard at your options and think about making some sort of change. Just keep in mind that some sacrifice now can mean big payoffs in the future.
~Adam~
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t-dog
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Mar 18, 2003, 6:51 AM
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my experience has been that you can get away real good with just studying during the week (more than average) and then going wherever you want on the weekends and not have to worry about anything.
It'll of course depend on your school and major and classes but that's been my experience.
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collegekid
Mar 18, 2003, 7:06 AM
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yep...balance is the key.
I find owning a hang board helps with the balance....in under 40 mins you can go from 0 to completely pumped. Sure it gets boring, but how else can you fit a climbing workout into your 14 hour day (combined classes/work). That's how i do it, otherwise i'd never be making the strength gains i am.
Maybe you should take the summer off and just climb as much as possible...My last summer was spent climbing and going to the gym. That left me broke and feeling worthless...motivated me to get a job and get studying asap. Now on the other hand...i have a final in 9 hours and i just spent the last 4 hours climbing at the gym.
I agree with coldclimb. If the education system we pay large sums of money to cannot get the facts into our heads in 8 hours a day...too bad. I'm not one for sacrificing myself to some "higher objective," beyond a certain limit. If your life revolves around studying, you aren't leading a balanced lifestyle. Then again, some people can deal with studying a lot. I find i'm better off doing well in classes that suit my style and doing mediocre in all else (so basically, i study very little for ALL classes, and if it sticks, it sticks.). If you're finding yourself really struggling to pass your classes, then you are in the wrong major.
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ajoys
Mar 18, 2003, 8:39 AM
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I went to calpoly san luis obispo, got an engineering degree, made a ton of money, bought the big house, couple cars etc....
Haven't worked in over two years by choice.
I wouldn't be here with out the degree but hated every minute that I was in school. I actually use to have a recurring nightmare almost every night while at school and continued to have the same night mare for 2 YEARS after I graduated. Some times I think what a big mistake it was to go to college but then I look at the last two years and what the future holds and know that it wouldn't of happened with out going to school, so I guess it was worth it.
I did terrible at school, was off an on academic probation the whole time, on the verge of getting kicked out the entire time until I graduated with a stellar 2.07 gpa. The funny thing is that I still got the top jobs, made more money then most and kicked ass in the work place, always a top performer. Everyone is shocked when they find out how lousy I did in school. Typical underachiever etc..
My outlook on life is so different compared to when I went to college.
If you think college sucks, wait till you go to work and all those holidays, and breaks between semesters/quarters is gone :)
You'll be beggin for grad school :)
Good Luck!
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notyetabigwaller
Mar 18, 2003, 10:25 AM
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DUDE. MY ADVISE IS TO NOT LISTEN TO ANYBODY! FOLLOW YOUR PASSION. DO NOT BUY INTO SOCIETYS CONVENTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU. LIVE YOUR DREAMS NOW AND DO NOT WISH YOU WOULD HAVE. LIFE IS SUBJECTIVE AND YOUR PASSION IS YOUR PATH! "truth is the greatesr error" (Nietzsche). Only you can decide what life is for you.
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koto
Mar 18, 2003, 12:20 PM
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Yep this struggle is mine too, I'm a Law student who has to work nights to survive, any money that I dont spend on survival goes on climbing gear, although I should be saving for a car that goes.
My inspiration to continue study is this:
1. Two older brothers who are bums.
2. A mate who dropped out of university for two years and backpacked New Zealand and stuff, only to realise that you really do need a degree.
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mowz
Mar 18, 2003, 4:11 PM
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Hey man, I feel you. I'm a senior in college right now and it's very tough to study while your head is in the clouds (or on the pavement, if you're a runner like me). I would love to have no other priorities other than climbing and running and watching Survivor. But, there's reality. What will you do for money? Money is not the most important aspect of life. It doesn't even come close. But then again, we live in a society where money=survival.
Sure, you can backpack around, wait tables for money, stay at hostels, climb for life, you might even get a sponsor if you're good enough. But what if you get injured, or, for goodness sake this doesn't happen, you don't feel like climbing anymore? You'll have no degree and probably end up slinging burgers or working some other low end job.
If I were you, I would tough it out, do your best, climb during free time, snag a job after you get that degree in Biology (no, I'm not a Bio major wink, wink), and spend money on a crappy apartment while you accumulate great racks of gear and travel many places to climb. But don't stress out either. Just get that paper.
Remeber, "C"s get degrees :D
-Mowz
P.S. God helps too
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boulderpaul
Mar 18, 2003, 9:03 PM
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college is for losers, when i get out of high school im going to bishop and its gonna be beast. pshhh going to college is stupid.
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whitenight
Mar 18, 2003, 9:13 PM
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Buckle down and finish this semester. Then don't take any classes this summer. Life the life of a climbing bum for the summer. Ask yourself if climbing is what you want to do for a career, or is it your hobby? I don't think that I could ever be a guide or make climbing a career, that doesn't mean I don't want to climb all the time. I just would rather make money other ways and spend it on my hobbies. What is your major? Have you ever thought about majoring in outdoor education or something else more related to your passion about climbing? You're young and entitled to change your mind several times! Good luck! :D
edit: boulderingpaul - college is not stupid nor is it for losers. College may not be for you, but I am sure that I have made the absolute right choice by going to college. You should try it out for at least a semester, the friends I have made and experiances I have had outside the class room are the best part of college. That ends today's after school special. :D
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rokshoxbkr19
Mar 18, 2003, 9:31 PM
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I battled with that today. The sun was shining and my gear was in my backseat. I headed away from campus and remembered a test I had tonight. I reluctantly and painfully turned around and went to class. All I want is to climb forever, but my girl says she won't marry me unless I have a degree,lol. OH WELL, by the way she supports all my climbing to the end. Peace
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da5id
Mar 18, 2003, 10:57 PM
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i used to wrestle with that, but then i got to the second semester of my senior year in high school, and suddenly the choice became soooo clear. CLimbing alll the way!!!!!!!
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alpinist
Mar 19, 2003, 12:16 AM
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I kind of had the best of both worlds. While I was going to school I taught rockclimbing. I got to study but I also was required to climb a certain number of days each week. Being educated is worth more than the paper you recieve at the end of it all. Having that degree just shows others that you actually know how to think and you have proved it. Study, climb to keep your mind and body healthy. The mountains and rocks are not going anywhere. Without an education, your options may be limited. I say never limit yourself. Even if you don't work in your field of study, you will use your education every day of your life (even the days spent climbing).
Cheers
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mreardon
Mar 19, 2003, 1:33 AM
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You'll definitely have less time climbing when working then you do while in school. Balance the two and you'll do fine. I went to law school and got a handful of degrees on the way while still getting out and climbing almost as much as I wanted to. I now own my own business making films that I never could have done without the degrees and work experience. Even better, it's less of an issue to go out and climb when I want to now. Follow your own path, but I say get the degree while you can.
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xanx
Mar 19, 2003, 1:50 AM
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lets keep the ignorant posts to a minimum here. unless u climb as hard as the big boys (i.e. u project nothing short of v13/4.14c and get even those rather quickley) u are gonna need some income. college really maximizes the income u can make later in life (besides, wouldn't it suck to get injured and not be able to climb ever again having skipped college? i know someone who broke his finger weird and can't climb). decide what life u want and go for it, but college cerainly leaves u with A LOT more options.
college isn't for losers. funny, i would call the school janitor more of a loser than the lawyer with a 6 digit salary who can afford to take trips all over the world to climb.
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iliketobeoutside
Mar 19, 2003, 4:00 AM
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Hey thanks everyone! the path is getting clearer. I am in the process of switching my major to recreation and parks mgmt. I am always up for more advice if people are willing to give it. Thanks
Jamie
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