Winter is finally upon us. For many, this means listening to the copious amounts of  Christmas music and enjoying a  steaming cup of hot chocolate. For me, it means enjoying my favorite hobby: snowboarding. Snowboarding is clearly the superior winter activity, but I will not get into that. Snowboarding is a thrilling and exciting experience, it has taught me life lessons and has given me many memorable experiences.

First off, snowboarding has been one of my greatest tests of patience. The first time I went snowboarding was in 6th grade. I could barely make it down the bunny hill without falling flat on my face. It took almost a year for me to be able to go down the second easiest run without falling more than five times. I have suffered many bruised tail bones, as well as a broken wrist and a broken leg. Needless to say, it has been a rough road for me. Finally, after years of perseverance, I am going down all runs and doing jumps and tricks without any problems.

Next, I learned to manage my money. Yes, snowboarding has taught me economics. The art of snowboarding is fantastic, but very expensive. With most good boards costing in the upper $300s and most jackets costing just as much, An average snowboarder could easily be wearing as much as $1,500 worth of gear on a single trip, not to mention the $50 ski lift ticket. I had to learn to use my hard earned detasseling money more efficiently. I learned to save a little, then spend a little.

The  final and most important thing I learned on the slopes was to make new friends on the slopes. Every time I go to Sundown, it is another opportunity to have fun with current friends or to make new ones. Last year, I lost one of my friends, Tanner Wymer. I met him at Sundown a few years ago when my  friend Thomas Tobin introduced me to him. Tanner was a Solon student who was a football player, a track star, a fantastic snowboarder, and an all-around great guy. He would always wear a ski mask covered in fur, which made him look like the ultimate mountain man. He was a hilarious guy and a friend to many. Sadly, he passed away last year in a tragic accident. He was taking pictures on a boat during the winter when his boat flipped and he drowned trying to get to the surface in his winter gear. I never would have met him if it wasn’t for snowboarding, and I am forever grateful for that opportunity.

If you have never tried snowboarding, I encourage you to give it a try. Sundown Mountain has rental options for everyone. Maybe it will become a lifelong passion.