Industry News
In response to one of my more recent articles: “15 Reasons Why I Won’t Date A Guy Who Can’t Ski”, I realize that sometimes you just happen to fall for a non-skier. However, as winter approaches you may find yourself wondering why you ever dabbled in the non-skier boyfriend/girlfriend territory. Choosing whether to teach your non-skier S.O. how to ski (otherwise known as how to get your S.O. to hate your sport) or to just ride solo poses a predicament. As you ponder this decision you may have PTSD flash backs to your own days on the bunny hill, recall the story of your uncle’s failed attempt at teaching your aunt how to ski, or remember your dad’s advice: “Just buy them a private lesson and ditch ’em”. But no matter what your worries might be, if you’re stupid in love with a non-skier then I guess you have no choice but to teach them how to ski. But be careful my little hopeless romantic, because this will be the ultimate relationship test that you’ve been faced with to date. But have no fear, I have a few sure fire tips to make your time out on the slopes with your non-skier S.O. actually fun! So keep it light, ride lines tight, and remember…shred buddies make the best bed buddies.
So, my numero uno piece of advice is make sure you actually love this person, and I mean actually! Bringing a wishy-washy S.O. out on the slopes for the first time is scary business. Your communication skills and patience levels as a couple need to be dialed in before you throw a never-ever, a pair of planks, and a chairlift into the mix.
Secondly, keep in mind that your S.O. is going to need more than one day on the bunny hill before they hit the actual slopes. You may get caught up in the excitement of finally getting to shred with your S.O. and suggest that you try an actual run. But you have to remember that your excitement could get misconstrued as pressure, and no one likes a monkey on their back while they’re trying to ski, let alone learn how to ski!
The classic mountain couples fight is often brought on by one party’s frustration and the other party’s inability to grasp this frustration. To avoid this situation, be able to understand when it is time for a break and regroup session. If you sense any feelings of disappointment bubbling up, just remain positive, and take that time to take a lunch break and reassess the basics (in detail and slowly!).
The Lazy Man’s Advice (or possibly The Smart Man’s Advice): Just buy your S.O. a few lessons. This way they can receive professional instruction, and you can both avoid the potential tension and drama whilst remaining a couple!
