As the weather cools and ski resorts have opened, avid skiers and snowboarders are now being welcomed into the season. 

In Maryland, ski resorts typically open around December and close in March. Originating from the 1998 Winter Olympics, skiing and snowboarding are still very popular today among people all over the world. 

Throughout the school year, students are faced with all different types of stressors, from academic to personal stress. Many students are finding relief by spending time outside, riding down a snowy slope.

Daniel Chen, a senior at Centennial, stated, “Skiing is like a way to escape reality, it’s an outlet to vent and have fun and distress.”

Family is a major factor that draws people to try skiing or snowboarding for the first time. Many students report that they first found joy in winter sports at a young age.

Naomi Chao, a sophomore skier, said, “I like skiing because it’s a family tradition and kind of brings everyone together. My grandpa is still in really good shape so we went to Utah to go skiing for his 80th birthday.”

Snowboarding is another winter sport that is favored by students. The style of snowboarding differs from skiing in the position your stance is in. While facing sideways, the body is perpendicular to the following direction of the movement. 

Austin Roch, a senior snowboarder, said, “I like the simple styles and it’s pretty close to skateboarding.”

The contrast between the two sports causes there to be a divide between personal preference. A poll consisting of 16 Centennial students determined 10 students prefer using skis, and six prefer snowboarding. The preferred sport could depend on the person’s interest and skill level.

Oscar DeCarlo, a junior snowboarder, said, “I prefer snowboarding, I have tried skiing in the past but I just find snowboarding to be more comfortable than skiing.” 

Skiing tends to be easier to learn but more difficult to master, whereas snowboarding is harder to learn and easier to master.

Chen mentioned, “It’s easier to start skiing than snowboarding for newcomers.” 

Unlike others, Chen first gained interest in skiing during the third quarter of the 2020-21 school year. Chen saw skiing videos on social media and heard about it from his friends, which encouraged him to learn the two different sports.

Senior Flynn Shea expressed, “I have always loved being outside in the snow, and I thought it looked like so much fun to be able to glide down the side of a mountain.”

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