Don’t forget about safety before going full send

As a student at MSU, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that you enjoy skiing. After all, thebestcolleges.org ranks MSU as the top skiing college in the country. With Bridger Bowl 18 miles from campus, Big Sky 48 miles away, and backcountry skiing widely available, the options are plentiful. Obviously, safety is a major concern wherever you may be skiing. Here are a few tips to keep your brain and body intact while hitting the slopes:

1. Always wear a helmet
2. Make sure your bindings are set to your skill level
3. Ski with a buddy
4. Know the hill you’re skiing whether backcountry or a resort
5. Ski to your skill level, If you’re a beginner take it easy and gain confidence
6. If you’re going back country skiing, or are on the ridge at Bridger Bowl, bring an avalanche beacon

If you’re new to skiing and want to learn about avalanche safety the ASMSU Outdoor Recreation Program regularly holds avalanche education courses and seminars. In the coming weeks the ASMSU Outdoor Recreation Program will be holding a free avalanche rescue clinics, and they are also offering a three-day avalanche education course. For dates and more information visit their website at http://www.montana.edu/outdoorrecreation/.

Once you’ve made sure that you are physically safe, you can enjoy the feelings of exhilaration and freedom that comes from a good run and makes skiing an unmatched stress reliever. The relief may help students succeed in school, but the appeal of a powder day could possibly outweigh the allure of, say, calculus II.This is where skiing can become detrimental to academic well-being. Nothing puts a damper on a ski day like thoughts about unfinished assignments or the possibility of failing a class. Make sure your homework is completed and studying done before you hit the hill so you can shred with the serenity of a wise old ski guru.

Remember: keep you body and grades safe this ski season.