Blog Post 3: Explore, Experience, and Save

Now that we are officially into fall and summer is behind us, it’s time to start thinking about winter. Some Vermonters will start to plan vacation get-a-ways to warmer locations, but for the true Vermonters, myself included, we start dreaming about the first snowfall.

As a college student, I am exposed to many opportunities. For example, last year I bought a pass to Smuggler’s Notch for just 65 dollars. A Smugg’s pass for an adult starts at $589. The college discount is unbeatable. It pays for itself after just 1 use! Another really awesome benefit about going to Saint Mike’s is that each weekend you can get a free ride to the mountain through the Wilderness Program. For many students here, this is a very inexpensive way to learn to ski or ride.

Although the deal was incredible, I looked at other options for this winter. I found out that there are college discounts at almost all of the mountains. Some deals are better than others but nonetheless, college students are lucky to have these markdowns. I think it is extremely important to take advantage of them while we can.

This winter I will be riding primarily at Jay Peak and Burke Mountain. The pass I found and decided to purchase is called The Judge. It covers both mountains and cost me $199, oddly enough the same price as a Jay Peak pass alone.

The Judge is sold in tiers. The first tier sells at $199 and the price rises from there. Basically, the earlier you buy, the better the price. If I wasn’t a college student and wanted to buy the same pass, I would be paying at least $849, which is four times as much as the discounted cost.

Discounts are offered for other people as well. For example, Jay Peak has two age groups for Senior discounts, the 1^st group includes those from 60-69, and the 2^nd group is anyone over 70. There are also discounts for Juniors and Children.

As a college student, it is so important to me to experience things and take advantage of what is offered during these four years. These discounts cannot be overlooked. I’m already in my second year. My college career is going to be over quicker than I will ever believe possible.

Once I graduate, I will be paying a lot more for the exact same experiences. That’s how these companies and locations can afford to offer these great deals. Not everyone will stick around and continue to buy passes after college, but at least some will.

My suggestion to all of my readers is to take advantage of discount pricing, no matter what your age. Try something and if you don’t like it try something else. Your loss will be a lot less when you aren’t paying full price. You never know, you might fall in love with a new store or hobby.

Blog Post 2: What Your Age Says About You

First off, a quick explanation of the Generation Divisions:

Most recently recognized is the generation called the Millennials. This division includes all people born since the beginning of 1995, myself included. 

Before my generation came Generation Y, made up of everyone born between 1977 and 1994.

Before Generation Y came Generation X. Generation X includes everyone born between 1965 and 1976.

And finally, the eldest generation recognized today, the Baby Boomers. The Baby Boomers are those born between 1946 and 1964. 

Each generation is different, obviously. One huge difference between them all is their age and which stage of life they are in. For example, the Baby Boomers are all either retired or reaching retirement and have a clear, defined set of values and beliefs while the Millennials are still defining the values and beliefs most important to them.

Starting with the Baby Boomers, let’s explore the characteristics of each generation. The Baby Boomers are the wealthiest of all generations. Concerns for this group include what they’ll do once they’re retired, staying healthy and having a good physical appearance, as well as banking and in some cases, budgeting.

Generation X is different than the Baby Boomers in many ways. For one, there are far fewer people in this division than the previous one. These people also have less money than the Baby Boomers. Generation X appears to strive for a well-rounded lifestyle, valuing things such as independence, family, and not spending large amounts of money.

Many of the values changed for Generation Y. For example, the focus on and understanding of caring for our planet and environment has become increasingly important. This generation is also very concerned with personal experiences. Members of this generation are often described as optimistic and ambitious, as well as tech savvy.

The Millennial, the youngest and newest generation, has great potential in today’s world.  Because it’s a new division, their values and interests are far from set in stone. However, their concern with the environment and making the world a better place is very distinct and is likely to stay with them as a defining aspect.

Although there will always be some variation and no generation is easily defined, this overview gives us all a pretty good look at what our age says about us. These traits are used by many people such as Marketers and Developers. Developers take into account our behaviors in the past, as well as, our interests and what matters to us when creating new products and services. Marketers benefit from having this information because they can use it to target a certain generation by using different marketing approaches and focusing on different aspects the product or service has to offer.

Millennial

Generation Y

Generation X

Baby Boomers