How do you full-time working adults manage to skate?

[xgskate]

Just started working full-time. And after a move, haven't settled down enough to start skating yet. Haven't skated for a few days, already missing it. Just wonder how other people manage to continue skating with a full-time job.

[icedancer2]

A LOT of people skate before they go to work in the morning or in the evenings and weekends.

I no longer work full-time but when I did I would:

1) find a way to skate at lunch (worked very close to the rink although I didn't plan it that way - it just so happened that this great rink was 5 minutes from my work and they had a noontime dance session. It took some begging sometimes to make it work :)).
2) go before work
3) skate on my weekday off
4) skate on weekends - our rink has dance and freestyle sessions on weekend mornings and believe it or not sometimes afternoon publics are not that crowded.

I basically have worked my career so that I can still make money and still skate - but it has taken years to do so. The problem being that you have to work to make the money so that you CAN skate - it's an interesting tradeoff.

[SkatEn]

Just started working full-time. And after a move, haven't settled down enough to start skating yet. Haven't skated for a few days, already missing it. Just wonder how other people manage to continue skating with a full-time job.

I'm interested to know too, considering I'll be working in a few years time(I'm 18). I sometimes see adult skaters at the rink early in the morning. Sometimes in the evening. Isn't it tiring? Do you lug your skates to work or store it there?

Sorry, curiosity...

[Elly86]

It is tiring, but I think that if you really love and want it, you'll do it. Skating for many adults is a way to "escape" and relieve stress. The rink I skate at recently added sessions in the evenings, which is so convenient for me, and I also try to skate on the weekends. I've found that skating helps me a lot in the "real world." I try to forget about everything else during that session and just focus on skating. Afterward I feel better and can deal with things better too. So that alone is enough for me to drag myself to the rink!

[doubletoe]

I am not a morning person at all, but unfortunately, it's the 6:30am freestyle session or nothing for me, since I work from 9:00am to 6:00pm. I tell myself everyone on the east coast is already at the office, so it can't be *that* early, LOL! As for the logistics, I get up at 5:00am, have a hot shower and make my coffee, then head to the rink. Before my office moved closer to my home, I used to bring a change of clothes and change at the rink after skating, then go straight to the office. Now I can stop by home on the way to work and change there.

On weekends, I do a freestyle session at a much more reasonable time and enjoy it thoroughly! :)

[Stormy]

I am lucky in the fact my rink is completely adult friendly and has adult only sessions three times a week, two hours Mondays and Wednesdays at night and on Saturday. Before I was with this club, I skated on the weekends and before that, did mornings before work. You have to find a rink and schedule that works for you around your work schedule and make it happen. :)

[RoaringSkates]

I skate on Friday evenings, on club ice, at around 6:30pm - depends on traffic. When that rink closes for the spring, I switch to Tuesday mornings at 7am. For those Tues mornings, I drive an hour in the wrong direction, skate, then drive in a completely different direction for an hour to get to work. When I get to work, I do the "baby wipe" method of showering.

I also skate on Sunday mornings.

Skating while working full time day jobs is hard, because there's not a lot of evening ice. There is early morning ice, but as you can see, it's not near where I live or work, so that makes for a lot of driving and some very early wake-up times.

I do schlep my skates to work. On a moderate weather day, I leave them in my car. But if it's hot or cold, they come inside with me. And everybody asks why I have so much stuff. :lol: They think I'm going on a trip.

But I think the hardest thing about skating as a full time working adult is that I need to steal time from my family in order to be able to find time to skate, and it's not a tiny bit of time - it's an hour to get to the rink, an hour to skate, plus time to put skates on and off, then an hour drive back - that's three hours, minimum, for each day I skate. If I skate after work, I don't get to put my daughter to bed. If I skate early in the morning, it impacts her as well.

[RachelSk8er]

I work full-time and go to law school at night.

When I don't have classes (summer, holiday break), I skate as much as I can, and it varies depending on the rink schedule. Right now I do 2 mornings/week before work (7-8am is our ealiest session in summer), one evening after work at 6:10pm, and an hour or two on Saturdays.

When school starts again in the fall and I have class every night, I only manage to skate an hour and a half (sometimes 2 hrs if I get my butt moving) Friday mornings before work, and 2 hours on Saturdays. I sometimes would pick up an ice dance session on Sundays.

Work is pretty flexible as long as I'm in no later than 9am and out no earlier than 4:30. So if I skate before work, I go in to the office from 9am-6pm. If I skate after work or have class, I work 7:30am-4:30pm.

And I always pick up extra ice during the day if I can when I take a day off of work. When school is on breaks or classes get cancelled, I'll do extra mornings or evenings depending on rink schedules and my coach's schedule if I want an extra lesson.

I do roller derby now, too....obviously I do not have any kids and a supportive significant other (who spends his time golfing and playing cards).

I bring my skates to work. If I skate before work, I always bring them in so they can air/dry out under my desk, particularly when the weather is hot. (Wet skates in hot dark trunk...I don't want to think of what will grow in or on them, and it's not good for them). If I'm skating after work and it's not hot out, I leave them in the car. Between figure skating and going to roller derby or just roller skating for exercise after work, in the summer I almost always have a pair of skates under my desk all day. (Don't want to leave those in the car in the heat either.)

[Petlover]

I skate every morning before work, since I have to be very flexible and can't count on getting off work in time to skate afterwards.

Also, skating before work relaxes me. The rare days I don't skate before work, my co-workers always know and call me Grumpy :).

[Bunny Hop]

For some of us, it's near impossible to actually manage to skate. Some people are lucky enough to live in areas where there are a number of rinks to choose from, or rinks near their home or work, or they don't have to work business hours etc etc. For the rest of us, we just don't expect to make much progress in skating.

I can only manage to skate once a week, as circumstance don't allow anything else. I officially work 9:30-5:30, and the nature of my work means I have to be in the office on certain days and during office hours, so I can't, for example, come in later and work late to make up for it (impossible anyway, as the building is locked at 5:30). I do, however, get flexi-time, which can be taken as full or half-days, up to a maximum of two days in a four week period. I therefore take a half day each week for skating, and make up the time by coming in early and/or taking half hour lunches on the other days. I then skate an hour's patch (freestyle) session, followed by 2 hour public session. That's basically my only option, other than not skating at all, and I use up all my allowable flex-time to do it.

I can't skate early mornings as I'm not eligible to skate on patch before 9am, and in any case I would probably find it too intimidating. I'm grateful to be allowed on 9:30 patch though, as going strictly by the rules, I shouldn't be allowed on that session either. Fortunately my coaches used their discretion, as those sessions are usually quiet with mainly adult skaters, and I'm very careful not to get in anyone's way.

The rink is a minimum half hour drive away, so skating at lunchtime is out, even if I had access to a car, which most of the time I don't, and there are no closer rinks. I won't skate on weekend patches because it's too busy - I wouldn't get anything done as I'm low level and nervous. Evening public sessions are full of teenagers (there are usually security guards on duty outside the rink!).

So yeah, working full time and skating as well requires a lot of things to work in your favour, and most of those things are outside of your control!

[Mel On Ice]

time management, supportive family, weekend ice, have skates and clothes in car

[Kat12]

When I can! There aren't any rinks near me that offer evening sessions on weekdays, and no rinks near where I work that offer lunchtime sessions, and now weekend sessions are limited, so....it's not pretty until fall again!! I pretty much get to one session a week right now...

[jazzpants]

time management, supportive family, weekend ice, have skates and clothes in car
What Mel said... (AHHHHH!!!! My glory days.... :cry: )

[stacyf419]

I echo all of the above as a full-time working adult who squeezes in skating. I wish I could have my college years back when I had SO MUCH TIME, even taking a full course load and working part-time. Why were there so many more hours in a day back then?? ;)

[doubletoe]

I echo all of the above as a full-time working adult who squeezes in skating. I wish I could have my college years back when I had SO MUCH TIME, even taking a full course load and working part-time. Why were there so many more hours in a day back then?? ;)

Yeah, but have you noticed how you never have both time AND money at the same time? The only times I've ever had a schedule that gave me lots of time to skate were when I was either a starving student or unemployed. :roll:

[Kat12]

Or, for that matter, opportunity! I went to college in a postage-stamp sized town and never had a car, so getting to a rink would not have been an option, even had I been interested in skating then...

[rsk8d]

How about working almost full time with 2 kids under 4!!

I get by on 1- 1 1/2 hours a week on the ice training for a 3:40 program. How?- not much of a clue! Actually, I bring my kids to my office (big sports performance complex) twice a week for intense off-ice strength and conditioning. They can run around while I sweat! Too bad they can't run around on the ice while I skate... That's the only way I can train my stamina (which has never been stellar due to reduced lung capacity) without being on the ice.

This is why I'm such a big proponent of the correct off-ice training. If you have enough core stability, strength, and stamina, you don't have to skate a lot of hours on the ice. With good technique, you can repeat things in little time by compelmenting your skating with strength training. Yet, if you're trying to perfect something new, that's a different story. I'm having a hard time prefecting all of the new spin variations, as I don't have time to practice them!

[stacyf419]

Yeah, but have you noticed how you never have both time AND money at the same time? The only times I've ever had a schedule that gave me lots of time to skate were when I was either a starving student or unemployed. :roll:

Too true!!! (heavy sigh) I need to somehow become independently wealthy. :cry:

[jp1andOnly]

I try and schedule my skates just after work. I dont want to go home, sit for a bit and then go back out. I take transit and that would be far too much running around. Some sessions are a bit later so I stay at work later (I'm a teacher) and other days I'm pretty much running right after work. Occasionally meetings come up that must be scheduled so I have to miss. C'est la vie.

I also skate on Sat morning (no sleep ins) but it allows me anotehr day of skating.

Just to add...I will ALSO be doing my masters come fall. Now that will really add to some fun scheduling

[MQSeries]

I'm interested to know too, considering I'll be working in a few years time(I'm 18). I sometimes see adult skaters at the rink early in the morning. Sometimes in the evening. Isn't it tiring?

It's no different then people who go to the gym in the morning before work. Some rinks even have a bathroom with showers.


Do you lug your skates to work or store it there?


When I skated I was lucky to only live 3 miles from the rink. I went home after the morning skate to get ready for work.

[doubletoe]

It's no different then people who go to the gym in the morning before work. Some rinks even have a bathroom with showers.


And the good thing about ice skating vs. other workouts is that you are in a cool place and won't be drenched in sweat as long as you peel off layers!

[Kim to the Max]

I am lucky, I have a very flexible job (I am salaried and work in a residence hall, where I could potentially work 24/7 if I wanted)....as long as I work my 37.5 hours a week, and I am getting my job done, no one really questions that I leave some days at 3:30 to go to the occasional session at the rink on campus or when I leave at 4pm to go coach at 5. Plus the fact that I am entering my 5th year in my job doesn't hurt anything :)

The only issue I have is that I also need to participate in an on-call rotation, which means that for the weeks I am on duty, I am not supposed to be more than 15 minutes from campus and need to be back by 8pm (yes, I am 29 and sometimes have a curfew, it sucks). If I can't get anyone to cover the phone for a few hours, I can't go skating at my regular rink. Luckily, my colleagues are pretty good about helping out.

The other piece is that there are times during the year where things just get so busy that there is no way I can skate (unless I get up and go for the 6am session, which I try, but because I work from 8am-midnight those days, I don't like it). Luckily, that is only a couple of times at year, mainly during our training/opening and closing periods.

I am looking for a new job currently (after 4 full years in one job, I need a new challenge!), so it is making me worried that I won't find another position in this area that is as flexible with hours...I will however, try to negotiate leaving early at least on T/Th :)

[pedonskates]

I am a physician, but we are on call for 7-10 days in a row. I can't be more than about 30 min from the hospital in case a kid gets really sick.
When we had a rink in town I would skate 6-7 am. Most of the time the patients weren't awake yet to figure out something was wrong, and the residents knew not to bug me during that hour unless crucial.
Now that the rink is way over an hour away I can only skate the weeks I'm not on call. Grrrrr. Hopefully a rink will be built soon. Right now my share of the call is 20-23 weeks a year.
I definitely prefer skating in the morning. It's easier to get things done that way. Plus standing on my feet all day makes them puffy and skates don't fit as well at night.
I don't have kids but do have a menagerie of pets to deal with. A maid or a personal chef would be ideal!!!

[fsk8r]

I'm currently lucky in having a relatively stress free job and flexitime with an ability to work 9 days out of 10 work days. So every other week I have a Friday to skate. That's REALLY nice. Other than that, it's really early mornings (5am wake ups) and making sure I'm out the office on time. I've been known to clock-watch through meetings (I've had understanding bosses). The days I don't skate, I work longer hours to make up for all the flexing. It's normally OK, but when synchro starts demanding off-ice before practice it gets a bit fraught as I start having to get up earlier on my non-skate days to get the hours in.
I'm currently looking at the prospect of maybe being made redundant and needing a new job. Whilst this doesn't scare me from the work front, there's two questions to answer, how to skate without any money and how to skate when I get a new job which ain't quite so understanding or not quite so convenient for the rink.
The trouble with the skate schedule at the moment, is that there's not enough time for anything else as I need to start time managing my remaining time, and I like to have this thing called sleep (sometimes!).

[katz in boots]

And the good thing about ice skating vs. other workouts is that you are in a cool place and won't be drenched in sweat as long as you peel off layers!

:lol: You haven't seen me ! :lol: I look like I've been for a swim! Layers? I wear a light warm up jacket which comes off after about 5 minutes, and t-shirt & pants. For some reason I sweat a lot on my head. Despite a moisture wicking headband, my hair is dripping wet with sweat after every session.

Working full time, it has been a matter of really wanting to do it.
I skate public sessions Saturday & Sunday mornings and used to do Wednesday night after work. Wednesday nights I was exhausted and rarely skated well. But I needed that midweek session to keep my 'ice feet' so I could really work on the weekends, and it was the only time I could skate to my program music or dance music.

My husband knows I need to skate to stay sane, so he tries not to complain too often. Daughter used to skate, which made it easier, but now she won't get on the ice, so it's hard when husband has to work & daughter has to come with me.

At the moment I am not working Thursday mornings, so I am having an hour private ice with new coach instead of Wednesday evenings. Much better. I feel so good all day if I can skate in the morning. Just the issue of getting up early in mid-winter.

[mintypoppet]

I have a local rink with a good timetable, and a supportive employer. I can start work late as long as I stay late to make up the hours, so I do that two days a week. Then I skate both Saturday and Sunday during the day, and one weekday evening after work. (On the other six evenings, I have a second job - which pays for the skating!)

I've never found it an issue in job interviews. I tell prospective employers that I skate, and they are normally very supportive of a healthy work-life balance. I can't imagine how anyone can skate and study though - I worked longer hours when I was at university and had zero disposable income. Much easier now!

[RachelSk8er]

I echo all of the above as a full-time working adult who squeezes in skating. I wish I could have my college years back when I had SO MUCH TIME, even taking a full course load and working part-time. Why were there so many more hours in a day back then?? ;)

Seriously. I was stupid for not skating more in grad school when all the ice time I wanted was FREE! But all I did was our 4 hrs of synchro practice a week. And that was when skating only cost me $300/year in synchro dues because the university paid for our ice time and all our travel.

I've never found it an issue in job interviews. I tell prospective employers that I skate, and they are normally very supportive of a healthy work-life balance. I can't imagine how anyone can skate and study though - I worked longer hours when I was at university and had zero disposable income. Much easier now!

I have figure skating right on my resume (a little blurb about how many national events I've competed in, how many national medals I've won, my coaching experience and PSA ratings). I find that in interviews it's something interesting that stands out, and that they are always interested in asking about. Gives me something easy to talk about! And it shows that I not only have a good work-life balance, but that I'm hard working and competitive, and can work well with others (coaching/skating synchro).

[Debbie S]

I wouldn't put skating on your resume, especially for high-level professional jobs (law, business, etc). A prospective employer who doesn't know anything about you may worry that you'll neglect work in favor of skating (people imagine all sorts of weird things). I've only mentioned skating in interviews when I've been asked about hobbies, which doesn't always happen. And even then I try to tone it down b/c an employer may be asking that question to see if there is something that would intrude on your work commitments. Particularly in this economy, an employer will have his/her pick of people, and will be looking for someone who makes the job and company his/her highest priority.

Now, you can certainly ask questions in the interview about the company culture, where you can pick up clues on work-life balance and flexibility. And when you get an offer, you can then ask about hours and such, but you don't want to start out having them think you're not a dedicated employee, so be careful.

[Mrs Redboots]

I think I disagree with Debbie - I would certainly put skating on my CV under "Other Interests", along with being a preacher, and any other voluntary work I might be doing right now, knitting, reading, and all the other hobbies one lists under such circumstances.

Rinks have early morning training ice for the benefit of those who have to work or go to school! There is a massive clear-out at our rink between about 7:45 and 8:15 as people leave to get on with the rest of their day. After about 8:15 the ice is much quieter.

[Kim to the Max]

I wouldn't put skating on your resume, especially for high-level professional jobs (law, business, etc). A prospective employer who doesn't know anything about you may worry that you'll neglect work in favor of skating (people imagine all sorts of weird things). I've only mentioned skating in interviews when I've been asked about hobbies, which doesn't always happen. And even then I try to tone it down b/c an employer may be asking that question to see if there is something that would intrude on your work commitments. Particularly in this economy, an employer will have his/her pick of people, and will be looking for someone who makes the job and company his/her highest priority.

Now, you can certainly ask questions in the interview about the company culture, where you can pick up clues on work-life balance and flexibility. And when you get an offer, you can then ask about hours and such, but you don't want to start out having them think you're not a dedicated employee, so be careful.

In some ways, I agree, because my skating does not directly relate to my professional life. However, my love of skating shows on my resume because I serves as the faculty/staff advisor for both our synchro team and our freestyle team and that does relate to my professional life (I work at a university in student affairs, so those types of activities are both personally fulfilling, and help professionally).

[chowskates]

I'm interested to know too, considering I'll be working in a few years time(I'm 18). I sometimes see adult skaters at the rink early in the morning. Sometimes in the evening. Isn't it tiring? Do you lug your skates to work or store it there?

Sorry, curiosity...

Before my baby, and at the old rink (which closed last year), I used to skate before work, and get in late (of course I stay late too). A few years ago, I even wrote a post about a
day in the life of an adult skater (http://chowskates.blogspot.com/2006/09/adult-skaters.html).

Now with the current rink, it is impossible to do that. Some adult skaters with flexible work times do go in the morning - that is the best time. But if you do have a 9-to-5 job, the best way would be evenings or weekends. Yes, it does get tiring, but something's better than nothing!

[tapping_skater]

Returning to the OP’s question - I work full time (although luckily at a university office where work hours can be somewhat flexible, so if I get to work late one morning, I can work late to make it up), and I am also completing coursework for a master’s degree and heading into the thesis research/writing/defense stage. Plus I am “mom taxi” for my tween daughter and her own activities. Can we say “busy”? 8O

I try to skate 1-2 times a week at the university rink’s lunchtime public skate (cheap and usually not crowded). I also skate on a 6:30am freestyle session 1-2 times a week (I have to get up at 5:15am to make those sessions, ugh), and I sometimes also skate 1-2 times during the weekend freestyle sessions. I skate 30-45 minutes each time.

That’s during the school year. It gets much harder during the summer when the university rink shuts down, and the freestyle ice at the other rinks in town is scheduled during the workday (great for the kids out on summer break, not so great for working adults). In a good week during the school year, I’m on the ice for 3-5 hours. I can’t manage that much ice time during summer.

I just accept that my progress will be rather slow and sometimes erratic. At times I feel like I’m just barely maintaining skills.

I keep skates, skating clothes and rink schedules in the car at all times. Good time management skills, a flexible employer and a supportive family are vital. A coach who works well with adult skaters and their crazy schedules is most important.

As for skating in the morning before work, my coworkers are used to me arriving in skating clothes and sometimes looking rather “damp”. I just keep my distance until I can freshen up and change into work clothes!! :P

Skating time is valuable “me” time that I absolutely don’t want to give up, so I squeeze it in the best way I can.

T_S

[RachelSk8er]

I wouldn't put skating on your resume, especially for high-level professional jobs (law, business, etc). A prospective employer who doesn't know anything about you may worry that you'll neglect work in favor of skating (people imagine all sorts of weird things). I've only mentioned skating in interviews when I've been asked about hobbies, which doesn't always happen. And even then I try to tone it down b/c an employer may be asking that question to see if there is something that would intrude on your work commitments. Particularly in this economy, an employer will have his/her pick of people, and will be looking for someone who makes the job and company his/her highest priority.

Now, you can certainly ask questions in the interview about the company culture, where you can pick up clues on work-life balance and flexibility. And when you get an offer, you can then ask about hours and such, but you don't want to start out having them think you're not a dedicated employee, so be careful.

I most certainly have it on my resume, and I think it should be. Your resume should be a snapshot of your skills, accomplishments, and what you can offer, and something like a sport tells a lot about a person. Law firms and corporations want people who are competitive, want to win, can work as a team, and have the discipline and ability to balance your obligations that competitive sports teaches you. Putting that I was active in the figure skating club in undergrad and won a gold medal at intercollegiate nationals, or that I skated on and coached the university's synchro team in grad school is no different than putting that I was vice-president of this student organization in law school, president of that organization in undergrad, etc. (I'm in my 20s, I've had 2 "real" jobs, so there is plenty of room to list that stuff and keep it to one page). My law school has to review/approve our resume before we send it out for anything, and they tell us that if you have a sport you've done beyond the level of a simple recreational hobby, to put it on there for those reasons.

Beyond that, I never just bring it up in an interview for the sake of bringing it up. I let them ask about it, or work it into questions where appropriate (i.e. I was once asked in an interview what one thing in my life had the biggest impact on me, and I bring up all my years of skating on synchronized skating teams and what that's taught me). Any employer who would have a problem with the fact that I figure skate probably isn't one I'd want to work for anyway. At my current company, they send out a little blurb about new hires, and I swear just about every other person they hire who is in their 20s was an athlete in college, or is currently active in a sport or something that sets them apart from everyone else.

It's also helped me before since the skating world is small, so is the hockey world around here (I've had more than one interview with someone who either played hockey with my dad, or their kid had my dad, one of my uncles, or my brother as a coach at some point. Or in the case of my current employer, his kid always lost to teams coached by my family members). It's just like putting my sorority on my resume--you never know what connections will help you. Getting a job these days really is not about what you know, it's who you know.

[RoaringSkates]

Or, for that matter, opportunity! I went to college in a postage-stamp sized town and never had a car, so getting to a rink would not have been an option, even had I been interested in skating then...

They built a rink at my university... the year AFTER I graduated. :lol:

[Debbie S]

My law school has to review/approve our resume before we send it out for anything, and they tell us that if you have a sport you've done beyond the level of a simple recreational hobby, to put it on there for those reasons.In your case, it might be worthwhile to include b/c you've competed at a high level and did that during school, and yes, there are plenty of employers that have a preference for people who played sports in college. But for someone like me, who took up skating as an adult and does it as a hobby, it's probably best not to include. My business school (and other people I've talked to at info interviews) said that you shouldn't put hobbies on your resume b/c the employer isn't really interested (since they usually have nothing to do with the job) and the employer might worry that your hobbies might interfere with work.

[mintypoppet]

My business school (and other people I've talked to at info interviews) said that you shouldn't put hobbies on your resume b/c the employer isn't really interested (since they usually have nothing to do with the job) and the employer might worry that your hobbies might interfere with work.

My careers service at uni gave me quite the opposite advice. If an employer isn't interested in knowing about my life outside work, they will skip over a hobbies section. But if an employer is interested, they will notice if it is missing.

I do include it in my CV - not in great detail, just to say that I ice skate and compete at an adult level, and that I am involved in the organisation of two of the clubs at my rink. I've never had an interview where it hasn't been brought up by the interviewer(s), but they have always been very positive about it. It breaks the formality and allows me to talk about an important part of my life - and it allows them to see what sort of a person they might be working with, rather than just my professional aptitude.

I would guess that this is dependent on the industry and individual, but I haven't found it to be a problem at my career level.

[TreSk8sAZ]

In your case, it might be worthwhile to include b/c you've competed at a high level and did that during school, and yes, there are plenty of employers that have a preference for people who played sports in college. But for someone like me, who took up skating as an adult and does it as a hobby, it's probably best not to include. My business school (and other people I've talked to at info interviews) said that you shouldn't put hobbies on your resume b/c the employer isn't really interested (since they usually have nothing to do with the job) and the employer might worry that your hobbies might interfere with work.

I just graduated from Law School and Career Services told me the exact opposite. They had me add my hobbies back in as it was something to distinguish me from others. I'm an adult skater (got into serious skating at 19). I've had skating on my resume (and a select few other hobbies) since my 1st year. Many employers have asked me about it and not as a negative - they thought it was great and different (and yes, I got all but one of those jobs). Might be a regional thing or maybe business is different from law.

Anyway, back to OP: Lots of early mornings and giving up sleeping in on weekends. At one point I was up at 3:30 or 3:45 a.m. to get on the ice by 4:30 or 5 a.m. Skating a couple hours gave me enough time to jet home, shower, and change (I also am one that sweats no matter how cold it is, so that was important to me). At a different job, the only sessions were later in the morning so I had to go straight to work - I left my skates in the car and changed at the rink before I left. Generally my area doesn't have much weekend ice, so I had to drive to a suburb to get Saturday morning ice that was extremely crowded. But that's what had to be done in order to skate, something I wanted and was driven to do. It meant sacrificing other things, but it was something I was willing to do.

[vesperholly]

you shouldn't put hobbies on your resume b/c the employer isn't really interested (since they usually have nothing to do with the job) and the employer might worry that your hobbies might interfere with work.
I've had a few people in management tell me that a long-term hobby is beneficial because it shows the person has committment, dedication and knows how to work hard to achieve goals.

[londonicechamp]

I do not think that there is anything wrong if you want to put other hobbies (e.g. ice skating) in your resume or CV. However, bear in mind that do not over focus on this aspect during your job interview or when you have got a job, especially if it is nothing related to your job.

londonicechamp

[patatty]

I wouldn't put skating on your resume, especially for high-level professional jobs (law, business, etc). A prospective employer who doesn't know anything about you may worry that you'll neglect work in favor of skating (people imagine all sorts of weird things). I've only mentioned skating in interviews when I've been asked about hobbies, which doesn't always happen. And even then I try to tone it down b/c an employer may be asking that question to see if there is something that would intrude on your work commitments. Particularly in this economy, an employer will have his/her pick of people, and will be looking for someone who makes the job and company his/her highest priority.

Now, you can certainly ask questions in the interview about the company culture, where you can pick up clues on work-life balance and flexibility. And when you get an offer, you can then ask about hours and such, but you don't want to start out having them think you're not a dedicated employee, so be careful.

I disagree with this - as a partner in a law firm who handles a lot of the hiring decisions, I'm always looking at the non-work/school related things, to get a sense of who this person is. Good grades and extracurricular activities are important, but it is the hobbies and after school jobs that give me a picture of the applicant's work ethic and personality. Somebody who is a skater, whether a national level competitor or adult recreational skater, has to have a lot of focus, drive and perseverance. Those qualities are exactly what we are looking for, as many of our candidates seem to see the job as just another academic exercise. It also makes the interview a lot more interesting.

[Kat12]

I don't, in large part because I don't want to be judged by my activities--who knows if the recruiter once knew some stuck-up skaters, or hates musicians, or what-have-you.

Besides, when I was searching for a job after college, I quickly found that any "experience" that isn't absolutely directly related to the job you're applying for (and generally any experience that was unpaid or not job-related--that is if you learned to type or write well doing your college papers) doesn't get you anywhere either. And adding too much into your resume starts to look like you're just grasping at straws (read: desperate). I added activities like fundraising that looked like I could get out there and do something for an organization, but not anything involving hobbies.

[Scarlett]

Back to OP-

I'm in health care and therefore am a shift worker. For days, I skate the crack of dawn FS before work.

If I'm on evenings or have a weekday off, I skate a deserted PS.

Skating after work is not an option as I'm usually too tired and my feet will not fit in my boots.

[liz_on_ice]

Just started working full-time. And after a move, haven't settled down enough to start skating yet. Haven't skated for a few days, already missing it. Just wonder how other people manage to continue skating with a full-time job.

eeeeeeeeaaaaarrrrrrrrrrly in the morning 8O

[RachelSk8er]

I don't, in large part because I don't want to be judged by my activities--who knows if the recruiter once knew some stuck-up skaters, or hates musicians, or what-have-you.

I'm debating whether roller derby should go on mine for that reason. I just joined the league here. It kind of has some negative connotation I guess, but on the other hand the bouts draw HUGE crowds, a lot of people know about it. And everyone in the league is successful (dentist, a few surgeons and doctors, a few college professors, a handfull of lawyers, teachers, you name it).

[dance2sk8]

I worked full time and am going back July, 6th. I am fortunate that my new hours will be 8 - 4:30pm...meaning...I can get to the rink before 5:30, do some off ice work outs, and skate at 6:00pm. If there are later skate sessions available, I will skate two of them. I skate at least 3 sessions on Saturdays. I spend most of my time at the rink whenever I can. Like some have said before, if you love it and have discipline, you can make it happen. :D

[PinkLaces]

I work full time a 9/80 schedule - work 9 hours Mon-Thurs. Every other Friday, I work 8 hours or have the day off. I am lucky that I have a very flexible schedule (can start earlier/stay later or vice versa). I am also able to telecommute - afternoons in the summer and as needed during the rest of the year. My boss is awesome and very accodomating,

My DD skates 4 days a week. So I skate 1 or 3 sessions while she skates. We are very lucky that our rink has FS sessions every day. Some days like Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons only have an hour session. Most days have 3-4. They also have "Ice for Breakfast" on Mondays and Wednesday from 5:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. for $5. I wish I was a morning person. They will also open a rink for $10 during the day.

On my Fridays off, I skate at the rink by my house. Lots of times I am the only one.

[PinkLaces]

I've got 15 years of work experience and various jobs to put on my resume so I don't list my hobbies. I do list my volunteer experience including my stint as FSC president and test chair. I haven't held a management position in 9 years so like to show those skills in my volunteer experience.

[niupartyangel]

My work is supportive of my skating. They let me take a half day without PTO penalty for dress rehearsal of the ice show, then let me take a PTO for the Friday of the ice show (i told them i wanted to just relax and chill before evening's show time). They want me to show them pics and everything :)

I do work full time with a city/suburb train commute so the only time I can skate during the week is a 5:30-6:30 pm freestyle at this rink across the street from my condo. Unfortunatley their other freestyle hours are before 5:30 pm so i don't make it in time. On Saturdays I have my private lesson at this rink 15 minutes from my place...an hour private lesson then an additional half hour to practice by myself.

I do try to go to more public skates during Saturdays and Sundays if I have nothing else going on, if anything i get to work on the forward stroking for my MIF test and also spins in the middle area.

[Morgail]

I skate before or after work. Even those sessions aren't particularly convenient, as I usually arrive at work a little late or leave a little early. Luckily, I don't have set-in-stone hours I have to be at work. I also skate some public sessions on the weekend in the spring and fall.

Of course, I don't have kids...I'm sure it all gets ten times harder once children are involved.


Between figure skating and going to roller derby or just roller skating for exercise after work, in the summer I almost always have a pair of skates under my desk all day.

You do roller derby!? :bow: I saw my first roller derby a few months ago, and all I could think was, wow, that looks even more painful than figure skating. :)

And the good thing about ice skating vs. other workouts is that you are in a cool place and won't be drenched in sweat as long as you peel off layers!

Even when wearing just a t-shirt and light pants (or skirt & tights), I come off the ice drenched. It makes for a fun hair day at work afterwards!

[RachelSk8er]

You do roller derby!? :bow: I saw my first roller derby a few months ago, and all I could think was, wow, that looks even more painful than figure skating. :)


I skated synchro for a zillion years, so roller derby falls and multi-skater pile ups and wipe outs are nothing compared to what I've been through in synchro! In roller derby there are no blades involved and we're wearing knee/elbow/pads, wrist guards, mouth guards and helmets! Plus you're prepared for/expecting the hits and falls (kind of how in skating--most of us have had our worst injuries from falls where we trip over our toepicks while stroking and go SPLAT when we least expect it, not in falls from jumps because we're expecting and somewhat prepared for those).

[Thin-Ice]

I work an overnight shift, and one of the reasons I do is so I can go skate the latest morning FS sessions at the rinks. The nearest rink to my house is an hour away... and it's only 45 minutes from work to that rink, so that's where I practice on non-lesson days. My coach is at a rink that's about 90 minutes to two hours away.. and it's only an hour and 15 minutes from work to that rink. I only have lessons with my coach twice a week.. so I make the most of the time and work with her an entire hour. The rest of the time, I'm trying to figure ways to get more ice time. I'm a slow learner, but really stubborn, so while I may not progress as quickly as other people, at least I'm making progress.. most of the time (although it doesn't feel like it lately!).

[TiggerTooSkates]

This is where my non-traditional schedule comes in handy. . .I love the fact that I can go during weekday public skating hours and sometimes it's as though I paid for private ice time at the whopping rate of five bucks.

There's an advantage to bizarre work hours - I've found it - EMPTY ICE RINKS!:D

[doubletoe]

I'm a slow learner, but really stubborn, so while I may not progress as quickly as other people, at least I'm making progress.. most of the time (although it doesn't feel like it lately!).

Hey, Thin-Ice, are you ME? Because that last sentence sure sounds like me, LOL! :lol:

[Rusty Blades]

I work for a company which is a big supporter of amateur sports so my manager said "Work when you can." so I skate a 7-9 am competitive session two or three days a week and work 9 to 3 on skating days and 6 to 3 on non-skating days. It means every day starts at 4 a.m. but I have got used to it. I love the morning competitive session! There are usually less than 10 skaters, everybody looks out for everybody else, and it has become like family. Usually by 8 a.m. the young ones are off to school and my coach and I have the rink to ourselves.

[bebi]

I used to bring a change of clothes and change at the rink after skating, then go straight to the office.

And then, there was the day I dropped my bra in the toilet while changing for work in a rink bathroom stall. :frus:

[patatty]

And then, there was the day I dropped my bra in the toilet while changing for work in a rink bathroom stall. :frus:

Or the day that I forgot to pack the bra and had to go "commando" at work all day! I change in the rink bathrooms going to/from work every time I skate, and some of the rinks are really awful. One of my factors in choosing where I skate each day is the cleanliness and size of the ladies rooms. Some are tolerable, and some are truly disgusting. I also choose my wardrobe based on what I can roll up and put on a bench while I skate, and then put on again, and not look really bad. I avoid silk or cotton blouses and anything linen, and look for dark pants and sweater sets. Wrap dresses work really well too.

[Thin-Ice]

Hey, Thin-Ice, are you ME? Because that last sentence sure sounds like me, LOL! :lol:

Maybe we're twins separated at birth? :lol::lol::lol:

[xgskate]

The posts in this thread have been very inspiring. Now I just started my full time career and am lucky enough to have a good rink nearby to be able to skate everyday, which is more frequent than before. :P

[Kat12]

I am jealous of those of you who find weekday evening public sessions...around here they don't exist. All of the weekday sessions are around lunchtime.

[NCSkater02]

I got out of the habit of skating when I changed jobs (and went from 8 to 10 to 12 hour shifts) went back to school, and started dating a guy that was diagnosed with cancer about three months after we met. I'm taking skating as my phys ed credit this semester, so I will have to go once a week. Hopefully, it will help me get back in shape so I can start going at least twice a week in a couple of months.

[techskater]

Early mornings and lunchtimes. I skate a 6A 5 days a week and one 12P session. My lessons are at 6A on TH and F (primary coach) and 12P on Weds (secondary coach). Off ice in the evenings (no evening FS around here - darn hockey!)

[mainer]

I'm with TiggerTooSkates. For the last 10 years in two different jobs, I have been able to skate almost exclusively at lunch time on empty public sessions. I even get to run my program ad naseum. But the best perk is that since I skate guard on the weekends, I skate every day at lunch for free. My day job is as a salaried professional.

[Evelina]

I have a very demanding job which requires me to study around it for a professional qualification, that means very difficult exams twice a year. So what I do is skate from 6:00 am to 8:30 am then go to work, and in the evenings I study. I skate 5 times a week, more when I can make it. This includes weekends which means a lie in is now when i get up for work at 7:30 on a day when I don't skate. The rink is far from where I live so those days have to happen.

All this means getting up at 5am and yes my social life does not exist much outside of the rink but to be honest it is a small price to pay for all the skating I get to do. If I have to pick going out in the evening or skating for me it is not a choice, skating is the clear choice each time. I do wish I had time to do some off ice though....

[blackmanskating]

My previous full time job was from 2pm-11pm. This schedule worked pretty good for me because it allowed me to skate in the morning, go to the gym and take a nap before heading to work at 2. This allowed me to skate for almost 3 hours a day 5 days a week. I would still skate Satuday afternoons and take Sunday off. I no longer work at that job so I'm gonna have to figure something else out now. I told myself that figure skating is the only thing that can get me up at 5 am. What can I say? I'm addicted. LOL




BlackManSkating

[herniated]

Just read bebi and patatty's post about the whole bra thing and busted out laughing. It just struck me so funny. One day I forgot my underpants and had to go commando. Gross.

[londonicechamp]

Hi

Skating is not a problem for me at the moment, but will be once I manage to find myself a job when I come back from my Call to the Bar in Lincolns Inn (London) in December.

Once I start work, I probably won't know my fixed schedule for a while. That means that I won't be able to fix my lesson time with my coach. Arggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! :roll:

Also my local rink does not do lessons in weekends, including both Sat and Sun. How ridiculous is that? :??

londonicechamp