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#1
10-03-2005, 05:14 PM
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The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
I hear this advice pretty often around 2+2, and I don't think it's quite complete.
I am a junior in college, and poker is my main hobby. I play poker a lot -- and I've certainly given up some other opportunities here and there for a card game. However, I don't feel like I've missed out on college. I've met some of my closest friends through live poker games here; some (but not all or most) of my best experiences since coming here have been weekend casino trips with my poker buddies. I have a serious girlfriend and some very close friends -- some but not all of whom even play poker. I go out at night, and socialize like everyone else. My GPA is pretty damn decent... ... this all being said, poker has paid for a lot of my various expenses since coming here, and it's a hobby that 1) I enjoy and 2) challenges me. A lot of the advice on here suggests that one party or one chance to grab a freshman girl's ass should absolutely not be missed for a poker game -- and I don't think this is true. Couldn't you give the same advice to college athletes that don't plan to try to turn pro: 'don't miss college for baseball! don't miss your weekends to travel and play basketball games!' Of course, but the generally-accepted retort here is that everyone should have a hobby. Obviously there are extremes, but every time I hear 'don't miss your college years because you're playing cards', I feel like someone is trying to make me guilty for choosing poker as a hobby rather than ultimate frisbee or writing for the school newspaper.. and I think this is bad advice. 
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#2
10-03-2005, 05:19 PM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
The problem isn't that poker is a bad hobby just because; the problem is that poker is a bad hobby in college because you can always play poker after college, but just try to find any of the other countless opportunities that are now there for you after college. I'm a sophomore- I played a sh!tload of poker last year and made a ton of money for which I'm really grateful. But this year, I've barely played 12 hours in a month, and I've found that I am so happy that I haven't been missing out on all the things that have been going on that I would have missed otherwise. I'll play poker in the summer or some other time; today, I'm gonna go party with my friends, chill on the green, see an amazing guest speaker and enjoy the precious time that I have at such an amazing place.
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#3
10-03-2005, 05:23 PM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
[ QUOTE ]
today, I'm gonna go party with my friends, chill on the green, see an amazing guest speaker and enjoy the precious time that I have at such an amazing place. [/ QUOTE ] This is very cliche' (especially the 'amazing guest speaker' part), but seriously think about it for a second. I do all of those things too, but I also enjoy my hobby. Most of my friends have hobbies too. My girlfriend plays volleyball, one of my roommates is on the debate team, my other roommate spends a lot of his time at various volunteering/service/teaching pursuits, etc etc etc etc. There's time to hang out on the green and see guest speakers, but there's also time to do something that personally makes you happy -- as an individual. What about people who play a musical instrument; do you think they're throwing away their college years if they're not in a band that performs at frat parties? The piano/cello/flute will also be there when you graduate. It sounds like you're asserting that spending any solitary time on a hobby that you enjoy is a waste of college, and I think this is bad advice.
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#5
10-03-2005, 05:25 PM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
[ QUOTE ]
I don't know what ultimate frisbee is, but it sounds like it would be fun to play drunk at night. [/ QUOTE ] It's a pretty awesome game. The premise has elements of rugby, football, and soccer; the game has two teams and begins with a "kickoff" (one team throws the disc down the field to the receiving team). The receivers then must bring the ball up the field through a series of passes; you cannot run with the disc. If the disc hits the ground, possession changes, and the defense is there to try to make this happen. A team scores if one of their members catches the disc in the appropriate end zone; the game is commonly played on a standard football field (sometimes a smaller field)
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#6
10-03-2005, 05:42 PM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] I don't know what ultimate frisbee is, but it sounds like it would be fun to play drunk at night. [/ QUOTE ] It's a pretty awesome game. The premise has elements of rugby, football, and soccer; the game has two teams and begins with a "kickoff" (one team throws the disc down the field to the receiving team). The receivers then must bring the ball up the field through a series of passes; you cannot run with the disc. If the disc hits the ground, possession changes, and the defense is there to try to make this happen. A team scores if one of their members catches the disc in the appropriate end zone; the game is commonly played on a standard football field (sometimes a smaller field) [/ QUOTE ] Actually sounds pretty cool.
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#7
10-03-2005, 05:25 PM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\' Edit
[ QUOTE ]
Couldn't you give the same advice to college athletes that don't plan to try to turn pro: 'don't miss college for baseball! don't miss your weekends to travel and play basketball games!' Of course, but the generally-accepted retort here is that everyone should have a hobby. [/ QUOTE ] Playing poker in college isn't even in the same ballpark as playing college sports. Maybe you're not reading those threads closely enough to really see what is being said and to who it is being said to based on what the poster of the thread is implying. We see many who are thinking of 'quitting' or 'delaying' college because of poker. Most threads I've read are answered saying they should just make it a hobby. b
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#8
10-03-2005, 05:28 PM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
[ QUOTE ]
Playing poker in college isn't even in the same ballpark as playing college sports. [/ QUOTE ] In some senses, yes; in others, no - you didn't really elaborate here, but the inherent common ground for me is that both are pursuits that are 'meaningless' outside of their own particular contexts. They are just hobbies.
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#9
10-03-2005, 05:36 PM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Playing poker in college isn't even in the same ballpark as playing college sports. [/ QUOTE ] In some senses, yes; in others, no - you didn't really elaborate here, but the inherent common ground for me is that both are pursuits that are 'meaningless' outside of their own particular contexts. They are just hobbies. [/ QUOTE ] I don't think I've ever read where someone said not to make it a hobby. I'd like to see a link to a thread you're referring to. Most I usually see is people are foregoing college or outside activities, instead choosing to play poker. That's a little different than it just being a hobby. b
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#10
10-04-2005, 07:23 AM
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Re: The often-heard advice, \'don\'t miss college for poker!\'
as bernie and other articulated...there's a big difference between 'hobby' and 'playing so much you have no life'.
If you have a life, then GREAT. If you don't have a life because you spend ALL your spare time playing poker...then you need to stop playing so much freaking poker. This isn't that complicated really and I agree that I haven't seen any posts where anyone cautioned against making poker a casual-hobby. The fact is, there are some young guys out there who are playing so much that they barely get out, see the sun, or have any friends. Also - I really have to take exception to the lack of importance the OP is placing on getting some freshman-booty. Sex > Poker. If somehow you are prioritizing poker over sex in your life then you desperately need to re-work your priorities. If you are doing just fine and dandy in poker....and aren't 'getting any', then winning more at the poker tables should NOT be your priority. BTW - Ultimate frisbee is a great game. Haven't played forever (and I suck anyway). I seem to remember reading somewhere that Hellmuth played on a club Ultimate-frisbee team in college. not sure what the link is between poker-players and ultimate frisbee (bruiser mentioned frisbee as well in his 'long-term goals' post)
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