Skiing vs Snowboarding (IMO)

I've skied up to high school, snowboarded since until last weekend. I returned back to skiing and was a lot of fun.

I enjoyed that I no longer had to unstrap before getting on the lift then restrap after the lift. I liked that I had more control on the speed especially with a group that had a lot of diversity in skill-levels. When I was on my own, I was able to squeeze in more runs. I don't have to worry about being stuck on flat paths. I had poles to help balance.

One thing I dislike about skis are the boots. Also, I thought it was a little more tiring to ski. Snowboarding could be a little more relaxing. Otherwise, there is little else that I preferred in snowboarding than skiing except for maybe a cool/skill factor.

If you are deciding between the two, my recommendation depends on your tolerance of fear. I think it is faster to pick up skiing if you more averse to fear of falling. If you are ok with taking more risks, snowboarding may be easier. The reason is that most people afraid of falling will naturally lower their center of gravity. This is not very detrimental to skiing but makes it much harder to learn snowboarding. To add to the fear, there will be at times when you'll be snowboarding with your back down the slope. Some people feel more uncomfortable not be able to see everything.

Another factor is flexibility. You will need some flexibility to continuously unstrap and restrap your snowboard. So, you will need to be able to bend over and reach your ankles with slightly bent knees. You'll also need some agility to slide with one foot like a skateboard.