I am a parent who had to be convinced by my kid that a snake was a good idea. I was not necessarily opposed to snakes, just never considered them as a pet, so I had to be talked into it. My 13 year old daughter took the research-power point approach, illustrating the pros and cons of snake ownership, anticipating every possible objection and presenting a counter argument with sound reasoning. The "low-maintenance" aspect appealed most to me.

THAT SAID, I fully went into it knowing that my daughter's life and whims would very well take her into unexpected and unpredictable directions, and her snake had a 99.99% chance of staying with me for the entirety of it's life. I accepted this and was therefore fully on board with the addition to our family.

If you know now that your family is really so dead-set against having a snake, and so completely unsupportive that if you lost interest or had to leave it because of (insert life event here), that they would be unwilling to take care if it, then it would be irresponsible to press for one at this time. Move on and buy your own snake later. They'll still be around.

Perhaps to scratch that reptile itch, you could volunteer for a reptile rescue or apprentice for a reptile breeder in your area over your summers? Gain meaningful experience and interaction, without the commitment.