Funding

[baseknut 0]

I am a college student, currently in AFF training. What sort of jobs do you guys have that fund this expensive sport.

and when was your first jump, what age?

Step into my (sub)terminal Playground

[AggieDave 6]

I started when I was a sophomore in college. I funded jumping by packing. I also stopped a lot of extra stuff I did with other money I made. I quit going out, eating out and stuff like that.

Its not hard to do, if you're willing to work hard and make some sacrifices in your personal life. Mainly its about working hard. It also helps if you're packing at the DZ you'll get to know everyone at the DZ. Then you'll find that folks will sometimes have old gear that they will loan you to help out the starving college student jumper.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[moonglo 0]

I started jumping less than a year after graduating college, and have been laid off 3 times since. After making my first 2 jumps I moved into a smaller apartment and got a roommate, I stopped going out to eat or to bars and clubs, and I asked for and got a raise at work. Then I did AFF. Later on I also learned to pack and I worked manifest. It's all about priorities! I can drink and party at the DZ, and since I wasn't home much it didn't matter that I no longer had a nice apartment to myself.
Edited to add: what AggieDave said about locals taking pity and loaning you gear is true and good, but I packed for a rigger/dealer and got a really nice deal on a used set up instead and a few free jumps to use it.

[crazydiver 0]

I currently fund my jumping and college education by doing tandems, video, and rigging, but when I first started, I was in high school. I began packing parachutes and then started AFF. I also worked 20 hours a week at various jobs during high school. But the majority of funding for jumping and buying gear was from packing at the DZ. Learn to pack. it will pay off even if you are just freelancing.

Cheers,
Travis

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

I go to college full time and work full time. I don't regret a dime I have spent so far in skydiving.

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[cHoDaBoY 0]

watch the movie Cutaway, and then you will realize where most skydivers get their money

Q. Why do birds sing?
A. Because they dont have to pack when they land

[Orange1 0]

Quote

I go to college full time and work full time.

??? how does that work?



& why is this thread in gear and rigging...?

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[flyinghonu 0]

Quote

Quote

I go to college full time and work full time.

??? how does that work?

It's called WORKING YOUR ASS OFF and getting very little to no sleep....oh yeah, social life? - forget about it.

"Excuse me while I kiss the sky..." - Jimi Hendrix

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

It's not terrible difficult. Work 7-4 weekdays, school 5-(9)10 M-T-W-T. I take all night classes and about 12 credits a semster (plus summer classes). It doesn't really bother me that it will take me 5 years to complete school instead of the normal 4.

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity

[airtwardo 7]

I was already an Instructor when I went to school...
(Age 19) and organized a lot of local demos for the city and the school....so I actually got PAID for a lot of the logbook pages I filled. That and 'part-time' work during the week made for a fairly comfortable existence back then!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Orange1 0]

just sounded contradictory to be working and studying both full time... over here we call night classes "part time"

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[Mostly_Harmless 0]

Most of my studying is done on weekends (I am too beat when I get home from school at night to do HW). At my school full time means 12 credits or more. But now that the seasons is starting up and my weekends will be filled with jumping things are going to get ugly once again

_________________________________________
www.myspace.com/termvelocity