endlesst0m 0 #1 September 6, 2008 Like the title suggests, I'm just trying to figure out if skydiving is for me. I'm just an average guy, I've never really been known as "the thrill seeker" in the group or anything like that. In fact, I've always been a pretty cautious person who often considers what could go wrong in a lot of situations. But certain aspects of skydiving really appeal to me. Overcoming fear, the adrenaline, the euphoria, the experience. I remember the feeling I got the first time I overcame my fear and went on a rollercoaster. I'm hoping skydiving is like that, but I'm afraid it might be scary as hell, and it's something that's meant for only the most extreme life long thrill seekers, and not so much average joes. What do you think? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Loonix 0 #2 September 6, 2008 Sounds like it's for you. Your description of yourself reminds me of me. Go for it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jclalor 12 #3 September 6, 2008 Scary as hell is fun!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
endlesst0m 0 #4 September 6, 2008 I can see how a little scariness can contribute to the adrenaline rush and fun factor, but I'm not sure if I want to do something that's "scary as hell"... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #5 September 6, 2008 You've got the curiousity - that's good. But I guess you'll find out for real when you're in the plane."That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPAWNmaster 0 #6 September 6, 2008 also reminds me of me... it might be for you. go make a tandem to get a "fun ride" and get sort of an idea if it's too much for you or not. there are all kinds of people in skydiving, including adrenaline junkie "extreme" types, and cautious, calm people such as myself. the fact that you're on here and curious makes me think you might already have decided you want to give it a shot. i know that before I even did my first jump, deep down inside i knew it was something i was going to be playing with for a long time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
denete 3 #7 September 6, 2008 Quote Like the title suggests, I'm just trying to figure out if skydiving is for me. I'm just an average guy, I've never really been known as "the thrill seeker" in the group or anything like that. In fact, I've always been a pretty cautious person who often considers what could go wrong in a lot of situations. But certain aspects of skydiving really appeal to me. Overcoming fear, the adrenaline, the euphoria, the experience. I remember the feeling I got the first time I overcame my fear and went on a rollercoaster. I'm hoping skydiving is like that, but I'm afraid it might be scary as hell, and it's something that's meant for only the most extreme life long thrill seekers, and not so much average joes. What do you think? Thoughts from a youngster follow. I used to try and get approval from other people before going out and doing what I wanted to do. Having someone else second my opinion allowed me to "blame it on them" if I was wrong. Then I started skydiving, and doing what I wanted to do. Not saying that's what you're doing, but just trying to relate my own challenges and how skydiving has helped me. On the roller-coaster thing; Were you driving the roller-coaster? Did you make it go where you wanted it to go? Using my own jumping as my basis, I think that the adrenaline rush in skydiving comes from fear (or mind-body freakout) on the first couple of jumps. After that I think it comes from doing something that is difficult, yet exciting, and rewarding. I can't tell you how many jumps that I've had where I walk away feeling like a totally different person...just because I accomplished something that I had been struggling to accomplish. If I got in a roller-coaster I would feel like I was jerked around on somebody else's vision of what an exciting ride should be like. I am also a person who considers all of the negatives of a situation...along with all of the positives. That you admit this "ability" is good. You will make a safer skydiver. You would be surprised to see how much of the skydiving community is made up of "average joes". Lots of computer geeks, teachers, lawyers, bikers, dental assistants, waitresses, classically trained singers, soccer moms, pilots, students, etc., and skydivers (yes people do make a living doing the thing they enjoy most)...but not too many accountants. So, what do I think? I think that for me, I realized that "someday" never comes. What do you do currently for entertainment? What do you do currently that you could not live without doing? - DavidSCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kr0me 0 #8 September 6, 2008 It's not just the act of jumping out of a plane from 15,000 feet though. The friends you meet in the sport are some of the best people you'll ever come across. The welcome you'll recieve makes you wonder why you never started before, and then there's the aspect of trust. Sydivers are the most trustworthy people I've ever known. You're all after the same buzz and you'll recieve help from everyone. When you jump, you take responsibility for yourself but everyone will be checking your rig and looking out for you all the way. Skydivers are life lovers and we're all in the same boat. You have to trust the people you jump with and you have to be trusted. when you have absolute confidence in your fellow jumpers, life just gets better and better. Do it, you'll never regret it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrismgtis 0 #9 September 6, 2008 Quote Like the title suggests, I'm just trying to figure out if skydiving is for me. I'm just an average guy, I've never really been known as "the thrill seeker" in the group or anything like that. In fact, I've always been a pretty cautious person who often considers what could go wrong in a lot of situations. But certain aspects of skydiving really appeal to me. Overcoming fear, the adrenaline, the euphoria, the experience. I remember the feeling I got the first time I overcame my fear and went on a rollercoaster. I'm hoping skydiving is like that, but I'm afraid it might be scary as hell, and it's something that's meant for only the most extreme life long thrill seekers, and not so much average joes. What do you think? I will tell you one fact to answer your question. No one can know if this sport is for them until they do it. You could be very muscular and tough and not be able to do this, yet the nerdy skinny guy who loves computers and video games could be out there doing 4 ways all the time and loving it. You just have to check it out, and see how you feel about. I'm pretty much that computer nerd guy and I love jumping so... Also don't compare skydiving with rollercoasters, it's pretty much in no way similar. It's nothing like that. It's actually much more comfortable.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #10 September 6, 2008 Scary as hell is wanting a forum full of strangers make a decision for you. Sorry, the kinder gentler me is away right now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kr0me 0 #11 September 6, 2008 QuoteScary as hell is wanting a forum full of strangers make a decision for you. reply] Shall I become a transvestite stalker with a disposition for eating jelly beans from the still warm carcass of dead religious leaders while humming the theme tune to Dynasty? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NickDG 23 #12 September 6, 2008 Seriously, your "current friends" will consider this interest of yours in skydiving as thrill seeking, but soon enough you'll dump them like the morons they are and make better, smarter, and cooler friends . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites AggieDave 6 #13 September 6, 2008 The more jumps you do, the more you realize that skydiving is much less about the rush and much more about the challenge of the sport. It takes 1000 jumps to get OK at any single discipline in skydiving. From there you spend more and more time trying to actually get good at that discipline. That's only one discipline. If you get bored, then you change and start retraining! So go jump and decided for yourself if you want to complete a jump or become a skydiver!--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites darkwing 5 #14 September 6, 2008 Most skydivers are quite different from what most non-skydivers think they are. Lots of regular people skydive. Try it, then you'll know. In general people are not good predictors of whether or not they will take to skydiving until they try it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites endlesst0m 0 #15 September 7, 2008 Okay then. Because what you said made absolutely no sense...like at all. But everyone has their days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LuckyMcSwervy 0 #16 September 7, 2008 Quote Seriously, your "current friends" will consider this interest of yours in skydiving as thrill seeking, but soon enough you'll dump them like the morons they are and make better, smarter, and cooler friends . . . NickD Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites CSpenceFLY 1 #17 September 7, 2008 QuoteOkay then. Because what you said made absolutely no sense...like at all. But everyone has their days. Ok, lets try it this way. You are asking a bunch of people that don't know you if you are cut out to do something. Hmmm, who is making sense now? Don't get bent out of shape, I'm just funnin' with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Wumpy 0 #18 September 7, 2008 I say try a tandem. I consider myself to be somewhat of a wimp, afraid of heights and sorta afraid of planes, def not a thrill seeker type.... but somehow friends convinced me to go do a tandem (never even crossed my mind to go before), and now I plan on doing aff as soon as I have enough money (hopefully within a year!). Go for it!Beth =) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites labrys 0 #19 September 7, 2008 QuoteI remember the feeling I got the first time I overcame my fear and went on a rollercoaster. I'm hoping skydiving is like that How long ago did you overcome your fear and get on the rollercoaster? Is this a recent thing? Skydiving is probably going to be magnitudes of order more intense than an amusement park ride, but not necessarily "scary as hell" Honestly, no one here knows you well enough to tell you what they think about your ability to so this. That's what Spence was getting at.Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites chrismgtis 0 #20 September 7, 2008 Quote Honestly, no one here knows you well enough to tell you what they think about your ability to so this. That's what Spence was getting at. Honestly, you just can't tell if someone could ever be a skydiver. It's not something you can tell by looking at someone or knowing them a bit. If you knew them very well I'm sure you have heard them say there's no way in hell that they would ever do it, but that's mostly the exception. Too many types of people are capable of these sorts of things, yet would never attempt other things. Me for example, I'm afraid of bungee jumping. Still haven't TOUCHED that crap. My parents and family has known me for 26 years now on the 9th, and were really surprised to see me fully embrace this sport.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites upndownshop 0 #21 September 7, 2008 Quote My parents and family has known me for 26 years now on the 9th, and were really surprised to see me fully embrace this sport. Except on hot sunny days in June at Chester, S.C. during a boogie. Sorry, I just could not resist. I tired I really did. And to the OP, go make a tandem, that should give you plenty of answers. And when you are done, come back here and tell us when you start AFF.Blue Skies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PeregrineFalcon 0 #22 September 7, 2008 Quote I used to try and get approval from other people before going out and doing what I wanted to do. Having someone else second my opinion allowed me to "blame it on them" if I was wrong. Then I started skydiving, and doing what I wanted to do. Not saying that's what you're doing, but just trying to relate my own challenges and how skydiving has helped me. You may not be saying that he's just looking for a confirmation of what he's already decided, but I will. He's already decided to jump and just wants to feel someone pushing him out the door. If he does a tandem and his JM is fat, he'll feel a big belly doing the pushing. To the original poster. I got a case of beer that says after you do one tandem jump, you'll be signing up for AFF. It's not a bet. It's just a toast for when you do.On a different note. Since I'm a newbie, I have question for the more experienced jumpers. Is this the kind of guy that is going to be safety oriented and altitude aware, or is that something you never can tell with a new guy? Do you get a feeling about a new guy before he jumps? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites denete 3 #23 September 7, 2008 QuoteQuoteScary as hell is wanting a forum full of strangers make a decision for you. Shall I become a transvestite stalker with a disposition for eating jelly beans from the still warm carcass of dead religious leaders while humming the theme tune to Dynasty? *shake-shake-shake* *turns the Magic 8-Ball over* "Not Likely"SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites yarpos 4 #24 September 7, 2008 a thoughtful person who think about risks and makes choices accordingly would probably, long term, make a good and safe skydiver. oh and by the way , its actually about 10 times better that you are imagining regards, Steve the older I get...the better I was Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites RkyMtnHigh 0 #25 September 7, 2008 Nope. If you're questioning it, it isn't where you need to be...atleast not at this particular point in your life. Not sure if you made a jump yet or not or if your first jump was based upon a bet gone wrong or what...but it seems to me based upon the info given that you aren't pursuing the sport for the right reasons. Just my 2 pennies..... _________________________________________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. 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NickDG 23 #12 September 6, 2008 Seriously, your "current friends" will consider this interest of yours in skydiving as thrill seeking, but soon enough you'll dump them like the morons they are and make better, smarter, and cooler friends . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #13 September 6, 2008 The more jumps you do, the more you realize that skydiving is much less about the rush and much more about the challenge of the sport. It takes 1000 jumps to get OK at any single discipline in skydiving. From there you spend more and more time trying to actually get good at that discipline. That's only one discipline. If you get bored, then you change and start retraining! So go jump and decided for yourself if you want to complete a jump or become a skydiver!--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #14 September 6, 2008 Most skydivers are quite different from what most non-skydivers think they are. Lots of regular people skydive. Try it, then you'll know. In general people are not good predictors of whether or not they will take to skydiving until they try it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
endlesst0m 0 #15 September 7, 2008 Okay then. Because what you said made absolutely no sense...like at all. But everyone has their days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #16 September 7, 2008 Quote Seriously, your "current friends" will consider this interest of yours in skydiving as thrill seeking, but soon enough you'll dump them like the morons they are and make better, smarter, and cooler friends . . . NickD Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #17 September 7, 2008 QuoteOkay then. Because what you said made absolutely no sense...like at all. But everyone has their days. Ok, lets try it this way. You are asking a bunch of people that don't know you if you are cut out to do something. Hmmm, who is making sense now? Don't get bent out of shape, I'm just funnin' with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wumpy 0 #18 September 7, 2008 I say try a tandem. I consider myself to be somewhat of a wimp, afraid of heights and sorta afraid of planes, def not a thrill seeker type.... but somehow friends convinced me to go do a tandem (never even crossed my mind to go before), and now I plan on doing aff as soon as I have enough money (hopefully within a year!). Go for it!Beth =) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #19 September 7, 2008 QuoteI remember the feeling I got the first time I overcame my fear and went on a rollercoaster. I'm hoping skydiving is like that How long ago did you overcome your fear and get on the rollercoaster? Is this a recent thing? Skydiving is probably going to be magnitudes of order more intense than an amusement park ride, but not necessarily "scary as hell" Honestly, no one here knows you well enough to tell you what they think about your ability to so this. That's what Spence was getting at.Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrismgtis 0 #20 September 7, 2008 Quote Honestly, no one here knows you well enough to tell you what they think about your ability to so this. That's what Spence was getting at. Honestly, you just can't tell if someone could ever be a skydiver. It's not something you can tell by looking at someone or knowing them a bit. If you knew them very well I'm sure you have heard them say there's no way in hell that they would ever do it, but that's mostly the exception. Too many types of people are capable of these sorts of things, yet would never attempt other things. Me for example, I'm afraid of bungee jumping. Still haven't TOUCHED that crap. My parents and family has known me for 26 years now on the 9th, and were really surprised to see me fully embrace this sport.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #21 September 7, 2008 Quote My parents and family has known me for 26 years now on the 9th, and were really surprised to see me fully embrace this sport. Except on hot sunny days in June at Chester, S.C. during a boogie. Sorry, I just could not resist. I tired I really did. And to the OP, go make a tandem, that should give you plenty of answers. And when you are done, come back here and tell us when you start AFF.Blue Skies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeregrineFalcon 0 #22 September 7, 2008 Quote I used to try and get approval from other people before going out and doing what I wanted to do. Having someone else second my opinion allowed me to "blame it on them" if I was wrong. Then I started skydiving, and doing what I wanted to do. Not saying that's what you're doing, but just trying to relate my own challenges and how skydiving has helped me. You may not be saying that he's just looking for a confirmation of what he's already decided, but I will. He's already decided to jump and just wants to feel someone pushing him out the door. If he does a tandem and his JM is fat, he'll feel a big belly doing the pushing. To the original poster. I got a case of beer that says after you do one tandem jump, you'll be signing up for AFF. It's not a bet. It's just a toast for when you do.On a different note. Since I'm a newbie, I have question for the more experienced jumpers. Is this the kind of guy that is going to be safety oriented and altitude aware, or is that something you never can tell with a new guy? Do you get a feeling about a new guy before he jumps? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
denete 3 #23 September 7, 2008 QuoteQuoteScary as hell is wanting a forum full of strangers make a decision for you. Shall I become a transvestite stalker with a disposition for eating jelly beans from the still warm carcass of dead religious leaders while humming the theme tune to Dynasty? *shake-shake-shake* *turns the Magic 8-Ball over* "Not Likely"SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yarpos 4 #24 September 7, 2008 a thoughtful person who think about risks and makes choices accordingly would probably, long term, make a good and safe skydiver. oh and by the way , its actually about 10 times better that you are imagining regards, Steve the older I get...the better I was Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RkyMtnHigh 0 #25 September 7, 2008 Nope. If you're questioning it, it isn't where you need to be...atleast not at this particular point in your life. Not sure if you made a jump yet or not or if your first jump was based upon a bet gone wrong or what...but it seems to me based upon the info given that you aren't pursuing the sport for the right reasons. Just my 2 pennies..... _________________________________________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
