Hello from southern Maine!

[MilesAbove04072 0]

Hi guys and gals!

I'm Kim, and I live about 20 south of Portland, ME and jump at Skydive New England.
My first experience skydiving was last July, as a tandem. I knew right away that there was no way I couldn't make skydiving a part of my life. I've had a lot of loss and life changes over the past 5 or so years, and that first jump changed the way I look at life. I proceeded to make 4 more jumps (all tandems) last summer. I didn't want to start AFF that late in the year, so I'm doing it this spring/summer.

I'm excited and nervous about starting AFF, but I'm sure that's normal. I've been reading books (both informational and books about fear), and started going through the USPA online training. The forums here seem like a good resource for connecting with people and asking questions, so I look forward to chatting with some of you!

:)

~Kimberly
AFF student
5 tandems in 2014 - Started AFF on 5/10/15 - Currently on Level 2

[skymama 37]

Welcome to the forums! very normal. It's normal to biff your landings, normal to have to repeat a level and normal to be nervous for quite a few jumps. If any of those happen to you, don't let it get you down. Stay confident and make sure you ask your instructors to repeat things if you don't understand. Most of all, RELAX!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[MilesAbove04072 0]

Thanks!
I will keep reading and definitely check in once I start the course.

~Kimberly
AFF student
5 tandems in 2014 - Started AFF on 5/10/15 - Currently on Level 2

[bpomerleau 0]

Hello, I am from Poland, Maine. I just got my class A at SNE last year. I am looking forward to jumping this year. There are a lot of good people at SNE. Maybe I will see you at the drop zone. Blue Skies

[julia_b 0]

Hi all!
I'm Julia, I live in southern Maine too and I'm starting my AFF in a couple of weeks at SNE.

My very first jump was an AFF one at SNE seven years ago, and at that time skydiving for me was just a bucket list item with an asterisk “if possible, do it yourself, don’t do a tandem”.
I jumped, and being a nervous wreck I failed the level, but it didn’t really matter, I knew I’d go skydiving again.
I did a static line jump a few months after that and then took a really long break, because life had other plans. Last fall I did a tandem jump while on vacation with friends, mostly to see if I still wanted to make skydiving a part of my life, and here I am :)

Kim - I am very nervous and very excited about starting AFF too :) Chances are, we will run into each other at the dz!

[drakkar 1]

wellcome to our world

[Tela 0]

Hey Kim, you picked a great place to do your AFF. Meagan, Jackie, Freddie and the whole crew at SNE rock. I got my A last season there and honestly can't say enough good things about them.
Don't stress about being perfect or failing levels, you won't be perfect and most of us repeat levels. Hell, I redid level 1, level 4, level 5 took me 3 tries and now I'm licensed.
You can learn as much on the ground talking to people as you can in the air, and I encourage you to listen and ask questions whenever you're not prepping for a jump. Waiting and frustration are part of the journey for most of us during AFF. I'll be there almost every weekend this season, so we're sure to meet. Relax, be patient and have fun. I'll see you around and don't hesitate to ask anyone any questions. I fought "the door monster" and hearing others did too made it easier to get through. Now I can't wait to get in the door, that's where the fun starts.
-Mike

"The lizards were a race of people practically extinct from doing things smart people don't do."

[MilesAbove04072 0]

julia_b

Hi all!
I'm Julia, I live in southern Maine too and I'm starting my AFF in a couple of weeks at SNE.

My very first jump was an AFF one at SNE seven years ago, and at that time skydiving for me was just a bucket list item with an asterisk “if possible, do it yourself, don’t do a tandem”.
I jumped, and being a nervous wreck I failed the level, but it didn’t really matter, I knew I’d go skydiving again.
I did a static line jump a few months after that and then took a really long break, because life had other plans. Last fall I did a tandem jump while on vacation with friends, mostly to see if I still wanted to make skydiving a part of my life, and here I am :)

Kim - I am very nervous and very excited about starting AFF too :) Chances are, we will run into each other at the dz!

It was nice meeting you yesterday! Did you end up getting to jump? I left because I couldn't wait much longer, but at least I got 1 jump in.

~Kimberly
AFF student
5 tandems in 2014 - Started AFF on 5/10/15 - Currently on Level 2

[MilesAbove04072 0]

Tela

Hey Kim, you picked a great place to do your AFF. Meagan, Jackie, Freddie and the whole crew at SNE rock. I got my A last season there and honestly can't say enough good things about them.
Don't stress about being perfect or failing levels, you won't be perfect and most of us repeat levels. Hell, I redid level 1, level 4, level 5 took me 3 tries and now I'm licensed.
You can learn as much on the ground talking to people as you can in the air, and I encourage you to listen and ask questions whenever you're not prepping for a jump. Waiting and frustration are part of the journey for most of us during AFF. I'll be there almost every weekend this season, so we're sure to meet. Relax, be patient and have fun. I'll see you around and don't hesitate to ask anyone any questions. I fought "the door monster" and hearing others did too made it easier to get through. Now I can't wait to get in the door, that's where the fun starts.
-Mike

We may have met....? I took the ground course on 5/10, did Level 1 last Thursday 5/14, and did Level 2 yesterday 5/17.

It's been incredible so far. You're right....the whole crew at SNE is incredible. I've mostly been working with Meagan and Dustin. They have been sooooo helpful, not just in the air, but with their advice and training. It's mainly a mental game.....and a very difficult one at that.

I passed L1 no problem (not perfect, but pretty damn good). Doing L2 over again. I completely spaced out during FF and forgot the dive flow and even the damn hand signals! I've brushed it off though.....certainly wasn't a waste. It's another experience, and another logged jump, which means I'm a step closer to a better mental state while skydiving.

I'm so excited to now have this as part of my new life. I've been through a lot over recent years, and this has enhanced my life in ways that I never would have thought possible.

~Kimberly
AFF student
5 tandems in 2014 - Started AFF on 5/10/15 - Currently on Level 2

[Tela 0]

If we haven't met yet, we will. Sounds like you're off to a great start. Yes, a lot of it is a mental game "Each jump you gain a few more brain cells". Dustin is a wealth of info and is great at keeping it laid back. Meagan, oh my god, awesome, sassy, smart, great teacher and a ton of fun. I'll be up Friday for night jumps and I'm doing a canopy course Saturday, so if you're going well "formally" meet this weekend.

I'll be the long haired hippie rocking the helmet with the Rebel Alliance (Star Wars) paint job during jumping and sippin whiskey at night.

"The lizards were a race of people practically extinct from doing things smart people don't do."

[MilesAbove04072 0]

I have so much respect for what Dustin, Meagan, and the other instructors do there. I wanted to go watch the night jumps on Friday, but I'm taking a motorcycle course that night and it runs through Sat and Sun, too. I may try and go down Sunday afternoon, depending on the weather (which has really sucked!).

I'm sure I'll see you there at some point....I'll be on the lookout for your helmet!

~Kimberly
AFF student
5 tandems in 2014 - Started AFF on 5/10/15 - Currently on Level 2