Annoying Friend...

[rsmn17 0]

Not sure where to post this but, I have a friend that I started skydiving with this summer. We did our first tandems together and went through aff together...he finished, I didn't. He's got almost 70 jumps so far, I have 14 (8 tandems). When we were doing aff, I started out pretty good, then had a bad jump, developed a huge fear that I didn't have in the beginning (which really slowed down my progress), also, I started my last semester of nursing school (very time consuming), and was completely broke (didn't even have gas money to drive the 2 hours to the dz.) So when it started getting really cold out, I decided to just hold off on my jumping until the spring so that I didn't have to worry about the cold AND trying to get stable in freefall, and i would be done with school, working, and making enough money to finish aff without having to wait 2 weeks between jumps and forgetting everything I learned the last time. So, here I am, waiting for spring (and money), and I'm starting again in april after a trip to the wind tunnel. I know I made the right decision about waiting to finish aff and I know I'm coming back to it, and will finish, and get licensed. My friend, who is able to jump whenever he wants and now has 70 jumps, all of a sudden thinks he's a skygod and uses every chance he gets to make fun of me, telling me I'm never coming back, and that I basically don't have the heart to do this and that I'm soooo abnormal to have fear and problems in freefall and with landing. He forgets that a few short months ago, when we started jumping, he had more problems than me! I can understand why he (and others) think I'm not coming back, and that's fine because I WILL prove them wrong. My question is, is it normal for someone recently licensed, with low jump numbers (high numbers in his mind) to completely forget what it's like to be a student?? I have less that 6 minutes in freefall not including tandems, how good am I expected to be?? I can't wait for the day when I can make him eat his words, I just wish I could make him realize that he is not the expert he thinks he is and that I am still a student (and in my eyes, so is he). Any advice, and is this something that everyone goes through at first...i really hope he doesn't stay this way when I get licensed because if he's always 70 jumps ahead of me, he'll always have somthing to say. At least I know I'll never be like this with new jumpers because I know how it feels...and he sounds like such a fool.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

70 jumps is NOT high jump numbers... he in my opinion is a student just like me and you... hes just not on AFF anymore.

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[flyinghonu 0]

Sucky.

I personally always refer to myself as a novice jumper. I often still feel like a student and rightfully so. Personally, I feel at less than 100 jumps, shit more than that for some peeps, you should consider yourself an advanced student. I'm still getting coaching, learning different disciplines (none of which are anywhere near being perfected).

Personally, I think if you are not humble in this sport (whether you have 14 jumps or you have 14,000 jumps) the sport WILL humble you. If/When that happens to your friend, I hope he survives it.

Ignore his shit. You'll catch up to him soon enough and if you're smart about it, probably learn a hell of a lot more than him.

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

[skyfreek 1]

sounds like your 'friend' is a jackass! he/she will probably fit right in with all of us. as for you- good going on the tunnel.hang in there and show all of them that you can skydive! we all have bad jumps or days out at the dz. i can tell you that skydiving is fun, even when it sucks!

[bob.dino 0]

Sounds like the legend of the 100-jump wonder lives on .

For the record, when I first started I asked one of the instructors about being a novice. His take was that you're a novice until about 500 jumps, intermediate until at least 1500-2000, and you could potentially be an expert after that...

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Sounds like we're dealing with two issues here.

#1) Make sure you're jumping for the right reasons and jumping for yourself and not to impress anyone else. From the sound of this, yes it seems like you are jumping for the right reasons. Just don't forget it. Jump for yourself, not for others.

#2) Don't let your friend influence you. Yes he/she may have more jumps and you know what, the longer you stay in this sport you're always going to come across people with more jumps or even less jumps than you. 70 jumps is 70 jumps. Nothing more, nothing less. Your friend needs to realize that their 70 jumps puts them above the AFF student, but it's still only 70 jumps. Shit my almost 1400 jumps don't mean all that much and it sure doesn't mean anything to the Whuffo world.

Be safe ... have fun ... don't die.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[MB38 0]

Whatever, I have 43 jumps and I'm the best skydiver ever. I'm the safest, I'm the coolest and I'm the most badass. I'm gonna be flying my VX39 next weekend, my Xaos-27 is a little too slow for me right now. All you rookies need to step up and catch up with me.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[kelpdiver 2]

if you never came back, so what? 14 jumps is still a lot more than 99.98% of the country does.

I stopped (frustrated, scared), took the winter off, went to a tunnel, and finished. My buddy stopped, got a girlfriend, did lose his nerve, hasn't returned. But he always can if he wants to.

Sounds like a good opportunity for a bet with him. 'If I come back, you have to ....' Or upgrade with a new friend.

[rsmn17 0]

I am definatly jumping for myself and on my terms and yes, i'm taking my time and I'm fine with it. I even do an occasional tandem just to get back up there because I love it so much and don't see the point in doing one aff jump every month (i don't think that's at all safe). I get even more hell for the tandems than I do for not jumping at all!! I think he knows that 70 jumps is nothing, but he acts like he was never a student at all and never made mistakes. This is what i don't understand and what bothers me the most. I'm just trying to figure out if the way he is right now is something a lot of new skydivers go through and will pass, or if this is just how he is, because if this is always going to be like this, I don't think I'll even want to jump with him. I hope it passes because we've been friends for a very long time and i've never seen this side of him before. It's making me dislike him VERY VERY much!!

[lisamariewillbe 1]

One AFF a month is within guidelines for currency, I did two a month

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[rsmn17 0]

I was averaging two a month and I don't think that was enough for me. I had such a hard time getting over the fear in the plane that it completely screwed up my skydives. There was one weekend where I jumped twice in one day and once the next day. Those were the best jumps i've had and the last two were the only soft landings i've had. I got so much more comfortable with it and I really noticed how much the fear level went down which made me a lot more relaxed on the plane and on the whole skydive. So, for the USPA, once a month is all i need to stay current, but for me, it just doesn't cut it and while I think I could get through it I think having all that time in between bad jumps will just discourage me.

[lisamariewillbe 1]

I agree, but as far as plane fears, I have 59 and I am still scared shitless. I met a guy who had 14000 and when I expressed my fears, he said "Oh shit you mean I am supposed to stop being afraid ? Crap..." then started laughing, dont be to hard on yourself and dont let others either... one of the great things about skydiving is how it makes us feel for ourselves, fuck what everyone else thinks ...its about quality NOT always quanity

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[Samurai136 0]

Quote

My question is, is it normal for someone recently licensed, with low jump numbers (high numbers in his mind) to completely forget what it's like to be a student?? I have less that 6 minutes in freefall not including tandems, how good am I expected to be??

It's normal for anyone to forget the experience of being a student (newbie) in any activity. The beginning of the sport is the steepest section of the learning curve in the sport. Every jump is filled with the promise/ reward of learning what you can do in freefall.

Given time and experience your friend will mellow out, right now he's enjoying the high. If you think he needs an attitude adjustment, ask him to show you video of him turning a perfect 540 degree center point turn.

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[lisamariewillbe 1]

Quote

540 degree center point turn.

whats that? Im sure I can do it on the first try lol

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[skybytch 259]

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I'm still getting coaching, learning different disciplines (none of which are anywhere near being perfected).

Me too. When I stop being a student of the sport it'll be time to sell my gear and find something else to do.

rsmn - wanna really irritate your "friend"? Agree with everything he says to his face then go do what you want to do.

[bisqit999 0]

but did you finish nursing school? Or are you now in your last semester?

[piisfish 136]

He's a dick.

Jump for yourself and have fun. Not to show people you can jump and having fun of others.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[daniel_owen_uk 0]

Forget him, me and a friend started skydiving together, she went back to zhills over the new year she has 20 or so more jumps than me, she gives me shit about it, but it's in jest, we have fun with it,

We both love the sport and want to do well, we joke like it is but we both know that it isn't a competition.

I love the tunnel really helps with my freefall skills, hopefully it will do the same for you.

Don't try and compete, it's not worth the time and energy just have fun, that's what it's all about.

__________________

BOOM Headshot

[Eule 0]

Quote

So when it started getting really cold out, I decided to just hold off on my jumping until the spring
so that I didn't have to worry about the cold AND trying to get stable in freefall, and i would be done
with school, working, and making enough money to finish aff without having to wait 2 weeks between
jumps and forgetting everything I learned the last time.

I'm still a student myself, but for what it's worth, I think this is a good plan. Get some bucks together
and then you can hit it hard. Again, I don't have many jumps, but I agree that doing one jump a month
isn't the best idea - I think it's good that you are holding off a bit.

Maybe this guy feels he's helping you by talking trash to you - he thinks that it will motivate you to
prove him wrong. Like everybody else has said, as long as you're doing it for yourself, ignore him.

Does this guy talk trash even when you're not at the DZ? Maybe he's trying to impress somebody at
the DZ, or his girlfrind, or whatever. Maybe if you talk to him somewhere other than the DZ, you can
come to some understanding.

From your second post:

Quote

I even do an occasional tandem just to get back up there because I love it so much and don't see
the point in doing one aff jump every month (i don't think that's at all safe). I get even more hell for the
tandems than I do for not jumping at all!!

IMHO: Ignore the crap you're catching. I know a guy that started about like you, with several tandems.
Then he started AFF; he has posts on here from October 2003 during his AFF. Since then, he's got
800+ jumps, a D license, and in November 2005, he got his AFF Instructor rating. I was his first AFF
student and I'm still here, so he must be doing something right. :)

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.

[fmmobley 0]

You nailed it in the title of your post. Your "friend" is just annoying. His behaviour has nothing to do with skydiving (thank God). Next time he gives you a hard time tell him to quit being a jerk.

... Marion

[popsjumper 2]

What's up Marion...you didn't say "jerk" to me...you said "asshole".

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[fmmobley 0]

I calls 'em like I sees 'em

... Marion

[Andy9o8 0]

He sounds like a dickhead.
Want me to beat him up for you?
Come to think of it, forward this to him. I'm calling him out.

[GTAVercetti 0]

Quote

Forget him, me and a friend started skydiving together, she went back to zhills over the new year she has 20 or so more jumps than me, she gives me shit about it, but it's in jest, we have fun with it,

That is fun. A friend and myself have close to the same amount of jumps. I have surpassed her because she does not jump in the winter. She also got her license about 6 months before me. Usually, I am higher on the slot list for our DZ, which I ALWAYS point out. And this conversation ensues:

Me: "HA! I am 5 places ahead of you on the slot list!"
Her: "I don't care. Its not a competition."
Me: "Of course not, because you are losing. If you were winning, you would be saying so."
Her: "Of course."

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[hexadecimal 0]

Sounds like a moron.

Ignore him.