Heres some decent videos to help understand packing. Part 1 and 2: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5JiAegc8EOw https://youtube.com/watch?v=qyM_LkW8DVI Take your packing class, practice on student rigs or other jumpers rigs during down time like others have mentioned (I didn't because winter came so I'm being a hypocrite here, but it should help). When it's time to assemble your rig ask the rigger if you can watch him/her assemble your rig. Learn how to attach your toggles, slinks, D-bag set up, everything. Ask what to look out for, wear points. Get to know your rig intimately, it's your best friend up there. It might help with your anxiety you knowing what everything is and suppose to look like. Tip your rigger. Read your manuals, reread your manuals. The rig(s) you're practicing on might be slightly different than the way you need to pack and close yours up. I was able to put a new canopy in the D-bag first time at 27 jumps and having only one prior pack job for my A license which went well too. People were surprised, guess I was too because people doubted me but it's not really difficult if you execute what you learned. Rigger gave me a good packing lesson which helped a lot with controlling the new fabric. What I do find surprising is people with more jumps than me that don't understand their gear or don't/can't pack their own rig. I guess I'm a bit more interested in the gear. My first jump on my new rig I did a hop and pop, there was a bit of anxiety but when I landed you couldn't smack the grin off my face I was smiling all the way to the hanger. Pretty awesome knowing I can save my own life and packing my own gear made the jumping process even more enjoyable. It's like instant confidence once it opened. Good luck
