So this year is my first year going to snowboard. I'm gonna go a few times before my boarding trip in January. Who here snowboards? Any useful tips? Funny/painful stories?

I bought a board just recently. I'm still shoppping around for bindings and boots. Then i need a jacket and pants. =(

i love snowboarding.
the first time i went snowboarding, my friends were so shocked because they couldn't believe i was doing so well.
i heard it's really hard for first timers. but for me, i had trouble balancing myself, especially trying to stop.
i don't have that much advice for you cause i'm still a newbie myself, but just make sure you're geared up properly.
you definitely don't want to get hurt. well i hope you have an awesome time! be safe and have fun! (:

Mmm remember to use your ankles! I kept trying to stop by shifting my whole weight onto my heel. Oh I stopped alright...by falling onto my ass.

Don't be scared to fall. Annnnd have fun! I'm stilling looking into buying my own stuff. I'm kind of hesitant because I don't know if I'll go a lot =\.

dont sharpen your snowboard too much if you're starting because you're going to get a lot of edge cuts and those don't feel really good, and sounds silly but a helmet is actually quite useful also, you can ditch it later when you get better, or keep it if you decide to do rails and jumps!

I figured helmets would be better for those who know how to snowboard and are looking to progress and get better.

Stopping and carving heel-side is easy for me. my only problem is toe-side. Thats when I fall on my knees which is why i'm planning on getting knee pads. I went snowboarding last week for the first time and I got this nasty-a.ss bruise on my knee. Its fcuking huge and it still hasn't gone away.

get wristguards or your wrists are going to be sore as hell. get gloves that are big enough to fit the wristguards under too. either that or gloves that have wristguards in them. i don't think you need kneepads. i don't get how the person above me got a big bruise from just falling unless it was a jump or rail or a really crappy slope with no snow or all ice.

you dont need a helmet yet until you want to try rails and jumps.

Why does anyone discourage anyone else wearing a helmet? It's actually good practice to wear one in my opinion, regardless of your skill level.

I gave myself a minor concussion once when my board hit a patch of ice while I was turning and flew out from under me. My day was over and I felt like crap for days. Another time, I fell on a run and a crazy kid behind me actually clipped my helmet with his board. Honestly, you can only benefit from wearing a helmet.

I think getting a 'right' shoe size is important.

My legs felt like they were going to dislocate because I was shifting my weight incorrectly.

I learned to don't fall forward, but fall back, on your butt.

Pushing yourself up time after time is really tiring x_x

also, goggles will help because the reflection of the sun from the snow made my eyes hurt after a couple hours on the slopes.