To most people, Space-A travel ranks right up there with Public Speaking - everyone is afraid of doing it the first time. Much of this fear comes from lack of knowledge and the unpredictability of flights. The more you learn about Space-A travel the less fear you will have. Learn as much as you can from the SpaceA.net FAQ, Pages and associated links. I guarantee that 95% of the questions can be answered from those sources (yes, I know, it's easier to ask it on the Space-A Message Forums but you'll learn more doing your own research). I can't speak for everyone but I learned by reading the regs, one of the available books and the by "Doing It" (the Internet, E-mail and the Space-A Message Boards didn't exist when I started)! Actually doing a Space-A trip is the real teacher and don't be surprised if you learn some hard lessons your first time out! On the other hand, your first experience may be a pleasant one where everything goes as planned.
In that respect "Space-A is like a box of chocolates or like going to Las Vegas and can be a gamble - you never know what you're going to get!" I'd recommend taking a "dry-run" trip or if you're near a PAX terminal go visit and hang out for a day and talk to some of the folks waiting for flights.
If you are a "planner" then you may find Space-A overwhelming and stressful. If you like having that warm, comfortable, safe feeling of knowing where you going, when you'll get there, and how much it'll cost, you need to AVOID Space-A. If you enjoy pushing all of your chips on the table and waiting to see what card the dealer turns, then you'll love it.
But be warned, a bad days waiting for seats can be expensive and use up valuable leave time. Following the tips in this FAQ and experiencing the Space-A environment by visiting a Pax terminal will help to reduce some of the apprehension you may have! Good Luck and see you in the terminal!!