As mentioned, visit some local Pro Shops and shoot as many different bows as you can and a few will stand out as great feeling/shooting rigs in your hands and these are the bows you should consider..... regarrdless of what anyone else or your buddies are shooting. Buy what works for YOU.

Also, you can do a ton of research here on the web. You may also want to visit some other forums and perhaps some that have a LOT more traffic, such as Archerytalk.com for more rapid feedback.

Good luck and good shootin' and welcome to the sport!