Last week, I decided to go skydiving for my 18th birthday. It was something I wanted to do at some point in my life, so I decided to just go do it. It turns out, I had the best time and I can't wait to go again! I highly recommend it for everyone, so here are some things to know about the sport from my experience.
1. It is safe.
Most people think skydiving is a lot more dangerous than it actually is. This is probably due to the fact that you are being thrown out of an airplane from a very high altitude -- 10,000 feet up in my case. But the truth is, you actually have a much higher risk of dying during your car ride to the skydiving location than during your actual jump.
2. It is SO MUCH FUN!
I was nervous the day I went, and when I got to the location and signed the paperwork, it didn’t feel like it was actually happening. It was only until I was wearing a harness that was being attached to my instructor’s on the plane ride up that it hit me, I was about to be thrown out of a plane. But I tried to hide my nervousness with a huge smile, which ended up turning into nervous giggles. I was scared when I stood on the step outside of the airplane, but I didn’t have much time to think about it because suddenly we had jumped out. And it was amazing! The sensation was unlike anything else, and the view was absolutely beautiful.
3. You have to get the video and/or pictures.
Yes, it is extremely expensive to purchase the video and pictures. Where I went, it was $120 for both, and added onto the cost of skydiving, it partially drained my bank account. But it is SO worth it! I’ve watched the video probably a hundred times, and I have some awesome pictures worth framing. And if you don’t post these online, did you really even go? (OK yes, but it’s still fun to show off to all your friends).
4. Don’t worry about your fear of heights!
Many people say they will not go because they have a fear of heights. The truth is, this doesn’t apply because you don’t have a perception of depth when you are that high in the air. OK, I know this sounds even more terrifying, but many people with a terrible fear of heights have gone skydiving and said their fear actually kicks in much more when they stand on a ladder than when they went skydiving.
5. The view actually makes it super relaxing.
When you are in free fall, you are mostly focusing on the sensation. My instructor had to point to the beautiful sunset to remind me to look around. But once you are under the parachute, it is actually super relaxing to drift slowly towards the ground and look at the beautiful view.
