Humans have roamed this planet Earth for millions of years. We have created the objects you use today. We are you. But have you ever thought about what it means to be human? Or maybe what the human experience is? Physically, you know being human means that you have fingers, toes, arms, legs and a larger brain, but what do these characteristics mean if you do not even understand what being human is?

Being human is having those once in a lifetime experience, like parachuting down the grand canyon or swimming with the sharks.

Being human is having those time-stopping, heat of the moment experiences, like feeling the energy of the whole stadium, hearing the shouts and laughs while they dance their hearts out at a concert or joining voices in a protest for something you believe.

But do not get me wrong, being human is not only fun. It has its downside, too.

Being human is walking away from a tough situation like a champion.

Being human is about possibly not getting along with someone and learning to be okay with that.

Being human is making difficult decisions that could hurt someone, like kicking someone out of a project group or even saying no to someone asking for your time and help.

All of these are what it means to be human, because they open your eyes to a perspective you have never considered otherwise.

Everyone experiences these things multiple time in their life because if they didn't, well then, they wouldn't be human. I have been through these too. My personal experience as has opened my eyes to once-in-a-lifetime experiences that have allowed me to overcome challenges, like the 13-year-old me who had a great fear of heights. And what better way to expel that fear than dive right into it?

That summer, along with three other families, my parents and I went on a trip to Key West, Florida — a hot spot for paragliding and because of this, of course, everyone wanted to go parasailing. So, my parents paid for all of us, and before I knew it we all were on a boat to the middle of the ocean and my fear was growing higher and higher. I thought I was going to burst with the amount of fear contained inside of me.

Once we got to a "good place," according to the boat driver, three people at a time were called to go up to the sky. We had made an order of who was going beforehand, and my turn was the fourth along with my friend and my little sister. So the first, second and third people went, and before I knew it, I was being strapped into the parachute and could hear my pounding heartbeat in my ears. Then, I heard the engine starting and the boat moving in circles so we could get the wind started for the parachutes to work. We started to go up, up, and up. We were at least 20 feet away from the actual boat, and the only thing holding us up there and connected to the boat was a small piece of string. A piece of string that could break at any second...

But when I was up there in the sky, I completely forgot about my fears. Instead of hearing the engine of the boat, I heard the ocean speaking and the birds singing. Instead of feeling my heartbeat and my fear, I felt the soft breeze. Instead of seeing the small ants on the boat who were my parents, I saw the ocean and experienced a wonderful sensory overload. And to this day, I am happy that I took that leap of fate because after that experience, I became more open to trying new things.

That is how all humans should feel, at least once in a lifetime.

That is what it means to be human, trying new things, being open to different and having the time- stopping moments that make you forget everything except for what is happening right now. Being human comes with the experience of living life to the fullest.