My First Skydive
I
will never forget the uneasy feeling that occupied my stomach as that small
plane as it climbed to altitude. That was the only time where I had any doubts
in my ability to make the jump. When it
came time to exit the plane I knew that there was only one way down, and it
wasn’t riding in an airplane.
I
chose to take skydiving because it is my last semester at Ohio State, and I
wanted to go out with a bang. In 4 years I have never taken a class that was
just for fun. Skydiving met the qualifications for the perfect graduating
semester fun class. It was a unique opportunity,
it was something I could scratch off my bucket-list, and it was something that could
teach me valuable lessons. Of course, all of these great thoughts were
formulated before learning we were AFF jumping, and it would not be
tandem. Though this came as surprise,
there was no turning back. By the end of
the class training and training at the site I felt prepared to make the leap.
When
it was my turn to suit up the nerves kicked in, and I started to really think
about what I was about to do. None of
those feelings mattered much because I was determined not to fail. My instructors, two well qualified and
handsome gentlemen, were crucial for keeping me focused on the goal. Then it was time to board the plane. The ride
up was the hardest part. It was not the
heights that bothered me. It was knowing
that I would be responsible for making it to the ground again in one piece. Next thing I know, I am watching the rest of
the passengers on the plane exit and fall into the sky. And finally was the moment I had been waiting
for over a year. The actual leap out was
a relief. I made it out of the plane and was in free-fall The entire time I am
doing my checks, trying to stabilize my arms and legs, and smile for the camera
I am thinking “why did I think this was a good idea?!” It was cold and I couldn’t keep my mouth
closed because of the wind rushing against my body. My arms and legs seemed like a lost cause. They didn’t stay in any position I was trying
to put them in. I looked at my altimeter
at 5,000 ft and thought “Crap, it’s past time”.
I pulled my shoot and shot into the air.
I looked up to see a perfectly inflated parachute and breathed a sigh of
relief. And there I was, 4,000 ft in the
air, just floating around. It seems like
a serene picture, but my heart was racing as I recovered from sensation of free-fall and adjusted to the feeling of floating high above the ground. I remember noticing how quiet it is up
there. When it came time to land, I was
ready to be on the ground. Apparently
that was the dominating mentality in my brain because I tuned out to my instructor’s
instructions and ended in a rough landing.
My first thought upon reaching the ground was “I did it.”
The
whole experience was a lot to take in. My body had never felt pressure like
that before and my brain did not know what to make of the purposeful placement
into danger. My reaction initially was
that the experience was not what I had imagined, and I did not like it. But after about 20 minutes I changed my
mind. I felt great. I was full of adrenaline
and excitement. It was like brain was unable to process the whole experience
right away, but after some time to recover it was an awesome rush. I told my mom that day that I would be back
to do my 25 jumps and get licensed as a skydiver. Now it has been a few weeks since my life
defying leap. It is hard to remember
exactly how I felt in the air, but the feelings about skydiving I formulated
upon landing still stand.
My reflection on
skydiving is based on what I learned. I
learned that I am a risk taker. I knew that before I signed up for the class,
but I was able to reinforce that this is a true characteristic of my
personality. I learned that once you set
your mind to do something, nothing can stop you from achieving that goal. If you are determined, and it is important to
you that you succeed, the chance of failure of slim to none. I learned that preparation wont ensure that
you do everything perfect, but it will ensure that you can succeed well enough. I have used these lessons in my day to day
life. I have brought this experience up
in several interviews. I use it to drive
the point I am serious and I am successful, and employers are always
impressed. I would recommend this
experience to anyone who thinks they have the power to achieve anything they believe
is possible.
