I wanted to skydive for a very, very long time—since adolescence, when I first learned about it, actually. I know that’s not unusual and that skydiving is on a lot of people’s bucket lists. But the older I got, the more nervous I got at the thought of actually doing it. Despite my reservations, I am so happy to say that I successfully crossed skydiving off of my list of things I’ve wanted to do in my life.
It was an awesome experience, one that I am so grateful to have had!
After I jumped, I wanted to gain the perspective of people who wanted to jump, but didn’t. I was curious to hear what prevented them from doing so. On a reddit post, someone had asked “Is there something you have always wanted to do, but haven’t done it yet? What’s stopping you…?” One commenter answered, “Skydiving, not rich enough.” Another said, “Time and money and prioritizing responsibilities….adulting.”
So, in this post, I wanted to address each of these concerns, and provide tips to any potential first time jumpers.
- Cost/Money: My experience was over $300, because I purchased the deluxe package with photo and video. The only reason I wanted the footage was documentation for 1. this blog 🙂 and 2. because I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it again [yes, I was that terrified]. To address the concern of the previously mentioned commenter, there are facilities [such as the one I went to] that provide payment plans and financing. I, for one, would recommend against that, because there is the possibility of potentially missing a payment for whatever reason. If finances are tight, saving for the experience is something to consider. New York Times Best Selling Author, Ramit Sethi, has an INCREDIBLE free resource to help you automate your finances (i.e. save for things and pay for things, without having to think about it, and information on how you can earn more money [to help fund all of your adventures, of course!]). I use the guide myself. It changed my life, and no one is paying me to say that. Check it out for yourself here :).
- Time/Prioritizing Responsibilities – I have always felt like I’ve never had enough time. That feeling has only gotten worse the older I’ve gotten. But, when I really take a cold, hard look at how much time I have [and how much time I often waste :)], I know I can make time. For me to skydive, I just forced myself to pick a date, purchased the experience and the rest, somehow, fell into place. The same goes true for everything, if there’s something that you want in life, things will get in the way. Just go for it and do it. The alternative is living in regret and always wondering “what if?”
- Fear. Something that wasn’t mentioned within that reddit post, was something that I experienced and that was fear. I was terrified about the thought of jumping out of a plane. Terrified. So, in order to address that fear, I tried to address things within that situation that I could control. The first thing I made sure I did was to go to a reputable facility. At the minimum, you should look for a facility that is a USPA Group Member drop zone [USPA Group Member link found here]. In addition to that, I sought out the highest rated facility in my area. I did not let price be a factor in reassuring my safety. I also over-prepared for my experience, reading the FAQs on the skydiving school’s website [which includes information on how to prepare for your first jump] and practicing the maneuvering of getting out of the plane repeatedly, after having learned it at the facility.
Other tips include:
- Keep your eyes open from the onset of your jump. Trust me, especially if you’re hesitant to skydive again, you’ll want to take in as much in as you can from that perspective. 🙂
- If you have seasonal allergies/sinus issues/eustachian tube dysfunction, consider taking a non-sedating antihistamine [ex. Loratadine/Fexofenadine] 2 hours prior to your jump, as sinus and ear pressure can be pretty distracting from that altitude. As always, remember to consult your doctor before applying any medical advice found online :).*
- Have fun! If you’re tandem jumping, your instructor will probably be doing most of the work and reminding you of what’s to come next, and if you’re jumping with an USPA certified jumper and at a reputable facility that’s a USPA drop zone, you should be in good hands. Happy jumping!
At the end of the day, I didn’t conquer a fear–I am still afraid of heights and still scared of the thought of skydiving again–but I did face my fear, and I am so glad that I did. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. <3
*You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on www.livinglisted.com. You must not rely on the information on livinglisted.com as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.
