1. TANDEM, TANDEM, TANDEM! If you have any sort of hesitation about trying skydiving, remember you don't have to jump out alone! Tandem skydiving is available for all first-time jumpers and helps immensely in giving you peace of mind that everything will be okay. Having an experienced jumper attached to your back allows you to sit back and enjoy the ride while he or she does all the work. Remember: the skydiving instructor wants to live just as much as you do!
2. Do It With A Friend. Not only does having a friend by your side help you breathe easier, skydiving with a friend is a bonding experience that will last forever. I don't think I would have actually made the decision to skydive had I not had my friend Julia with me jumping out of the same plane, and vice versa. And now, we will always have the stories of our skydiving experience to share for a lifetime!
3. Get It On Tape! Most locations offer the option of capturing your skydiving experience on film. They do this by equipping another skydiver with a video camera and having him or her jump at the same time you do. They will take a video and also give you screenshots of your jump. When you skydive, you are in sensory overload and it happens so quick! You definitely want to have it all captured on film so you can share the experience with all of your friends and family as proof you really took the plunge!
4. Open Your Eyes! You paid all of this money so you NEED to get the most out of it...and that means keeping your eyes wide open the whole way and enjoying the sights! I know skydiving feels pretty awesome, but it looks awesome too. If you blink, you're only cheating yourself (and every blink is probably about $25 haha).
5. Be Reasonable. So it's true that there is risk involved in skydiving. We all know that. There's risk in everything we do, though, like driving a car or eating mozzarella sticks (don't laugh, I had a frightening experience before!). If you have some reservations on skydiving because you have kids or a spouse or other obligations you just don't want to leave behind, then do what is in your heart and skip out on the jump. Statistics say that 1/100,000 skydiving jumps results in death. So, while the risk is very small, no one will judge you if you don't care to jump. If anyone knows me, I love life so much that I would hate to leave it sooner than I should. Definitely think about it long and hard before you make a decision.
First published here: 5 Tips When Considering Skydiving
