A few weeks ago my parents asked me what the one thing I wanted to do before I went back to college was. I almost instantaneously answered, "Skydiving." My parents, and I, were a bit shocked given my history with heights. When we visited Chicago and went to the top of the Hancock Tower, I passed out the second I stepped out of the elevator and saw how high up we were. I am even terrified of being on ladders or bleachers. We went to a Notre Dame football game in Lucas Oil Stadium, and our seats were against a plexiglass hangover. I started freaking out and my boyfriend had to help carry/guide me to my seat.
So, it would be a safe assumption that skydiving seemed a little out of the question for me. But I'm stubborn. And I have this crazy notion that one day I will be able to overcome my fear of heights. Skydiving seemed like the perfect avenue to do that. However, I wouldn't describe the total experience as joyous. If you have a huge fear of heights like I do, here are the 10 stages you might go through once you commit to skydiving:
Booking the skydive
You've hyped yourself up. You're ready. You get onto the website and start entering all your information, but then you start looking at the waiver and everything else and you're kinda like ehhh.
Stopping booking to Google ‘Skydiving with a fear of heights’
And also "can I skydive with a fear of heights" and "will I pass out if I skydive with a fear of heights" and "is it safe if I skydive with a fear of heights" and "will skydiving help my fear of heights."
Resuming booking once you determine you will probably live
I mean, worst case scenario I die or become permanently paralyzed and maimed. Best case I I get some awesome pictures and videos and walk away perfectly fine!
Telling everyone you know that you are going skydiving
This step is necessary for two reasons: One, to ensure that you actually go because once you tell enough people they will be expecting it, and two, to somehow try to calm your anxiety by slowly repeating it enough to accept it.
Desperately trying to sleep the night before
You tell yourself you're going to go to bed kinda early to be well rested for the day ahead. After tossing and turning around, you somehow end up watching Netflix at three in the morning. Oops.
Talking it through on the car ride over
You reaffirm that you are REALLY going to do it one last time, while nervously listening to music to distract yourself from the fact that you are about to be hurled out of a plane while it is thousands of feet up in the air.
Sitting and waiting (and being oddly calm)
Once you get there, you get hit with a wave of "heck yeah I can do this."
Getting suited up
Kathryn Brooks
This is when it becomes real. Suddenly you're in a jumpsuit and harness. Next thing you know you've met the person you'll jump out with and you've learned the whole process. You aren't strapped together physically yet, just emotionally.
The plane ride
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You get ushered into the plane and sit back to back with each other. At first, the plane ride is beautiful, and it's pretty cool being able to look out through the open door and see the almost Lego-Land like scenery. However, once you see the first person go flying out of the plane and sailing through the sky, your face will probably be something like this.
The descent
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Magically, you were pushed forward, and now you are standing at the side of the plane and waiting to jump out. You're freaking out. Less than a second later you are free falling through the air at 12 feet per second. You realize that every fear you had about this jump went flying out just like you did. Once the chute is pulled, you just peacefully float down, wondering how you could have been so terrified days ago of something that now seems so serene.
Whether you're like me and are constantly on a quest to conquer your fear of heights or are just trying to prove to yourself (or others) that you can and will, it is a life-changing experience. Having a healthy dose of anxiety is normal when you are about to go flying out of a plane, but you shouldn't let that fear overcome you and prevent you from doing it.
