The Most Nerve-Wracking Part of Skydiving: Anticipation

“… We need the sweet pain of anticipation to tell us we are really alive.”  ― Albert Camus

Ah, antici…

…pation.

Of the immense spectrum of feelings that make up the emotional-sensory tapestry of your first skydive, none will be more apparent to you than the threads of anticipation that weave their way through from start to finish. Most students report that the anticipation is the most nerve-wracking aspect of the jump. There’s a flip side to that, however: Anticipation is the most instructive element of any first-time skydive. The anticipation is there to teach you that:

1. In general, the things you worry most about never come to pass.
2. Pushing past negative anticipation is the surest way to live a truly landmark life.

To show you how thoroughly anticipation is integrated into the experience of a skydive–and how entirely normal it is to feel it, so deeply, in so many distinct moments–we’ve taken a moment to write it all down for you. So: without further ado, here’s your map to the moments of anticipation you can gosh-darn-well expect when you undertake your first jump.

1. The Moment You Decide To Skydive

When you make that reservation, the anticipation begins. You’re going to go into anticipation overdrive when that jump goes down on your calendar. You’ll probably ask yourself the same questions that jumpers have been asking themselves since the earliest days of the sport: What if my parachute doesn’t open? What if I die? Why am I doing this? You can rest assured in the statistical knowledge that your parachute will open and you will not die on a skydive. The reason you’re doing this, however, is your very own question to answer, and you’d do well to meditate on it. There’s a lot of richness to explore there.

2. The Moment You Arrive At The Dropzone

If you’re like most new jumpers, you’re going to hesitate in the parking lot. There’s a lot of anticipation upon arrival. You’re in a new place where you aren’t yet comfortable; the planes are loud and close; the sport skydivers are all so jocular and easygoing, and their comfort can highlight your nervousness. Push through it–the dropzone won’t seem quite so new in just a few minutes. Breathe.

3. The Moment You Sign On The Dotted Line

There’s a long waiver that we have to fill out before we make a skydive, and it’s eye-boggling. Even though in your heart of hearts you know it’s like all the other waivers you’ve plowed through in the course of a well-lived life, it feels like a lot of initialing.

4. The Moment You Square Up To A Real, Live Parachute

Your short ground school will familiarize you with this beautiful beast, but the first time you look at a parachute is still, like, Wow. That is a complicated backpack. At this point, you’ll know what to expect in a cerebral sense, but you’ll still have no idea how skydiving feels–or what will happen on your jump. Our world-class tandem instructors are there to answer all your questions even after they take you through your official briefing, so ask anything that comes to mind. Knowledge is power.

5. The Moment You Realize You’re In The Plane And You’re Going Up

Now, your skydive isn’t just a good idea. It’s a real thing. It’s happening. The anticipation stops even having a recognizable shape, now; it’s wild and electric and almost alive. Embrace it!

6. The Moment Before Landing

There’s the ground! Now it’s time to remember your training. You’ve watched so many other tandem pairs land as you waited for your reservation, but you’ll be anticipating what it’ll be like to make contact with terra firma again (and, if you have any fear of heights, this is when you’ll be physiologically able to feel it).

Then, of course, you’ll be standing on the ground, yelping with joy, wondering why you were so worried in the first place.

Can you imagine what other parts of your life will be energized when you realize that you’re unstoppable and there’s no time to waste? You owe it to yourself to explore that. Get in touch with us and book your jump today! We’re antici……pating your call.

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