Nervous about skydiving? Honestly, we would be wayyyy more worried if you weren’t! 

We like to refer to skydiving as a PBD (that’s Pretty Big Deal for those of you that might be wondering). And as an activity that is included under the umbrella of “Pretty Big Deals,” it’s completely natural to be a ball of nerves! 

If we had one guess, we’d bet you’re the type that doesn’t want to let a little fear get in the way of adventure. But how can you manage skydiving scared? Well, we’ve got a few tips and tricks up our sleeve. Let’s break it down. Below, we will cover what it is about skydiving that really gives folks the heebie-jeebies, why it’s completely normal to feel nervous about skydiving, and last but not least, what you can do to tackle skydiving anxiety!

What About Skydiving Makes You Nervous?

While the specific reasons for being nervous about skydiving might vary some from person to person, there’s generally one overarching cause of skydiving anxiety: the fear of the unknown! As a rule, humans don’t respond well to the unknown. This primal hesitancy was a nifty evolutionary trait that kept us safe, but in this modern-day and age, it’s a little passé. 

Just because something makes you nervous doesn’t mean it should be avoided altogether. After all, the only way we’ve managed to grow, expand, and learn has been to teeter just on the edge of the realm of possibility. So much of what is now possible was once just a dream: this includes skydiving!

Why It’s Normal To Be Nervous About Skydiving

Another equally plausible origin for skydiving anxiety is a fear of heights. But, to be fair, we aren’t necessarily talking about a full-on case of acrophobia. Rather, we mean that slight nagging discomfort that accompanies climbing to the tops of ladders or peering over the edge of bridges. Less sheer terror and more so the instinctual avoidance of high places that is characteristic of many ground-bound mammals.

Skydiving, quite literally, takes us out of our element. So, quite naturally, we respond, at first, with a bit of anxiety. Yet, it is this ability to get us outside of our element that is one of the neatest things about skydiving. In our humble opinion, one of the greatest feats of skydiving is that it highlights our ability to defy biological borders and self-imposed limitations. Sure, we weren’t born with wings, but you better believe we can still fly!

How To Get Past Being Nervous About Skydiving

The experience of skydiving will be unlike anything you’ve encountered before. Now, following that logic, if it’s unlike anything you’ve ever done before, how can you possibly prepare?

1. Do some research ahead of time. (P.s if you’re reading this, you get bonus points because you’re already on the right track.) From blog posts on what to expect your first time skydiving and general FAQs, a little research can go a long way to getting you comfortable for your first jump. Lastly, before scheduling, take a few moments to read through reviews on Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor. We’re willing to bet you’ll come across more than a few stories of individuals getting past their skydiving nerves!
2. Give us a call! Skydiving is our specialty. Really. We’ve been skydiving in Virginia since 1977, and in that time, we’ve seen tons of students nervous about skydiving just like you. A chat with our knowledgeable staff can help put your troubled mind at ease.
3. Visit the dropzone before your skydive! If you’re really nervous about skydiving, we recommend visiting Skydive Orange ahead of time. You can get a feel for the facilities, experience the unique energy that permeates a dropzone, and watch the peaceful descent of parachutists as they return to earth. Don’t worry we won’t force you to jump, but we will tell you that many a “made-up-mind” has been changed after seeing the sheer excitement and beaming, smiling faces of the jumpers as they land!

Still feeling nervous? That’s okay. You don’t have to go it alone. One of our qualified tandem skydiving instructors will have your back. Give us a call, and let’s chat about your first skydive today!