Column: Should I do this?

Last weekend I crossed something off my bucket list. I went sky diving, and it was so much fun also it was very scary. Not going to lie I was very nervous even a week leading up to the big jump. Sky diving was something I always wanted to do at least once because it looks so much fun. Weeks ago, I scheduled an appointment with Sky Dive Georgia for Jan. 17 for me to make the jump. After I did that, I told my friends I was going to go sky diving on Jan. 17. Some of my friends were excited for me and expressed their concerns.

A week before the jump I got a text from one of my friends and honestly it was something I did not want to see a week before my jump. My friend sent me text notifying me that ‘Bob’s Burgers’ animator Dave Creek died that week in a sky diving accident. After I read that I thought to myself should I really do this? The answer was yes. A few days later I was having dinner with some of my friends and I told them I was going sky diving. My friend Jose thought it was really cool and exciting. So, I asked him if he wanted to tag along. His wife interjected and shut it down saying no you are not going to go sky diving. I tried to be sneaky and tell her he could just come and watch but his wife said I know he would not just watch. My friend Jose looked at me and said no boss says I can’t. Afterwards she was telling me about some of the recent deaths that has happen in sky diving. Not going to lie what she was saying really got to me and had me reconsidering. So, I thought to myself should I really do this? The answer was yes.

A few days before the big jump I got an email from Sky Dive Georgia for me to sign my waiver form. It was scary. The first thing it said signing this you acknowledge this is very dangerous and could lead to serious injuries and death. I took a gulp and continued reading. In the waiver it said I could not sue if I got injured. I was thinking to myself if I get injured that is going to be a high hospital bill and would be a terrible way to live being paralyzed. After reading that I thought to myself well at least my family could sue on behalf and pay the hospital bills. The next graft said oh by the way your family can not sue us or anybody representing you can sue us. The last part of the waiver said you are giving up a lot of your rights. So, I thought to myself should I really do this? The answer was yes.

That Sunday one of my friends drove down with me to Sky Dive Georgia. Sky Dive Georgia informed me I could back out at any moment. Before I jumped, I had to watch a video that was pretty much telling me what the waiver told me already. As I watched the video my friend could tell I was nervous and told me she can feel my heart pumping fast. After the video I waited for my name to be called. Eventually it was called. I met my instructor and he helped me put my harness on. Then a group of us walked out back to the plane. My instructor and I was the last ones to get in the plane. I enter the plane and there were two rows for people to sit. As I sat down, I realized that I was the first person at the door and my instructor, and I were going to the first pair to jump. As we flew up in the sky and realized how high we were going, I thought to myself should I still do this? The answer was yes.

All the sudden one of the guys open the door. I asked my instructor who I am supposed to be secured to if I was secured, he said yeah. Then he said alright it’s time to get to the door. My heart was pumping really fast. As I creeped over I held a support beam by the door and the instructor said let go. At that moment I thought to myself should I really do this? The answer was yes. I let go and the instructor pushed us out of the plane. My heart dropped. I was thinking to myself I am really falling out of the sky. Then I thought to myself I hope this parachute works. Then I thought well I will worry about that later and enjoy the fall since we are still far away from the ground. They say you free fall for 15 seconds and then the instructor pulls the parachute, but it felt longer than that. The free fall felt amazing it was a huge rush. The instructor then told me he has about the pull the parachute and it open! That was sigh of relief for the next three minutes we soared through the sky and enjoyed the view. It was amazing. Would I do it again? Yes.