Patch Blog: I Live Spontaneously—Which Is Why I Jumped Out Of A Plane!

I never would have imagined at the start of this year, that I would have won a contest and got a free skydiving adventure with SkyDive San Diego.

But, life is unplanned and spontaneous-and that’s the best part about it!

Thanks to Bucket List Publications, I got to jump out of a plane on Easter and cross off the #1 item on My Bucket List.

I had what I call a “man-tourage” who all decided to join me on this special occasion- Josh White, Johnny Elsaesser, Alex Christ, and Mitchell Arvanites,. Alex, Johnny, and Mitch all grew up in South Pasadena with me, and Josh and I went to Cal State Monterey Bay together. Josh and Alex had been skydiving before, so there were only 3 newbies in the group!

Everything kind of all happened so fast, and next thing I knew we were strapped up and assigned an instructor and off we walked across the field to the small, loud, intimidating airplane.

The plane was tiny, and there were many of us..AKA we were sardines on a plane!

I was one of the last few to hop on board, meaning I’d be one of the first to jump out of the plane (EEEK). I had been told by previous skydivers that the plane ride is the scariest part, but I was unusually calm, and in kind of a zen mode. Even the instructor asked if I was alright. But I just felt really content..it was a nice feeling when you’re 13,000 feet in the air. There were a couple of “fun” divers who were doing some solo jumps that went before the tandem divers. Once they opened that door and those 3 people jumped- THAT’S when I started freaking out! That is what I WAS GOING TO BE DOING! NO TURNING BACK NOW… (and I more fell out than jumped off that plane haha).

I didn't even think that during freefall my ears would hurt going 120mph..and they sure did. Watch out future skydivers out there..

But once I hit terminal velocity- it was time to enjoy the experience so much more! You don't even feel like your fall towards the ground because it doesn't even look like you are getting closer to it from 13,000ft. There were absolutely no thoughts in my mind that the shoot wasn't going to open either, until it did. And I just felt relieved and happy and exhilirated! 

Then my instructor let me steer the parachute! Of course I was going to take the opporunity to do so- I pulled the string down to the right, and we started twirling in circles, then did the same to the left. Got a little motion sick after a couple fast twirls- but it was worth it.

This really was an experience of a lifetime and I want to thank everyone (the 700+ of you) who voted for me as a Finalist to win this contest. And of course I can’t thank Lesley and BucketList Publications ENOUGH for this FANTASTIC opportunity. I will forever be grateful.

I can’t begin to describe the feeling after jumping, I was super relaxed and calm and in a “high” sense of overall happiness. Life was awesome-I hadn’t a worry in the world. I was surrounded by people I loved. And it was time for a magnum of champagne that my mother had so kindly brought for us to celebrate after the jump.

Now, my man-tourage and I want  jump again ASAP. We are thinking about going to Santa Barbara’s SkyDiving location where they have the world’s highest tandem jump at 18,000 feet…

Follow my blog and see what happens next : Photography + Science = Chanel