strapped up, 5000 ft off the ground. I stare out the window and think,”Oh my gosh, am I really about to do this?”The butterflies in my stomach feel more like bees, as I travel higher and higher into the sky. The skydiving instructor snaps me out of the thoughts and starts to talk. “We’re getting near the drop zone, so what you need to do is easy. Simply pull on the cord and land on the target. Understand?” I opened my mouth to reply but my voice was frozen with fear. Just as I nodded in response, the huge, metal door slowly slid open, releasing a burst of wind. I felt my eyes widen as the instructor began to reach for me. “I’m not prepared. I don’t remember. My shoes are untied,” are the thoughts running through my head as the instructors strings and clips latched onto me. I saw his mouth move, forming words, but I heard nothing over the constant sound of rushing wind in my ears. After he finished, I nodded, and as our feet lifted off of the cold metal plane, I realized what he had said.”close your eyes and hold on tight.”