Time passes either way

Since Odense, I managed to get a couple more skydives done and showed up on this day needing 7 more to complete my license. To get the A-license, one needs to have performed 25 jumps: 7 Jumps with AFF instructors 1 Hop and Pop from 1500m 1 Hop and Pop from 1000m 4 Coached jumps with a jumpmaster 12 Solo jumps The A-license allows you to jump self-supervised, and to jump with others. I had a clear goal in mind for the day - finish up and get that A. To achieve my goal, the day became quite hectic, as I first spent the morning working, shortening the time I had to actually jump. I also wanted to avoid paying too much for packing, and decided to pack my own parachute between jumps for most of the day, while still aiming to be on every other lift. Somehow, I did manage to follow the plan, and even finished my final 2 coached jumps during the day, as well as the hop and pop from 1000m. I've heard so many people say they felt a great deal of anxiety about doing such a low jump for the fi...

A week of waiting, but finally the time came for my first solo jump. My mom was kind enough to drive me and my sister all the way to the dropzone, and she actually sat down to watch my first solo landing. Many things were exactly as they've been previously - even being at the solo level, an instructor or jumpmaster still needs to do gear checks at multiple points before the jump, and they still need to give the go-ahead before you're allowed to leave the airplane. But once you leave, you are truly on your own, falling out of the sky with only your own thoughts, trusting that you know everything you need to know in order to save your own life. And I did it - I dived out on my own, allowed myself to simply fall and feel out the handle of the pilot chute a couple of times, and simply looked at the view as well as my altimeter. It felt like the fall lasted an eternity, just like my very first jump. With no program to follow, I truly realized just how much time one has before the fr...