Thinking about skydiving for the first time? Read this.
If you’re thinking about first-time sky diving, you’re probably feeling a mix of excitement, nerves, and absolute terror. I get it—I was exactly like you.
I’ve always been someone who’s terrified of adventure sports. Skydiving was never on my bucket list. Not even close. But life has a way of throwing you into things you never imagined doing, and somehow, I found myself 16,000 feet in the air over Auckland, New Zealand, about to make the biggest leap of my life.
Here’s the full story of how I went from “hell no” to “I AM FLYING!”—what I felt before, during, and after the jump, and why I think you should absolutely do it too.
Skydiving was never part of the plan
I had zero interest in skydiving. Every time someone brought it up, I thought:
“Why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane? That’s not natural!”
Life, however, had other plans.
I was going through a rough time—feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and completely out of control. Then, I visited my cousin in Auckland, New Zealand, and out of nowhere, he said:
“You HAVE to try skydiving here. It’s one of the best places in the world for it.”
He had done it before and wanted to go again. And me? Jet-lagged, exhausted, and clearly not in my right mind, I agreed.
Not only that— we booked the 16,000-foot jump.
Not the beginner-friendly 13,000 feet. Nope. I went straight for the big leagues. What was I thinking?
The days leading up to the jump
After booking, I tried to forget about it. I told myself, “It’s fine, I’ll back out later.”
Then, as the day got closer, reality hit. I went into full panic mode:
✔️ Watched a million first-time skydiving videos on YouTube
✔️ Read Reddit threads about what to expect
✔️ Looked up every possible worst-case scenario
None of it helped. In fact, it just made me more anxious.
Then, I came across a Will Smith video where he said:
“The point of maximum danger is the point of least fear.”
That stuck with me.
Because the truth is, we stress so much before something happens. But once you’re actually in the moment, the fear disappears.
I held onto that thought like a lifeline.
The day of my first skydive in Auckland
Getting ready to jump
January 4th. The day had arrived.
I woke up, checked my ticket, ate a light breakfast, and drove to Skydive Auckland with my cousin. I had two choices:
- Freak out and panic.
- Go all in and enjoy the experience.
I chose option 2.
When we got there, my instructor, a super chill older guy, helped me into my jumpsuit. He asked,
“Why are you doing this today?”
And I, in peak existential crisis mode, said:
“Honestly? My life is already a mess. What’s one more crazy thing?”
Boarding the plane
Before I knew it, we were boarding the plane.
I looked at my cousin, who had done this before, and he looked terrified. That actually made me feel better.
Then, one by one, people started jumping.
And suddenly—it was my turn.
The freefall: my first time sky diving experience in Auckland
The moment of the jump
The instructor nudged me forward.
The door opened.
The wind roared in my ears.
And before I could even process what was happening—
We jumped.
What skydiving for the first time actually feels like
For the first few seconds, my brain went completely blank.
The wind was hitting me from every direction, my stomach was doing backflips, and I was supposed to smile for the camera guy, but honestly, I couldn’t even focus on where he was.
Then—something changed.
The moment of surrender
I don’t know how to explain it, but suddenly… I let go.
✔️ I stopped thinking.
✔️ I stopped resisting.
✔️ I just surrendered completely.
And in that moment—everything made sense.
The fear? Gone.
The anxiety? Gone.
I was just floating. Completely free.
And that’s when it hit me:
Skydiving isn’t about courage. It’s about surrender.
Maybe, life was trying to teach me the same thing.
The landing & post-jump high
As we parachuted down, I screamed “I AM FLYING!!” at the top of my lungs.
My cousin was dying of laughter.
As I looked down, I saw the stunning landscapes of Auckland—the coastline, the green fields, the mountains in the distance. It was surreal.
When we landed, I felt this insane rush of energy—like I could do anything.
The fear I had before? It felt so small now.
Would I do it again?
1000% yes.
If I ever skydive again, it won’t be because I need to prove anything.
It will be because I want to feel that freedom again.
✔️ The rush
✔️ The surrender
✔️ The feeling of floating in the sky
It was one of the best decisions of my life.
Thinking about skydiving in Auckland? Here’s my advice:
Do it. Auckland is one of the most beautiful places in the world to skydive.
Choose a trusted skydiving company—I highly recommend Skydive Auckland.
Go with someone you love—it makes it even better.
Don’t overthink it. The more you think, the more you freak out.
Breathe and enjoy the ride. The fear disappears the moment you jump.
Final thoughts: should you go skydiving in Auckland?
If you’re searching “first time sky diving in Auckland”, wondering if you should go for it—this is your sign.
Yes, it’s terrifying. Yes, it’s outside your comfort zone.
But once you jump, you’ll understand why it’s worth it.
I’m grateful I did it. And I hope you do too.
If you have any questions about first-time sky diving in Auckland, drop them in the comments. I’d love to help!
See you in the sky.
