Not everyone likes to take big risks in life. Sure, some people do – like stuntmen, and tightrope walkers in a circus. They thrive on the adrenaline – the chemistry in their brain gets used to having the adrenaline and they seek to regain that "high." Most of the rest of us are more cautious, choosing to live our lives within the realm of the familiar and comfortable – except for when we don't. Sometimes we choose to have an experience that may terrify us – and that's where tandem skydiving comes in!

What Is It, Anyhow?

Everyone probably knows what skydiving is – it's strapping on a parachute and jumping out of a "perfectly good airplane" as someone used to say. But doing that takes a lot of training and time. You don't just decide one morning to go jumping out of an airplane and with no worries. Instead, you can try tandem skydiving. With tandem skydiving, you will be attached to an experienced jumper, someone who can help you feel more at ease and help you know when to pull the cord to make the parachute release. They don't take that fun away from you, but instead, help you be able to enjoy it more without the panicky feeling that would be normal falling from thousands of feet in the air.

How Can I Do That?

In order to go tandem skydiving, you need to find a place that offers it. You might have to travel a ways to get to a place, but many places have one nearby. Check online or in the newspaper for companies that offer skydiving. They operate out of an airport, so you can also check with a local small (usually a private one) airport to see if they have this service.

Once you find a company, you will need to know the price and what all it includes. There are many options. There is the "bare bones" type of jump, the cheapest of all. It will only give you the training and one jump. Or you can pay more, and get multiple jumps or a video memorial of your jump. Once you see what the tandem skydiving company offers, you can choose which fits your budget and interest level best.

What About Training?

To go tandem skydiving, you will need to be trained. Just like other extreme sport, there is safety information for tandem skydiving. You will learn how to buckle in, pull the cord, and what to do if there's any problem. Once you've got that learned, it's up into the airplane, steady your nerves, and jump!