Apparently, jumping out of a plane is great for thrills, but not so great for your dignity (or your face).
I traveled to Dubai last year, and was able to tick one cool activity off my bucket list – skydiving. I honestly thought it would be canceled because of the recent rains + flood in Dubai, but both the land and sky cleared up, and I was able to do this as scheduled. Will always be grateful!
Anyway, I’ll upload another article to talk about my experience… because this time around… can I just say that skydiving has a funny side to it?
Get ready (or not) for the unflattering GoPro shots that nobody warns you about!
Before the jump, I made sure to read about everything there is to know or prepare. This includes going through Skydive Dubai‘s detailed FAQs – complete with safety and security, the talented instructors, yada yada yada.
If we get more technical about it, there’s this one part mentioning that when you jump out of a plane, you’re actually freefalling at approximately 125 mph. Imagine that! And it could still vary depending on your bodyweight and position.
At that speed, the air is definitely NOT just rushing past you. It’s slamming into your face like when you stick your head out of a moving car window… except multiply that by idk… ten?
What happens then? You get your moments of derpiness because your facial muscles won’t have much resistance against high-speed wind (they won’t hold shape)! It will naturally ripple and flap. With the gravity pulling you down and the wind pushing you back, your face is basically caught between forces. That’s why your GoPro doesn’t capture a graceful or cheesy smile. It just captures cheeks, lips, and eyelids, staging a full-on wind protest.
P.S. Not gonna lie — there were definitely a few instances where I thought I was smiling so beautifully, but in reality, the GoPro caught something closer to a judgy pufferfish. HAHAHA.
ALSO READ: Traveled to Dubai After a Natural Disaster (Here’s What Happened)
Expectation vs. Reality
Do girls need to tie their hair up?
Well, this isn’t necessarily a safety requirement enforced for skydivers. BUTTTT it is the best way to keep your hair out of your own face and the skydiving instructor’s. I am assuming that you don’t want to miss moments from that exhilarating experience. You also don’t want anything to mess with your instructor’s vision or gear. So if I were you, I wouldn’t add to the discomfort!
I swear — as long as you’re having the time of your life, your hair would be the least of your worries. Leave it to the dedicated camera flyer who will record every breathtaking moment of your jump, because that will definitely show in your photos!
Is it possible to look nice while skydiving?
Absolutely YES. I mean, I saw the photos of my friend after she skydived, and she seemed so happy, free, and beautiful!
I saw one tip online saying you should raise your chin so that you’re still doing the optimal belly-to-earth position, then smile wide and keep your eyes forward (look out at the horizon!!). Apparently, that helps.
In my experience — once I was up there, my mind only registered the thought: Everything is just so freaking gorgeous. Seeing Dubai from that altitude is rare, and honestly, I cared more about the view than about how ridiculous or derpy I probably looked.
My mind went completely blank. All I could think was how stunning everything looked… which is why it was only AFTER I received the photos and videos from Skydive Dubai that I BURST OUT LAUGHING! As in the ROFL-kind of laugh!
I sent some pics to my sister and friend, and they were at a loss for words from laughing so hard as well! Hahaha.
ALSO READ: Female Traveler in Dubai: What I Packed, Prepped, and Learned From My First Solo Overseas Trip
The view wins over vanity every time
Remember, ENJOY! Don’t take on a short-lived sport of overthinking at 13,000 feet, where you care more about keeping your face from flapping around. I promise there comes a moment when you just don’t care at all because the view is just… WOW!
You can book your discounted experience here.
So yeah, the next time you see a skydiving photo, remember: behind every derpy GoPro face is someone living their best moment at 125 mph! ✨
THE BDT 
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