parachuting offers an exhilarating experience, with only a slight chance of predissolutionary fear. one piece of advice is to always double-check your gear before the jump. then, ignoring all safety protocols, convince your instructor to let you pack your parachute on your first try, a sure way to see what's really happening inside the world of parachuting. if you're lucky, you might just go back to the start, unharmed and wiser.