Frats, Foam, and Fun

Put this up specifically for the couple on the LEFT. Hahaha

Bucket List #123: Attend a college frat party
Location: Sigma Pi Epsilon | Westwood, CA

Free Falling

I can’t even begin to explain how deathly afraid I am of falling. It took literally forever to schedule this appointment the moment Rajan had surprised me with a skydiving gift card for my 21st birthday. 3 months and 2 attempts later, I find myself quiet on the long drive to Lompoc, CA at 8am. He could tell I was nervous as I sat in the passenger’s seat nervously awaiting my fait. This was really happening. The clouds had not cleared yet and began to worry that it wasn’t the appropriate weather to do this jump. However, he held my hand, as I clutched my coffee on the other. We reached our destination 3 hours later, filled out paperwork, and got mentored on how to do it. 

My heart was pounding. Thankfully, he and 2 other people would be jumping in the small plane with me. The moment I geared up, my adrenaline took over. Fear was replaced with excitement. I just wanted to go and enjoy the free fall. We crammed into the small plane as I sat in front of Josh, my instructor. He calmly explained how we would be really close and it was as if I was the small spoon and he the big. Excitement kept escalating as we were flying higher and higher. 13,000 feet. a minute and half free fall. Just like that, the door of the plan opened a gust of wind flew into my face. We stepped to the side of the plane and on the count of three pushed off. I looked below me to see the earth in its most natural form. We started counting down. three, two… and we leaped into our fate. A sudden rush of emotions fell upon me. The initial butterfly aspect disappeared and I began to observe nature and the environment as the houses started appearing off the ground. The coast was beautiful. The water with its different blue hues, the brown rustic colored earth underneath me. It was the best thing I have ever done! Let alone, he let me control my parachute… which as absolutely awesome!!! 

To my instructor, Josh. Thank you for taking care of me. 
To the person who presented me with this wonderful opportunity, Rajan. Thank you for helping me overcome my fears. 

Bucket List #14: Go Skydiving.

Mr and Mrs Smith

After a week of let downs and stressful activities at school, I was relaxing on the couch watching TV. I get a call around 8pm from my best friend, James, asking what I'm doing that night. "Absolutely nothing," I respond... a little disappointed because it was the first year I had nothing to do on Valentine's Day. "Get dressed," he tells me. "We're going out!" With a little convincing, I prop up and start putting on makeup, heels, and dress not really knowing where we'd end up.

Thirty minutes later, he shows up outside of my house carrying a red rose. I was a bit floored. My best friend was ready to save the day (after me crying about how the guy I was dating went off with his friend on vacation with her family to the river). "So where to?" he asks me. Not really feeling a least bit romantic, I blurt out, "the shooting range!" Just like the best friend that he is, the shooting range it was. We figured there wouldn't be anyone there since everyone was out having romantic dinners and such. I also wanted to shoot something out of frustration.

We reached our destination in LA and low and behold, it was a busy night. There were couples dressed up like we were! We had to pay for each gun that we shot and 50 rounds of bullets for $2.50. After getting a quick guideline on how to handle the guns and the use of earmuffs, I stepped into the range and immediately freaked out by the loud noises and empty bullets bouncing everywhere. I couldn't stop shaking for the first 10 minutes. I was in a state of shock. We started with the 9mm and once I was able to be comfortable with that, we moved on to bigger and better guns (sharing with the couple next to us). It was such a great adrenaline rush and couldn't have asked anyone else to share it with. Thank you so much James for making my day!

 

Bucket List #105: Go to a Shooting Range
Location: Somewhere in Los Angeles

Surprise Yacht Party on my 21st Birthday

Courtesy of my parents and Rajan Vaidya