You’re about to jump out of a plane at 13,000 feet and free fall at 120 mph. You’ve gathered your friends—and your courage. You have a skydive videographer ready to fly with you and capture every moment. What else could you possibly need? If you're like some of our skydivers, the answer is a Sharpie.

For a lot of our skydivers, Sharpies are part of the experience and the memories. They write on their arms, hands, faces — sending messages to their family and friends about their adventure and why they are having it.

Here are some great examples of Sharpie messaging on our skydivers. Maybe you'll be inspired and find your own way of expression when come to Skydive Indianapolis to jump!

Skydiving, Sharpies and Life Philosophies

Skydiving isn’t just a thrill, it’s the embodiment of how people feel about life. Writing that philosophy out with a Sharpie helps our students make sure their message is heard.

Skydiving, Sharpies and Causes

We get a lot of skydivers who are taking the leap to raise awareness and gain support for a cause or organization. IUDM is a great example. Every year, Indiana University Dance Marathon comes to Skydive Indianapolis to jump for the kids (#FTK) at Riley’s Hospital for Children. It’s one of our favorite days and the Sharpies are out in full-force, as members of this student philanthropy write about their cause, the kids, or their specific committee. We’re especially fans of the messages to parents in the slideshow at the end of this blog. We see other organizations and groups do the same; it’s a great idea!

Skydiving, Sharpies and Celebrations

From milestone birthdays to graduations to anniversaries to proposals to.... a skydive is a great way to celebrate the big moments in your life. A lot of our jumpers literally mark the momentous occasion with a Sharpie.

Skydiving, Sharpies and THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

When you’re doing something as extreme as skydiving, it could make you think about the people you love, decide to send them a message and, in a way, bring them along for the ride.

Skydiving, Sharpies and WHAT MADE YOU JUMP

All the above fit into this category, but sometimes people have more specific people to blame for their heart-pounding, adrenaline-rush of an experience.

Skydiving, Sharpies and WHAT's ON YOUR MIND

Sometimes, people just want to share what's on their mind, a favorite song, an inside joke or a secret message. We say, have it!

AFTER YOUR SKYDIVE: SHARPIE REMOVAL

There are three ways to get Sharpie ink off of your skin:

Rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol (a.k.a. isopropyl alcohol) is probably the most effective product for removing permanent marker from skin. Dip a cotton ball in the rubbing alcohol and then hold it on the skin for a few seconds. Once you’ve done this, wipe and repeat until the mark is gone – do not rub, as this can irritate the skin.

Use nail polish remover. Acetone-based nail polish removers (which also contain isopropyl alcohol) work for removing permanent marker from skin. Dip a cotton ball in the nail polish remover and use it to wipe the marker from the skin. You may need to hold the cotton in place for a moment or two to let the nail polish remover take effect.

Use hand sanitizer. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used to remove permanent markers from skin. Rub a generous amount of the hand sanitizer onto the marked skin, then rub away with a cloth, tissue or cotton ball.