
The wind is fierce, tearing at her hair and rushing against her skin. The door is open. There is nothing but sky in any direction. Her family is behind her. She looks back out the door of the airplane, at 15,000 feet of air between her and the ground. She is scared. Why am I going first? She won’t do it. I can’t. She turns her eyes back into the cabin of the plane, and they meet with those of her older brother. His eyes were wide, and wild with excitement. His mouth screamed, “Let’s go!” but his words were lost in the wind. Jordan turned her eyes forward. The excitement in her stomach started to bubble over the fear that had been churning there before. I just have to do it. With a deep breath, she steps out of the airplane.
Jordan Tuin was born third in her family after two older brothers, and spent her childhood adventuring and roughhousing. She shot archery, played with legos, fought with toy swords, became a jedi as well as all other manner of heroes, but Mom made sure she was a princess sometimes too. She loves her parents, and expresses her mother’s goofy, fun, energy, as well as her father’s more thoughtful and reflective character. Another thing Jordan received from her father is her loving of running. Jordan is a runner. With a mile time approaching under five minutes, Jordan was just short of qualifying as an all american runner last year. Her dad was her coach, and as she grew up she ran track and cross country for her school, as well as played basketball. High School was a diverse experience for Jordan. It seemed like the the wealthiest and poorest students were all mixed together in an absolute melting pot. Today she is a senior at Wheaton College studying
marketing communications. She has an easygoing presence, and is always wearing at least a hint of a smile. She loves puppies, kittens, chocolates. She hates birds, and shoots squirrels on sight. She feels that she can be awkward a lot, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. Jordan is a kind, friendly, high-energy, and outrageously goofy person to be around, who also has a pensive and reflective side. The thing that is not as apparent about Jordan at the first glance is that she is determined, adventurous, and fiercely strong. She pushes herself to be great, which Jordan would phrase as “trying not to suck”. Don’t be fooled. Competition fuels her fire. It has since the backyard of her childhood home, playing with her big brothers.
The air howls around her as she flies home to earth. the great big curve of the world below comes into focus. Jordan is in freefall for what feels like an eternity, but what in reality is only about sixty seconds. Surrounded by the crystal blue of the sky and the cotton white clouds she soars home. From up here, the world is as wide and open as her future.