Catching Up With Kelsey Strock

During this unprecedented time in history, we are all being forced to adapt and make changes that can be uncomfortable. While we wait to see when we return to the skies, we wanted to document what members of our community are doing during this time. This snapshot will serve as an interesting reminder of how we all coped when we look back and reflect on this time. Enjoy this snapshot of Kelsey Strock.

Name: Kelsey Strock

Role (if any) at Wisconsin Skydiving Center: Fun jumper!

Where Do You Currently Live?: Madison, Wisconsin

What kind of work do you do? How has your job been affected in light of Covid-19?

I manage a design team for a healthcare software company called Epic, which provides software for over half of the U.S.’ patient population. Our teams have been putting in a lot of extra effort to respond to the pandemic –helping hospitals get ready to surge, creating dashboards to track the virus, helping patients triage themselves at home, getting clinics set up with tech to handle a massive spike in video visits, deploying software for doctors and nurses to use when they are screening patients…the list goes on. I’m really proud to work for a company that’s making a difference right now and to see this thing unfold from a perspective very close to the front lines.

What have you been doing to occupy your time during the quarantine?
Hiking, yoga, catching up on years of sleep deprivation ?, visualizing skydives to get ready for the upcoming season, prioritizing time with my husband.

There have been many negatives related to the coronavirus. What have been the silver linings?

We have an opportunity to hit the “pause” button on the world. Some people pay a lot of money to go on vacations that allow them to unplug and break out from their routines – we all get to do it together (at a great cost). There’s no one to impress, no shopping to do, no nails to fill, no glorification of “being busy,” no appointments to squeeze in. And, I think the really interesting thing is that no one looks at you sideways when you say that you did absolutely nothing on your day off. You can just exist and there is no judgment around that. This will probably never happen again in our lifetimes.

Has the coronavirus revealed things you once took for granted that you now appreciate?

I used to think that I don’t really like people. Turns out I was wrong!

What are you most looking forward to doing (outside of skydiving of course) when you get on the other side of the quarantine?

It might sound small, but I can’t wait to go out for a delicious meal and a cocktail. Yes, I know that I can get good food at home. But there’s something about the experience of eating at a wonderful restaurant with great people that I really miss and am looking forward to again. And, of course, throwing myself out of a plane as soon as possible.

What’s your secret superpower that few people know about?

Tough one! I think most of my skydiving friends are surprised when they find out that I do design work.

What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?

Grit – It’s all about how we are raised to believe that some people are “talented,” whereas others are not – but the real key to success is how much perseverance and hard work you’re willing to put in. Talent can be squandered if you allow it to be.

What is the most useful thing you own under $100?

A fresh closing loop and a bag of brand new rubber bands!

What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?

The one woo-woo thing that I am into is using crystals for meditation/energy healing. Do I actually think the crystals are doing anything? Absolutely not. But I like to think of them as physical reminders of the thought patterns or positive habits that I want to have more of in my life. It’s kinda like how some people have art with positive affirmations or posters of their favorite quotes – they’re just small items that represent those concepts to me. Plus, they’re pretty and look nice on my shelf ?