This summer was a summer that changed my perspective on a lot of things, starting with how I should approach a very difficult situation. Most individuals can react to an uncomfortable situation in one or two ways: either completely freak out and lose their marbles or stay very level-headed and cool, calm, and collected. Before this summer, I was the one to freak out, but then a sequence of events happened which made me realize how crazy I acted and how my head would explode if I continued on this way.

I think there are a couple of major things we all should be aware of when we are put in high-pressure situations. Just to lay out the basics, we need to just be very aware of who we are around. When you are in a crazy situation, you tend to forget that most of the time you are around many people, sometimes a group of people. If you tend to fall into the category of level-headed individuals, then you most likely are very aware and try and be the one to calm the others down. But if you're the complete opposite, then you're probably the one who will make the situation more stressful.

I completely understand that some people have never been in situations in which a certain behavior tends to present itself multiple times. Some people just choose to fend for themselves and not really think about others. To an extent, I also understand that it's human nature for us to think this way. Our fight or flight instinct kicks in and it almost feels like adrenaline pumping. This is when you make the mental choice to either go completely crazy or stay cool, calm, and collected.

However, when in a group, you must be very careful in the way you react, because sometimes behavior is contagious. Humans tend to follow the same behavior if that's what the rest of the group is doing. All it takes is for one person to go completely crazy and then chaos will probably follow. When confronted with a stressful situation in a group setting, always think about what would happen before you act. Humans tend to act on impulse, and sometimes that is not the best option. I firmly believe that most problems we encounter can be solved with very methodic thinking. We often think about the worst situations first before we think about the positive situations. And that needs to change.

If you feel like you could never be the one to calm down a situation, taking a moment to yourself and breathing will suffice. Just always remember that the best thing one can do is always remain calm. Always be ready to be in action, stay alert, and remain collected. I think that is the best advice a friend gave me this summer, and it has resonated with me ever since. When I feel like I am about to go completely crazy, I just take a moment, breathe, and tell myself that everything will work itself out.