You can easily tell you are talking to an astronaut by one thing: they always carry themselves in a calm manner. It is so interesting to imagine all the adventures they have been on, and all that they have learned, and yet they still stay so calm.
The serene nature that astronauts withhold is often overlooked. When I think about it, if I was an astronaut, I would be all over the place trying to tell everyone about every single adventure and bit of knowledge I knew.
It can tell alot more about an astronaut’s story than you may think. Their collected attributes even give some insight to what they might be like on real missions where they are under high pressure situations. Even when sharing intense stories about times when the mission almost went wrong, astronauts always tell it matter of factly.
This has taught me a very important lesson, it is more important to remain composed in a high-risk issue than to be frantic. It sounds simple, but is the best advice I have ever gotten. In serious situations it is crucial to stay calm that way you have time to assess the problem, and develop a solution. From figuring out how to fix a homemade robot to helping a kid who fell off their bike, staying calm is the best way to improve the outcome of an unpleasant situation. I apply this to my everyday life in any way that I can, to exercise the habit of being calm. This can even help to remove stress from things that may have distracted your attention before.
Staying calm is one of the many things I have learned from astronauts which I’ve had the honor to talk to. This is the best thing about meeting an astronaut because it tells you so much about their personality and composure, which even gives a little glimpse of what they are like when it comes time for the rocket to blast off.
By Go For Launch!I and Space at Home student Kiera from Kentucky
