The lights dim and a spotlight shoots down at the stage. Junior Elizabeth Salyer senses a rush of cortisol as she runs through the lyrics of her solo performance.

As a choir student, one of the most nerve-racking moments can be when one is asked to perform a solo performance at one her concerts. Especially for shy students, singing without one’s peers can be an unnerving venture.

“The biggest challenge was getting over the nerves of getting on stage,” Salyer said, “and looking at everybody, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god.’”

This sense of unsettlement is not uncommon during any type of performance. However, Salyer was able to use a tool often referred to as “grounding,” or reorienting yourself with reality during stressful situations, to overcome her fear of performing.

“I just found my parents in the audience and looked at them,” she explained.

Once Salyer conquered the performance, she finally felt relieved.

“Afterwards, you feel like you did horrible,” she said. “But everybody starts clapping. It’s just a big sigh of relief, like, ‘Oh, I did good.’”