It is inevitable in life that you will have a handful of pivotal, life-changing summers. Personally, I'm on the tail-end of one of those. I spent the better part of my summer working as a whitewater raft guide, or boatman. I learned more about life this summer than I have in my college career, in any of my high school classes, or simply in the previous 19 summers of my life. Here are the lessons that I learned on the water that translated into real, adult life.

1. Get that base.

No, I'm not actually referring to the base of a pyramid, or a base on a baseball field. The most important base you can get in a boatman's world is your base tan. Your base tan is going to set you up for a solid bronze color all summer long. My solid base analogy can be translated into real life in the sense that everything in your life has to come from a solid base. Whether it be relationships, friendships, career paths, family dynamics, etc., you need a solid base, so find yours. You might get fried every now and then even with a solid base, but that's life.

2. Double Longs Are Inevitable.

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of working at a rafting company, I'll clue you in. A "double long" means that you were blessed (using that term loosely) with the opportunity to take two of the longest trips of the day in the hot sun with the guarantee of a headwind or thunderstorm to accompany you. Just as double longs are inevitable, so are lengthy, difficult times in your life. The best way to handle a long is to just grin and bear it and also pray that you have some good company for the ride. I've had my fair share of "double longs" in life, so I'm here to tell you that your best bet is to just pray for some good company for those times and just keep moving forward.

3. Trauma Breeds Strength.

Some days don't go as planned and it gets scary. You don't have to be rafting in the Grand Canyon to encounter dangerous situations. Even the "Raging Shoshone" has a few opportunities to get your adrenaline pumping and can demand some quick decisions to be made. Traumatic experiences breed strength, confidence, and wisdom following the initial fear and potential for failure. Just like any other situation when life gets tough, you can't sit it out after something bad happens. You have to get back out there and just keep on living, that's what you were put on this Earth to do, and it sure beats the alternative. Wear your scars, learn your lessons, and show up at work the next day.

4. Work With What You've Got.

Sometimes the rafting gods choose to absolutely destroy every piece of your being by giving you shit for paddlers, that's just life. The only choice you have when you don't have very good paddlers and a heavy boat, is to set some darn good angles in the river. As hard as we try, we can't anticipate the kind of situations or people that will be tossed into our lives. The best thing you can do is to set yourself up to keep moving forward as best you can and avoid the objects that will slow you down.

5. People Love a Good Story.

The way you tell a story is just as important as the plot. People love a good story, especially if it's told with a little zest. As a guide, you learn to be an entertainer and a story teller, so be a darn good one. Sixty years from now, you're going to want to be able to re-hash your best memories and stories, so take the time to make some good ones now, and then dress up the re-tell later on in life so you can dazzle your audience.

6. Be Like a 90's Boy Band and Get N'Sync.

Whether you're telling your boat to paddle, or trying to figure out your life a little, start by getting in sync. You can't get to moving forward without being in sync with yourself and those around you. Also, don't put yourself above using a poor pun once in awhile, someone has to do it.

7. There is More Than One Way to Get Through a Rapid {and load a boat}.

Sure, there are recommended ways to get through a rapid, but there isn't only one way. Sometimes you go through it straight on and make a clean break, sometimes you go around, and I've also heard of some real daredevils going through them backwards, followed by a 360 degree boat turn. That's probably just a myth though. Anyways, there are always a few ways to solve a problem, so find the way that suits you best and just roll with it.

On a side note, sometimes you'll load your boat backwards, and that's okay. It's really just a way to assert your comfort as a guide and is very effective in keeping your customers on their toes. Apply that to life as well, mix things up a little to avoid monotony.

8. Make Team Bonding a Necessity.

Let's face it, we spend a lot of time with our co-workers, so make the best of it. You might even get lucky and meet eight of the weirdest, raddest (yes, it's a word), kindred spirits you've ever encountered. Summer '16 brought some of my very closest friends to me. I might've ended up friends with them through other avenues, but not in the same way. It's rare to find a group of ten or so people that vibe so well, and so naturally. I still haven't been able to pinpoint if it was the camping, the rafting, the music, the high-quality coffee, or the many sunsets we witnessed together, whatever it was, it brought us all together for one hell of a summer.

9. Love the Simple Things.

Rafting, soaking up the sun, collecting a paycheck, answering phones, making reservations, etc. all became a part of this summer routine that we all got sucked into. The big things like camping, hiking and rafting are big memories, but I didn't realize until it was over that the little things in my day meant the most. Whether it was showing up to a high-quality, fresh-brewed cup of coffee in the morning, Bearded Joe giving you a mint from his life jacket, or getting a "MicSpecial" hug in the morning, you wanted to count your blessings for the little things that made summer life just that much sweeter. You truly never know the value of a moment until it has passed. Looking back on the endless laughter, goofy notes left around the office, and the absurd amount of breakfast burritos consumed, I can't help but appreciate it all a little bit more.

10. 90% of Being Cool, Is Looking Cool.

When it comes to earning the trust of your passengers and co-workers, 90% of being cool, is looking cool. Strap up your life jacket, get a sick water bottle with a bunch of stickers, and get some obnoxious Chums to hold your glasses on your neck. If you act like you've got it all together, that's enough. On a side note, if you ever figure out the other 10% of looking cool, let our staff know, we're still searching.

P.S. A very special thank you goes out to my co-boatmen from the summer. This article has been brought to you by their presence in my life and the shenanigans that quickly ensued.