Any young woman living in England for any length of time in recent memory knows that participating in the social season raises one's chances of being involved in a Catastrophe. These incidents range from the reasonably mundane (see, for example, the young woman who tore half her skirt in the midst of the Potts' Flower Show last week) to the life-threatening (the hurricane at the Sanditon). With each host or hostess employing more and more magic to set their events apart from the rest, one cannot expect to avoid the occasional catastrophe unless one avoids events altogether, which is of course no way to make a name for oneself in society or to secure a suitable match. But a disastrous event doesn't need to mean disaster for your prospects! The next time you find yourself facing a magical disruption, keep these steps in mind:

1. Assess the severity of the situation. If you are in life-threatening danger, your first priority must be getting yourself out of it; disregard the rest of this list until you can proceed safely. There will be no wedding if you are dead, however pretty your corpse. Severe injury such as missing limbs is also considered highly unattractive.

2. Put yourself in a position to be rescued. Many young women are capable of facing mild or moderate danger on their own, but that doesn't mean they should! If you can do so safely, stay put and lean in to the damsel in distress moment. Wide eyes and a mouth slightly parted in surprise are irresistible to dashing young men (feel free to practice you "in danger" expression in a mirror to be sure you can pull it out smoothly when the time has come), and moreover, any man's pride will be well-suited by a chance to play the hero. Once the rescue is enacted, this also puts you in a very favorable position moving forward - being indebted to a gentleman allows you to get away with sending him a favor or two as a show of gratitude, without appearing presumptuous.

3. Present yourself gracefully. This is particularly impactful if other young women nearby are devolving into hysterics. You can shine by comparison by keeping your expression relaxed, demonstrating you are listening by responding immediately to directions or questions, and carrying out small tasks as requested. This poise in the face of danger demonstrates your aptitude to step into high-responsibility roles such as the lady of a large household or a specific social position.

4. Be careful not to be too capable. The suitors in your life will expect to be the heroes of the moment, and you must take care not to take that away from them, which could lead to bruised egos and resentment. If you've found yourself on the supporting side of the catastrophe (that is, not directly in danger), it's safe to volunteer for tasks that men would prefer not to do, such as blotting the foreheads of victims with cool rags or making up cots.

5. Note how your suitors perform. As we noted earlier, it's unlikely you'll completely escape brushes with disaster — and that goes for after you marry, as well! Take mental notes about how your suitors react to catastrophe. Do they make decisions well under pressure? Do they prioritize your safety first and foremost? Consider whether you would be happy with their actions if the situation repeated itself when you were husband and wife, and direct your courtship accordingly.

6. Privacy can be your friend - or your enemy. The chaos involved in an event like this makes it easier to find oneself alone with a gentleman, either intentionally or accidentally. Our advice is to pay close attention to your surroundings and ensure you never find yourself in this position accidentally. The risk to one's reputation is too great to be borne for an unproductive encounter. With the correct suitor, however, a few moments alone can be used to great effect - particularly if emotions are already running high from the rest of the incident. This is the ideal time to confess to feelings, and to wring promises out of a gentleman which you can then hold them to after the fact!