When the network was congested, I stared at the mempool (transaction queue), and it really felt like lining up to get into the subway during the morning rush: you shove your transaction in just to get a ticket number; miners/validators first pick the one that pays more to board, and the ones that pay less just keep squeezing and lingering at the door. What’s even more awkward is that you think you’re waiting in line, but you might actually be repeatedly cut in front of, or even get stuck until it expires, then get dropped and sent back—waiting in vain for a full round only to have your emotions build up.

Recently, there was a rush from Meme and celebrities shouting out trade signals. Everyone swarmed in and tapped “confirm,” and the queue instantly blew up. Veteran players say don’t take the last step, but I think the more realistic thing is: don’t force it with a “just give a little fee” mindset when things are at their most crowded. In the end, it’s either you won’t get a transaction through, or it will go through in the most uncomfortable position. That’s it for now—wait until the crowd thins out before you board; at least you can keep your mindset steady.