I made it to the final 12 on 'Squid Game: The Challenge.' You need strong social bonds to succeed, and more lessons I learned.

Bee Sarafian appeared on the first season of "Squid Game: The Challenge."

Joe Scarnici / Getty Images for Netflix / Pete Dadds / Netflix

• Bee Sarafian was Player 018 on Netflix's "Squid Game: The Challenge."
• The British contestant made it to the final 12 before being eliminated.
• This is Bee's story, as told to Business Insider journalist Ayomikun Adekaiyero.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bianca "Bee" Sarafian about her experience on Netflix's "Squid Game: The Challenge." The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I was one of the 456 contestants who competed in the first season of "Squid Game: The Challenge."

For roughly two weeks, we had to compete every day in tense games and thought-provoking social tests for the opportunity to win $4.56 million.

I didn't make it to the final game, but I am super glad that I made it to the top 12.

My strategy for 'Red Light, Green Light' nearly got me eliminated

The "Red Light, Green. Light" game on "Squid Game: The Challenge."

Netflix

In "Red Light, Green Light," we had to reach the end of a field without being noticed by a rotating, singing doll.

I thought the best way to keep my body still when we needed to stop was to sit down. I would stand up whenever we could move forward, and make sure I was sitting down by the time the doll stopped singing and turned around.

Everyone laughed at me at first, but they were all doing this tactic by the middle of the game, once they realized that they would be stuck in their positions for several long minutes rather than a few seconds.

This tactic did slow me down a bit. Player 019, Amanda, and I were some of the last contestants to go through with seconds to spare. We had to do a last-ditch sprint to cross the finish line.

I stand by my strategy for the first game, though it nearly led to my elimination.

I have misophonia, so the 'Dalgona' game was a terrible experience for me

To pass the challenge, we had to cut out a shape out of a cookie. Inspired by the original "Squid Game" show, many contestants opted to drown their cookies in their spit, which I believe was a flawless method.

The cookie would get very soft, allowing you to pick it out very easily and quickly. Everyone who was doing the hardest shape — the umbrella — drowned their cookies in spit.

Players on "Squid Game: The Challenge" attempted to use condoms as chapstick, according to some contestants.

Netflix

If you thought looking at people drown cookies in their spit was bad, trust me, hearing it in the room was so much worse.

It was a terrible experience for me because I have misophonia, which means I'm sensitive to mouth noises.

I could hear people gagging and hacking all around me and struggled to keep my cool. It was awful.

I had the circle shape which was one of the easiest to do. Of course, I didn't want to be caught in 4K licking the cookie so I kept the tin close to my face to cover my attempts.

I didn't feel comfortable drowning the cookie in spit, so I had to use the needle provided to cut the shape out, which took a lot longer. I quickly learned that the best way to use the needle was to cut from the back of the cookie.

Social strategy is key to succeeding on the show

Bee hugging another player in "Squid Game: The Challenge."

Netflix

The part of the competition I was most dreading was the social aspect. While I'm not antisocial, I'm not a big fan of small talk and the initial stage of getting familiar with people.

My worries were unnecessary since the chaos of the first challenge broke the ice with everyone fairly easily. Even on that first day, I was hugging people tight like I'd known them my whole life. One of the first people I befriended was Amanda (Player 019). We became instant friends and stuck it out throughout the show.

The social tests — in which contestants were eliminated or given an advantage — taught me the importance of forming social bonds. So many contestants were eliminated, or nearly eliminated, just because they had not spoken much to other contestants.

These challenges pushed me to make connections with people so I wasn't glossed over. The tests also encouraged you to be mindful of your interactions, and how people perceive you because of them.

The social aspect got tougher as the group got smaller, and there was a pack mentality toward the end

Bee and player 361, Melissa, during the marbles challenge in episode six of "Squid Game: The Challenge."

Pete Dadds / Netflix

While social bonds were important, I noticed that this definitely made the games a lot harder in the second half of the show.

Since we had gotten closer over the first week, we realized that we were taking this opportunity, and a bucket load of money, from another human being to win.

I remember that when I was paired up with Player 361, Melissa, during the "Marbles" challenge, I really didn't want to decide what game we played. I was very malleable to Melissa's suggestions for the game, and I even allowed her to have a practice shot before we started playing.

Melissa chose a throwing game with a pot from a fairly far difference. In hindsight, we should have chosen an easier game since I was only able to get my marble in the pot once.

At least that challenge was a game of merit. The following challenges, such as "Glass Bridge" and the "Die test," were games of chance.

This pushed everyone to a mentality of being more passive competitors and working together as one big team to pass challenges, rather than force someone out.

Player 287, Mai, and Player 278, Ashley, strayed from the team in some challenges and ended up feeling excluded from the group and targeted by other players.

There was a pack mentality in the final stages, and while I wouldn't advise future players to be forced to comply, it may not always be the smartest decision to protest against the group.

If a contestant rolled a six in the "Dice" social test, they had the power to either eliminate themselves or another player.

Netflix

My final challenge was the "Die test," where we had to roll a die to eliminate either ourselves or another player in the group. If we rolled a six, the player that we chose would be out.

Many of the contestants, including myself, chose to roll to eliminate ourselves because we wanted to work as a team rather than brutally get someone out.

I'm glad that my elimination was in my own hands rather than done by another player, or through the weird little dorm social eliminations.

I felt I didn't betray anyone to get far, and went so much further than I even expected. Again, social bonds are really important in this kind of competition.

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