It all started for me with a Woodwind methods class as part of my curriculum at college. The clarinet. Not my first choice of instrument maybe, but my friend had one she was just getting rid of, so me being one to never to leave an instrument homeless, took it and then took on the challenge of learning it. Of course being a vocal major, this confused several of my peers. How could I cross the borders into instrumental land!? It was thanks to a former teacher of mine, hired as a emergency position until the position was filled permanently. He didn't care if you never touched an instrument, he wanted you involved. Before he left, I remembered thinking to myself, " I wish i could be in band with him, i think it would be great!" Then, a good friend told me I should join Marching Band. MARCHING BAND?!?! I looked at her like she was insane. After much prodding and begging, I told her I would give it a shot. Then the news came that he was being replaced. I was very upset, and wanted nothing to do with a NEW person, but because i wanted to honor the work he had done, I decided to give her a shot, see how it went. This will be lovingly regarded as possibly one of the best decisions I have made. My band director is one of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Kind, professional, and always willing to give you a shot to succeed. Within a few days, I knew I would like her a lot.
Anyway, on to this band life thing. I will never forget the feeling I got walking into the band room on rookie day at band camp. That pit in my stomach saying " Bad IDEA BAD IDEA!! Turn around now!" I remembered sitting there waiting for everyone and the reel running through my head was playing a soundtrack of disaster. " I have no idea what i'm doing. What the hell are co-ordinates? I can barely play a decent scale on this instrument sitting still, now i'm supposed to play AND march AND have it memorized? I'm gonna make a fool out of myself..." Just a few of the many things running through my overactive brain on rookie day. I decided not to run and stick it out. I had agreed to it, my dots were in the forms, and there was no turning back. After a day or two, I think I figured out the commands, though that "Attention" command was the worst! The first night on the field there were like a thousand mosquitos eating my legs and I couldn't move to swat them away. After that, nothing bugged me at attention haha.
Around the 3rd day of band camp, I began to feel that special band camp feeling....Agony. My feet hurt so much to walk on, there were muscles in my legs that I didn't know existed that hurt, I had to most ridiculous suntan known to man, and i was possibly the happiest i've ever been. The music was coming together, the drill was coming together, and I was able to share the agony and the "heck yes this is becoming something" with 55 other people. I'll never forget one night in the middle of camp, probably Wednesday or Thursday night, it was getting dark, the field lights were on, we were standing at attention and I was looking up at the light and the stands as I stood on the yard line. I remembered a feeling of pride, a feeling of belonging, and being a part of something bigger than me. I felt like I was home and that I belonged right here forever.
The people I met through band have made my life that much better, between my friends and my band director, even the staff that she had come in have impacted my life. I remember Matt Parent, one of Dr. Reynolds people giving us a talk about how being in band would be the best part of your life and after band life just goes down hill. At that moment, and this one, I believe that. I believe there will be many great days ahead of me, but I do think that some of the best days of my life have been brought to me by being in Marching band. Here's to many more years of being involved with Marching band and being Home.
