Note: Some of the events and facts in this story are made up. Based on the true story of my Freshman Year.
Do you remember the day when you took your first historic step into your High School Music Room? I do. It was the first day of band camp, and I was scared for my life.
The room was packed with people. I could not distinguish who was a Senior, Junior, or sophomore. There were no specific groups of people within their own little section like in Junior High. There were no specific groups distinguishing grade level. Each person seemed to know everyone else…except me.
I looked around for other freshman that I knew. But upperclassmen were surprisingly friendly towards me. I quickly learned who the section leaders for clarinets were. I quickly discovered that a drum major does not play the drum. I learned the names of every member within the clarinet section within the minute, and the rest of the band within a few days.
I unpacked my clarinet in the busy cubby room, and walked with the other band members to the baseball field. (The football field was being used)
There, our drill instructor put us into random groups. I met sophomores who seemed eager that they were now a vet, and Juniors who were the smallest class in our band, and the Seniors, who were leading each group, teaching us marking time and the importance of a straight back.
After the outside drill fraction, we went inside and separated into sectionals. (OTHER sports have to be the top to enter sectionals. We do sectionals every day!) There was only one other freshman that went to my junior high school. Another one was from France, and another one from another middle school.
I made friends with all of them. It was unbelievable how much marching band brings people together. The next few days, I became closer with the upperclassman. And I remember the surprised looks on non-band friends when an upperclassman said "hi" in the hallways.
They would always ask if I had an older sibling. I did not. That would only shock them more. The only day of my freshman year I missed was during the Freshman Tutorial. If I had the choice, I would have ditched the tutorial. Unfortunately, that was the day when we received our ID cards and PE uniforms. So I had to go. I regretted missing that one day.
High School speeds by fast. Especially if you have Marching Band to keep you busy. I devoted nearly all of my time to band, and some to academics. Surprisingly, my grades skyrocketed.
Before I knew it, the first week of school was over (which my Biology teacher kindly reminded me). We were off to Away Band Camp.
Our cabins were merely a few feet away from a nearby abandoned WWII fort. And because the fort attracted tourists, we attracted audiences. The audience was very enthusiastic, especially when we performed our surprising Opener, and Teary Ballad. Our Closer was not yet perfected.
When the audience leaves, we would practice marching. The guard would leave and learn drill moves. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner were delicious. I met guard and pit members for the first time in person. They were some of the funniest people I know.
That night was the best day of my entire Freshman Year excluding other Marching Band activities. We had a skit night. The clarinets asked for volunteers, and we then wove an Aladdin story by "controlling" the volunteers. Each section then continued to perform hilarious skits of their own creation.
Afterwards, pranks were pulled. They were obviously all on the freshman, but they ran out of time and space for me to take part, which was the only downer of the trip.
After we packed our bags, loaded the equipment truck, and trudged onto the bus, I thought that one of my best weekends was over. I knew Marching Band was a great activity, but I didn't think that it would produce anymore wonderful weekends such as this.
I was utterly wrong.