Freshmen Band Camp or in other words, The First Week July 21-24
I didn't want to be in band. What on Earth had possessed me to ever think I would want to be in band. Last night, I had had so much fun with my friends, Alicia, Bill, and Kyle(none of which who would be joining me in band) They helped to convince my already doubtful mind to convince myself that I wanted to quit.
It was July 21, 9 a.m. I was standing in the parking lot of AHS, the high school I would be attending in the fall. It was, of course, sweltering as it always gets in Alabama. I had just returned from a trip to the beach, and was very testy towards the light. Much preferring air conditioned houses and hotels, I had opted to spend my days indoors and out of the sun. The light and heat, added to the fact I had gotten no sleep (though that was a norm for me), made me extremely grumpy.
We started with the basics. We learned how to roll our feet, stand at attention, stand at parade rest, the easy stuff. That was it for the first day. The next three were relatively the same. Each day we built on what we had done the previous one, but it was nothing special. All of it was easy, which was definitely a good factor for me. If there had been any real work required, I probably would have quit on the spot. I'm glad I didn't.
On Tuesday we had a full band practice that gave me a chance to meet the upperclassmen. Only the section leaders and our drum major had been at the morning practices, and I wanted to meet more people. It's my nature when introduced to new places, learn as many names and faces as possible. That combined with the fact that I would be spending much of my next 4 months with these people. As much as I wanted new info, I had no intention to bond with these people. That wasn't my thing. Instead I stayed with my freshmen friends.
Thursday was our final day of freshmen band camp. Once we were back inside, sign-ups for J.B.ing began. J.B. or Junior Band, is basically pledging for band dorks. We, the freshmen, do whatever the seniors tell us to from now until the start of school(or so we thought) It's supposed to introduce us to the band and let us get to know more people. I really didn't want to. The thought of being told what to do for a week was utter nonsense to me. I am not one that is told what to do. Very rarely do I ever listen to anyone, even my parents. So I was not a very likely canidate for it. My friends though were overjoyed to sign up. Thus, I did to. It was for them though. I wanted to be able to help them, because that's what I do for my friends. You could say I was the protector of the group. Never did I think that signing up would have such an effect on my life.
When we signed up we were informed that that night there was a party at Hannah P's(not my friend, senior Hannah) house to have everyone get to know each other. I've never really been a social person, but I can never seem to refuse a party. I went home, and chilled on the internet for a little while, before getting ready for the party. Nothing special, just some jeans and a different shirt, and , a must in my book, tons of bracelets. I rode with my neighbor and very good friend Clara, over to Hannah P's house. We knew some other people there from church and middle school and such, so we found some people to talk to on the porch.
Out of the corner of my eye I spied another one of my friends, Laura(more commonly Mouldy) talking to a guy I didn't know. He was tall, and had blonde hair and blue eyes. Later I would find out this was Charlie. Much more will be said about Charlie, but that's for later. For now he was just someone I would have to watch out for(as I have said before, I am very protective of my friends).
After a while outside, we moved to the basement. Now, you must understand, this is a seriously cool basement. The floor was black and white checkerboard. The walls were many different colors with a variety of posters ranging from Marilyn Monroe to The Wizard of Oz. All around there are spectacles of light and color. When you first come down the stairs, there is a small siting area directly in front of you with a couch on one wall. Opposite that wall are two smaller rooms, with a TV in the space between them. The back of the basement is lined with three restaurant booths as well as a fooseball table on one side and a pool table on the other. By the fooseball table is a small kitchen.
Clara and I found a few people by the fooseball table. Two girls I didn't know were playing my friends Nick and Justin. They introduced themselves as Cheryl and Elizabeth, who I now recognized as Justin's sister. The game was over, so I took over with Justin, and Nick played with Leslie. Justin and I won, then swapped so he played with Nick, but now Elizabeth was back so I played with her. Eventually, I wandered away from the table over to my friends Brittany, Hannah, and Camille. Hannah had just gotten back from camp and had many new dances to show us. We learned the Drunken Israel Dance from her and had fun performing it in front of everyone. Clara and I decided we were thirsty though, so we wandered back upstairs. Mouldy was still talking to Charlie.
Once we had our drinks, we went back downstairs. Yet again, we found friends to talk to and did just that, About five minutes later, Mouldy and Charlie came downstairs. We were talking to some people, and I finally heard his name and some things mentioned about Charlie. It's a custom for most of the guys in the band to pick a freshmen to be theirs. Mouldy was obviously claimed, now what about the rest of my friends. I ,of course, was wary and knew that later we would talk to Mouldy,
I wandered around the house like that for basically the entire time, stopping for a few moments conversation with different people, all of whom I knew though. Towards the party's end though, I rejoined with Clara back upstairs at the table. I was introduced to quite a few people on their way out the door. Listening has always been a skill of mind and I heard talk of people going to Spenser's, whoever Spenser was. Everyone was reminded of the shaving cream fight Saturday before they left. Soon it was only Clara, Sarah, and I left with Hannah. In a bit Clara's parents came and picked us up. My mind was still relatively as it had been. Perhaps band wouldn't be so bad, but still I remained true to everything I had convinced myself I was over the summer.
Friday was dull. I slept until around two in the afternoon when I finally woke and came downstairs. I sat on the computer the rest of the day, and at night I went out with Alicia, Bill, and Jacob. We had loads of fun, and once again I was reminded how stupid band was and that I should quit.
Saturday however, changed my opinion entirely. The Saving Cream War was at Channing's house, so at the designated time I drove out there. People were already gathering. Water balloons were being made as fast as they could, and endless bottles of shaving cream were being placed at the bases. As soon as everyone was there, we were given the rules and that was it. The girls had their stash, the boys had theirs, and there was the hose that acted as a safe zone for those who had been hit in the eyes.
At first I was hesitant to go out. Not because I was afraid (that's a rarity that doesn't exist for me) but because I didn't know who I wanted to attack. I decided to go out as free bait. Load my hands with shaving cream and stand out in the center,, open target for anyone that dared to try. One especially stood out among those that attacked me. For the most part I didn't even realize. I was in the zone. I blocked blows and smashed shaving cream into every face I saw. There was one though that I wanted to get in particular. I didn't know who he was, or why I was even determined to get him, but I was. He also seemed to share the odd fixation, as I was always the one he went after. More then once, I found myself in a head lock with shaving cream being shoved up my nose. I retaliated, breaking the choke and dishing the punishment right back. I got many people, even chasing down Munchkin(or Chris who I had met the other night), the one that no one could catch, none gave me the same satisfaction as this unknown boy. Too soon, it was over. We were all drenched in white and dripping from the many hose trips we had taken when we got together for a picture. It was this shaving cream war that confirmed my decision to stay in band.
And so ended my first week of band dorkism. As it progresses it will grow more an more and more interesting. Especially because of the next week. Band camp..
I didn't want to be in band. What on Earth had possessed me to ever think I would want to be in band. Last night, I had had so much fun with my friends, Alicia, Bill, and Kyle(none of which who would be joining me in band) They helped to convince my already doubtful mind to convince myself that I wanted to quit.
It was July 21, 9 a.m. I was standing in the parking lot of AHS, the high school I would be attending in the fall. It was, of course, sweltering as it always gets in Alabama. I had just returned from a trip to the beach, and was very testy towards the light. Much preferring air conditioned houses and hotels, I had opted to spend my days indoors and out of the sun. The light and heat, added to the fact I had gotten no sleep (though that was a norm for me), made me extremely grumpy.
We started with the basics. We learned how to roll our feet, stand at attention, stand at parade rest, the easy stuff. That was it for the first day. The next three were relatively the same. Each day we built on what we had done the previous one, but it was nothing special. All of it was easy, which was definitely a good factor for me. If there had been any real work required, I probably would have quit on the spot. I'm glad I didn't.
On Tuesday we had a full band practice that gave me a chance to meet the upperclassmen. Only the section leaders and our drum major had been at the morning practices, and I wanted to meet more people. It's my nature when introduced to new places, learn as many names and faces as possible. That combined with the fact that I would be spending much of my next 4 months with these people. As much as I wanted new info, I had no intention to bond with these people. That wasn't my thing. Instead I stayed with my freshmen friends.
Thursday was our final day of freshmen band camp. Once we were back inside, sign-ups for J.B.ing began. J.B. or Junior Band, is basically pledging for band dorks. We, the freshmen, do whatever the seniors tell us to from now until the start of school(or so we thought) It's supposed to introduce us to the band and let us get to know more people. I really didn't want to. The thought of being told what to do for a week was utter nonsense to me. I am not one that is told what to do. Very rarely do I ever listen to anyone, even my parents. So I was not a very likely canidate for it. My friends though were overjoyed to sign up. Thus, I did to. It was for them though. I wanted to be able to help them, because that's what I do for my friends. You could say I was the protector of the group. Never did I think that signing up would have such an effect on my life.
When we signed up we were informed that that night there was a party at Hannah P's(not my friend, senior Hannah) house to have everyone get to know each other. I've never really been a social person, but I can never seem to refuse a party. I went home, and chilled on the internet for a little while, before getting ready for the party. Nothing special, just some jeans and a different shirt, and , a must in my book, tons of bracelets. I rode with my neighbor and very good friend Clara, over to Hannah P's house. We knew some other people there from church and middle school and such, so we found some people to talk to on the porch.
Out of the corner of my eye I spied another one of my friends, Laura(more commonly Mouldy) talking to a guy I didn't know. He was tall, and had blonde hair and blue eyes. Later I would find out this was Charlie. Much more will be said about Charlie, but that's for later. For now he was just someone I would have to watch out for(as I have said before, I am very protective of my friends).
After a while outside, we moved to the basement. Now, you must understand, this is a seriously cool basement. The floor was black and white checkerboard. The walls were many different colors with a variety of posters ranging from Marilyn Monroe to The Wizard of Oz. All around there are spectacles of light and color. When you first come down the stairs, there is a small siting area directly in front of you with a couch on one wall. Opposite that wall are two smaller rooms, with a TV in the space between them. The back of the basement is lined with three restaurant booths as well as a fooseball table on one side and a pool table on the other. By the fooseball table is a small kitchen.
Clara and I found a few people by the fooseball table. Two girls I didn't know were playing my friends Nick and Justin. They introduced themselves as Cheryl and Elizabeth, who I now recognized as Justin's sister. The game was over, so I took over with Justin, and Nick played with Leslie. Justin and I won, then swapped so he played with Nick, but now Elizabeth was back so I played with her. Eventually, I wandered away from the table over to my friends Brittany, Hannah, and Camille. Hannah had just gotten back from camp and had many new dances to show us. We learned the Drunken Israel Dance from her and had fun performing it in front of everyone. Clara and I decided we were thirsty though, so we wandered back upstairs. Mouldy was still talking to Charlie.
Once we had our drinks, we went back downstairs. Yet again, we found friends to talk to and did just that, About five minutes later, Mouldy and Charlie came downstairs. We were talking to some people, and I finally heard his name and some things mentioned about Charlie. It's a custom for most of the guys in the band to pick a freshmen to be theirs. Mouldy was obviously claimed, now what about the rest of my friends. I ,of course, was wary and knew that later we would talk to Mouldy,
I wandered around the house like that for basically the entire time, stopping for a few moments conversation with different people, all of whom I knew though. Towards the party's end though, I rejoined with Clara back upstairs at the table. I was introduced to quite a few people on their way out the door. Listening has always been a skill of mind and I heard talk of people going to Spenser's, whoever Spenser was. Everyone was reminded of the shaving cream fight Saturday before they left. Soon it was only Clara, Sarah, and I left with Hannah. In a bit Clara's parents came and picked us up. My mind was still relatively as it had been. Perhaps band wouldn't be so bad, but still I remained true to everything I had convinced myself I was over the summer.
Friday was dull. I slept until around two in the afternoon when I finally woke and came downstairs. I sat on the computer the rest of the day, and at night I went out with Alicia, Bill, and Jacob. We had loads of fun, and once again I was reminded how stupid band was and that I should quit.
Saturday however, changed my opinion entirely. The Saving Cream War was at Channing's house, so at the designated time I drove out there. People were already gathering. Water balloons were being made as fast as they could, and endless bottles of shaving cream were being placed at the bases. As soon as everyone was there, we were given the rules and that was it. The girls had their stash, the boys had theirs, and there was the hose that acted as a safe zone for those who had been hit in the eyes.
At first I was hesitant to go out. Not because I was afraid (that's a rarity that doesn't exist for me) but because I didn't know who I wanted to attack. I decided to go out as free bait. Load my hands with shaving cream and stand out in the center,, open target for anyone that dared to try. One especially stood out among those that attacked me. For the most part I didn't even realize. I was in the zone. I blocked blows and smashed shaving cream into every face I saw. There was one though that I wanted to get in particular. I didn't know who he was, or why I was even determined to get him, but I was. He also seemed to share the odd fixation, as I was always the one he went after. More then once, I found myself in a head lock with shaving cream being shoved up my nose. I retaliated, breaking the choke and dishing the punishment right back. I got many people, even chasing down Munchkin(or Chris who I had met the other night), the one that no one could catch, none gave me the same satisfaction as this unknown boy. Too soon, it was over. We were all drenched in white and dripping from the many hose trips we had taken when we got together for a picture. It was this shaving cream war that confirmed my decision to stay in band.
And so ended my first week of band dorkism. As it progresses it will grow more an more and more interesting. Especially because of the next week. Band camp..