1. Salute to PMEA should honestly be your school's fight song.
Everyone in your band that went to festivals can play it at any tempo, probably better than their school's actual fight song. Once you play it at your last festival, you pull it out again just to play it one more time. Why don't we play it at states, though?
2. You're used to sharing a bed with random strangers (or sleeping on the floor).
Spending every festival in a room with three other people and having two to one very small full bed has changed you. You've also learned to run to the room as quick as you can to find the outlets and pick that side of the bed.
3. You can recite your District president's speech for every concert.
Every year it's the same. Every single festival. It most likely includes some form of explaining the extensive audition process and how it is a prestigious honor that we have earned a spot in this ensemble.
4. You've played at least one piece of repertoire three times.
How many times have you really sung Nyon Nyon? You don't even need music for it anymore. Region V Choir, am I right? Either Khan, Bayou Breakdown, or Kokopelli's Dance are included in almost every program you've done.
5. PMEA confessions is the first thing you check in the morning.
Everyone knows it exists, including the directors and district presidents. You would never openly discuss the confessions page at a festival, but we all know it's there. The confessions are some of the truest statements you've read about festivals but if anyone asks, you don't even have a Twitter.
6. "Packing light" is so much easier.
You're constantly told to pack light due to bus travel and after your first festival, you learned not to pack your suitcase that has to be checked at the airport due to size and instead pack two days worth of clothes in the smallest backpack you could find. Even if there's a separate truck for luggage, you still have to pack small because how are you supposed to fit all the luggage for the chorus into the trailer unless it's for an 18-wheeler.
7. "What even is this?" ends up being "This is my favorite piece."
When you first look at the folder you roll your eyes and sigh. Another festival with music that looks boring or too crazy for high school students. When you're practicing the music you constantly want to rip it and throw it out, but it costs $50 to replace each piece. By the time the concert comes, you're crying because you realize how beautiful every single note is and you never want to let it go.
8. Waiting for placements and scores = anxiety.
Why does it take them so long to tally up a section with 6 people but the clarinets have rankings within the hour? There has to be a tie if it's taking this long. Whatever, I did great and I'm definitely going to make states this year. How many do they take to states again?
9. The thoughts you have when your section is not rehearsing are never-ending
Can I just go home? What do I have to do to go home but still get the pin? I just want to sleep. Do we really need 12 hours of rehearsal today? I think we sound fine. Trumpets do you really need to play that loud? Tenors, can you keep messing up so we can just stay here and do nothing?
10. You casually have contact with world-renowned composers.
Oh yeah, John Mackey? I have a selfie with him. Eric Whitacre? He follows me on twitter. Karl Jenkins signed my sheet music a few years ago. Yeah, I know people. (But then again, you've had conductors that are from places you didn't even know existed until you made region band.)
11. Seeing your best friend requires a long drive
The best friends you'll ever make are from PMEA. It gets worse through each progression through districts, regions, and states. Meeting halfway usually ends up in a town where you have to choose between a Walmart or McDonalds for fun. You'd rather not spend three hours in the car, but it's so worth it once you get to see them.
12. Your section becomes like a family.
I wish I could say that I think I will talk to people from my high school more than I will talk to people from my section at festivals after I graduate, but I know that's an utter lie. I have numerous group chats of the friends I made within my section at festivals. Sitting next to the same people for three or more days forms bonds that are almost unbreakable.
13. The experience may have been one of the most stressful things you did in high school.
But you would never trade your time in PMEA festivals for anything. Even though you may not have placed where you wanted at your last festival, you still made some of the best friends and had some of the best laughs
14. Your last concert breaks your heart.
No matter how many times you tell yourself "I will not cry," you end up crying, Whether it be at that one chord that gets you or the last note, you stand up at the end of the concert with tears running down your face
