1. That First Practice Is Equally The Best And The Worst

On one hand, you are reunited with all of your friends, and on the other, warm-ups are killer, because you are so out of shape.

2. Exercise Is So Much Better With Your Friends

Whether it is group/partner workouts or by communal complaining, it just helps.

3. When You Can't Figure Out A Move, Then It Clicks

You can spend days or weeks working on a specific move and dropping it every time, until that magical moment when it clicks and you catch it. The left side is another issue all together.

4. Not Knowing What Moves Other Guards Are Talking About

Stir the pot? Crazy eights? What are you talking about? Oh, witches brews? Okay, sure.

5. That After-Show Feeling

No matter how well you did, you always walk away, heart pounding, wondering, "did I breathe at all during those last five minutes?" Wow! What a rush!

6. Dropping A Big Toss

Even though everyone else says that no one noticed, you did, and wow is it disappointing. But you'll get it next time!

7. Outsiders Not Knowing What Guard Is

So, like, the national guard or something?

8. Randomly Appearing Bruises

Who knows how they get there, really.

9. Looking At Show Pictures Once They Are Posted

And that one picture that shows everyone in synch becomes everyone's cover photo on Facebook.

10. The Joy of New Costumes

Guard unitards are notoriously unflattering, but there is just something about new costumes that get you into character.

11. The Curse Of, "Just One More Time"

There is no bigger lie in guard than this.

12. Wearing Team SWAG Everywhere

Once you get that season's swag, the whole team wears them everywhere, and you can spot a team member a mile away based on their jacket.

13. Calloused, Red, and Aching Hands

Depending on your guard, you may or may not wear gloves for spinning, but by the end of the season you'll probably have lumberjack hands either way.

14. Immediate Nostalgia Following The Last Show

Saying goodbye is hard and the last show of the season makes it real.

15. Teams That Spin Together, Stick Together

Guard girls will always have your back.

See Sapphire Winter Guard at Geneseo perform this year in the Northeast Color Guard Circuit. Interested in joining? Contact wguard@geneseo.edu.