Blood, sweat, tears, and guard tape.

For over 10 years of my life, I spent my summers and falls standing on a football field holding a flag. I spent countless hours learning basics, technique, and routines. It wasn't easy, and more times than not, it brought me to tears. It's frustrating and elating at the same time, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. As I move on from performing into coaching, I can't help but reminisce about the ways color guard has changed me as a person. You don't realize the impact it's had on you until you have the ability to look back on your experience. My experience has been incredible. I've realized how I've grown as a person, and many of the personality traits I have today can be directly tied to color guard and marching band.

1. I learned perseverance

When you're in color guard, you spend your entire summer in a gym, cafeteria, or auditorium practicing. It takes up ALL of your time. You're also spending 2 weeks in pre-band camp and band camp itself (hold the jokes). These two weeks are spent standing and marching in 90+ degree heat. You're pretty sure you're going to die right then and there on the field. It's incredibly tempting to pretend to be sick and go sit down in the shade with a cold glass of water.

But, because you love what you're doing, you don't. My freshman year of high school, it was 95 degrees or hotter every single day. Our marching field was surrounded with trees whose shade teased us by coming to the edge of the field, but not touching us. These trees also blocked the wind, efficiently removing any breeze that might ease up the heat. Many kids in the band that year passed out, vomited, or sat in front of the industrial size fan they set up for us in case of heat stroke. As tempting as it was to join them, I didn't. I wiped the sweat off my forehead for the thousandth time and pressed on. I fell into bed every night exhausted, and cursed the wake up call every morning. But, I did it.

When fall came, there were lots of rainy, windy, and down right cold nights. I usually contract strep around this time too. But, since I had been taking antibiotics for twenty four hours when the game came, I went out, fever and all, into the pouring rain and performed that half time show like my life depended on it. For all those times I stood miserable in the stands, for all the times I felt like my skin was melting off my body, and for all the times I felt like a routine was too hard for me to master, I realize now that I persevered.

2. I broke out of my shell

Before high school, I stuck to the same people. I didn't do anything I wasn't comfortable with. I barely talked to my extended family because I was too shy. I always sat back and let others voice their opinions while keeping my mouth shut.

I was convinced to join color guard by an old friend. I walked into practice nervous and anxious, but the people I've met on the two teams I've been on have become lifelong friends. I stood in the back, not wanting to be noticed and afraid of the spotlight. My Junior year, I stood proudly in front of a line of guard girls on the 50 yard line- the center of the field and right in the view of everyone in the audience.

Freshman year, I looked to the captains, wondering how they had the confidence to lead an entire team of girls. Senior year, I cried in happiness when I was appointed the new captain, and became captain of my college team for two years as well.

I began meeting new friends. I talked to people in class I never would have before. I became a leader in group projects. I joined new things in college and hung out with new people. I became a social butterfly to the extent where people no longer describe me as shy.

3. I learned how to become a leader

Being in a leadership position for three of the ten years I've done this has taught me an incredible amount about being a leader.

I know the balance between enforcing a rule and being mean. I learned the balance between being compassionate and being a pushover. I learned how to say "no" to people when they're being unfair, without the fear of them becoming upset with me.

I learned how to deal with situations not involving myself that will help better the team. I've learned how to transfer these skills into my friend group, my home life, my relationships, and my career. I find myself becoming a voice in groups and meetings, trying to lead the group to a positive outcome.

I know how to be an efficient leader without being overpowering.

4. I learned how to be in a team

Color guard is never about one single person. If one person doesn't put in the effort, the entire team looks bad during a performance. Everyone needs to work together, help each other, and support each other to become the best they can be.

Throughout my entire life, I've been taught to look out for myself. Between bullies and manipulative friends, I've always had to make sure the people I hung out with had my back. I've always had to stand up for myself when people tried to bring me down. But in color guard, I learned quickly that everyone had the same common goal: to look the best we could during performances. That meant everyone had to put in 110% effort when practicing, during rehearsal, and outside of it. If someone was struggling, we had to help them, and we had to want to help them, because at one point we were there ourselves.

We had to lean on each other, both for help and for guidance, in timing a certain move at a certain point in the music. Some of us didn't always get along, but we made an effort to, and ended up becoming great friends because of it.

5. I gained confidence in myself

Color guard is not easy. It tests your muscles, memory, and coordination all at the same time. As a freshman, I had no idea what I was doing or what I got myself into. Our coach would teach us a move, and I wouldn't understand how to do it in the slightest. I was an awkward teenager trying to find herself at this time, and not knowing anything when I went to practice had me feeling frustrated and plain dumb, most days.

But, I'll never forget the time when I finally managed to perfect a move that I had been struggling with. It felt like I was on top of the world! I could do anything, be anyone, do anything I wanted. I still struggled with my self image, and still do to this day, but whenever I was on the field holding a flag, I knew I looked confident and competent in my abilities. I'd get praised after the show by my coach, my family, my friends, and I'd have the biggest smile on my face that only color guard can bring me, because I know I did it. Over the course of ten years, I was able to perfect my technique. And although I'm still learning, I feel confident in my abilities enough to coach a new generation of guard girls.

Color Guard has given me more life experiences than anything else I've ever done. I've gained new friendships, new skills, and new insights. Despite the literal blood, sweat, and tears, I greeted the challenge of this magnificent sport head on. I became a better person because of it.