1. Only The Cool Kids Do It: It's Harder than it Looks
It takes a special kind of person to truly survive and thrive in marching band. Band camp is really fun: it’s a time to be with your closest friends nonstop for hours! But it is also tough; The work is very strenuous and long, and many of us have become deaf to the line “one last time” -- because it’s never the last time. Headaches, blisters, soggy socks, awkward tan lines, monotonous work at times. It’s a high energy event, and maintaining that level of energy for as long as we do is really hard. Ever hear the band practice? The drumline is going, there are random horns in the distance, and also a lot of uniform yelling; “hut!” “Up!” “Down!” “As you were!” “1, 2, 3, 4…” At the end of each day, you are worn out, exhausted beyond belief -- and yet, somehow you get out of bed, shower, grab an apple, and and return to the field the next morning with your instrument or flag, ready to do it all over again. We leave it all on the field, give it 110%. We help build each other up, fuel each others’ energy and support. At the end, we are a family and a team; we each have individual skills and talents, but together, these skills and talents become amplified and and bigger and better than anything any single person could do.
2. Not Only Can we Drill Down-We can Break Down
You know those girls with the giant bows and the giant flags that run around the field during half time? That would be the Color Guard. They are an awesome group of girls who somehow mesh the art of dance, drill and flagwork all at once. Ever seen a guard up close and personal? The poles are usually taller than the person dancing with them, and yet, we fearlessly toss and catch them, risking concussions, broken bones, and our sanity. At the same time, we thrive to be graceful, doing fancy footwork and pointing our toes, and drowning in hairspray and makeup so you can notice us from a distance. We function almost like a dance team, except for that we dance with flags, rifles, ribbon, swing flags, and basically any other object that has the potential to be spun (yes, the proper term is spin/spun/spinning -- not twirling! That refers to a different, but similar sport). Outside of marching season, we also spin for basketball games, and in some cases compete as a winter guard. Spring can be considered an off season, but some guards use the time to put together a recital (because spinning in the summer, fall, and winter simply wasn’t enough). Overall, we are a crazy bunch of girls who are frighteningly dedicated to spinning, yet goofy and super loving and loyal.
3. We Tan Loud and Proud
Every summer before school starts, we spend one whole week, sometimes a little more than a week, out in the sun all day. During this time we learn how to properly march together, count together, and essentially, move together to create the fantastic show you can watch at halftime during every home football game. All of these hours outside naturally cause beautifully awkward tan lines on our feet, hands, shoulders, and necks, and we proudly photograph each one and treasure them, for they are tangible proof of our hard work and dedication.
4. Work Hard, Play Hard
You are probably tired of hearing about how hard we work, so I won’t go over that again. At the end of the day, we are all super goofy people! We love making each other laugh, and we do crazy things when we’ve only had like three hours of sleep because the game went late, and then we had homework, and then someone wanted to hang out, etc. We truly value the work that we do, and we celebrate! We get together for games, or a movie, or a concert, we sing the alma mater. We have a good time, you know, when we’re not dying on the field, so please, don’t be afraid to join us!
5. Color Guard Is part of the Band!
As much as a guard member might be mistaken as a dance or cheer member, we actually belong to the band, and always have, always will. We do band camp, we get awkward tan lines, and we go on outings and meals with them. We also practice with them every week. Unfortunately, since we don’t always play an instrument, sometimes we get lost in the mix, and it's hard for people to find the connection. But the connection is real! We have many of the same qualities as any other band kid. Despite the conflicts that might arise, we are on the field every day too, because our goal is the exact same as everyone else’s; make a great show.
6. We don't just Band, we Bond
We spend a lot of time together. A LOT of time. But we love every second of it. Many of us, by the time we reach college marching band, have been marching for a few years now. In many ways, marching has shaped us and has helped build character, morale, and values. Among these, are loyalty, patience, passion, perseverance, unity, and an undying belief that we can do anything we set our minds to do/ All of these qualities, perhaps merely intended to create an awesome show at first, have become a core part of our being, and it easily transfers into the relationships we create and grow over time with other members in band. We are fantastic friends! We are family! We also welcome newcomers with ease; never met you before? Fine. Not the same major. Also fine. Grew up in a different state? Cool. Did marching band at some point in your life and you loved it so much you chased it and found a college that had one and that’s why you came here really? GREAT! LET US LOVE YOU! We accept people of all shapes, sizes, looks, colors, backgrounds. Only requirement is passion and a will to try.
