Music has always been a big part of my life. Between church and high school musicals, to being an elementary school student learning to sing and play an instrument, one could say that I have had a lot of musical experience. But I didn't always like it.

As a kid, I loved to sing and dance around my house, but only to the things I enjoyed. I was involved in many church musicals, and at the age of seven performed in "The Sound of Music" at my local high school as Gretl von Trapp. I loved it.

A year or so later, my mom decided to have my younger sister and me to take up piano lessons. I absolutely hated it. My piano teacher only allowed us to play out of a specific lesson book and church hymns. Now, that probably doesn't sound too bad, but as a nine-year-old, it was torture.

I hated practicing at home. When we had our lessons, we would have to answer questions every now and again. That part was fine, kind of. What wasn't fine about it was that when we would try to think about the answer, we looked up toward the ceiling to think. She would bark at us that the ceiling didn't have the answer and that we had to stop looking up.

Ummm… okay. First of all, no. Second of all, my natural habit when thinking of answers is to look up. Third of all, we were about eight and nine, give us a break!

Okay moving on. When I was in the fourth grade, I joined the fourth-grade chorus and loved it! The next year, I decided to take up an instrument, too. As a student who started an instrument in the fifth grade, I was a year behind the other fifth graders so I was in the beginner band with the fourth graders.

Now, as the only fifth grader in the beginner band who played the French Horn, I was given the role of section leader, which was cool. But, I also felt out of place all the time.

I continued band and chorus into middle school. I got a new band and chorus instructor. I had a lot of fun learning new things in these organizations. However, there were many days when I wanted to quit the band or switch my instrument.

The French Horn is a mid-voice instrument, which means that for many songs it has harmonies rather than melodies. I was not very happy with this because my band director in middle school really only chose songs and pieces that had flute, clarinet, or trumpet as the melody. I begged and begged my mom to switch and she refused each time.

When I got to high school, I was a part of the marching band, but as a color guard member. My high school band director wasn't overly pleased that I chose to be in the color guard rather than learning to play the mellophone, which is the marching band equivalent to the French Horn.

I was also a part of the symphonic band. I played second chair horn. Many days I felt as though there weren't enough songs that had horn melodies, or at the very least cool parts. I wasn't overly happy in the band. That was until my band director chose some really cool pieces with really cool horn parts.

Since then I realized how much I really loved the band. Yeah, I don't always get the most interesting part or the most "important" part, but my part can be very interesting to play or difficult to play. Music, specifically band, was on my top priority list when it came to choosing a college.

I had looked at Shippensburg, Kutztown, and Millersville. I looked at their band programs and then looked to see if they had my major, which they all did. I asked around to get a feel for Kutztown's and Millersville's bands. I already knew a bit about Shippensburg's band as my sister went there and was in the band.

Shippensburg was my top choice for schools. When I committed to Ship, I contacted the band director about color guard auditions for the fall. I auditioned and made it into the SUCG.

I spent my first year at Ship in the color guard for marching band, and in the horn section for both brass ensemble and concert band. My sophomore year I was in the mellophone section for marching band and in the horn section for brass and concert. I will be doing the same for my junior year.

Not only have I enjoyed my learning experiences through music, but I have made some wonderful friends. I met my roommate through a mutual friend, but we were both in the choir for middle and high school. I am currently a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, the National Honorary Band Fraternity of Service. I met all my brothers through the band at Shippensburg, and they make the best friends ever!

All in all, music has changed my life. I chose to keep music in my life because it is a part of who I am. I don't think I'd know who I was if I didn't continue music into college. Music, not just singing and my instrument, has always been an escape for me. When I need to calm down or relieve stress, I listen to music.

I may not practice as often as I should, but there are times in college when I have used practicing as a getaway. I love music and I hope I never have to give it up.