1. "One more time" never means one more time | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

19 Lessons I've Learned From Marching Band

Some things you learn in school actually can be handy in real life.

160
19 Lessons I've Learned From Marching Band
Brooke Burney

I have spent a total of seven years in band and feels as though I grew up with it. I've made many friends and lost many friends but I learned a lot of lessons and skills over the seven years I participated. There are many benefits to band and band plays a huge roll in my character development.

1. "One more time" never means one more time

Giphy

This applies to anything, but especially marching band. 'One more time' means do it until satisfaction.

2. To be held accountable

Giphy

You have to know your dots, music, body work, meeting times, and everything else associated with band and you HAVE to be there. This really helps in real life situations because it prepares you to be prepared. Once you fall into the habit of being prepared, your life seems to run a little smoother as you don't fall behind and you can be accountable for holding up your end of anything.

3. Arrive at least 10 minutes early

Giphy

On time is late and early is on time. If you show up anywhere early, you have plenty of time to be prepared. Whether you have to assemble something, like an instrument, or find a seat, or make one last modification. If you're early, there is no way you'll be late. Having to show up to countless rehearsals 10-15 minutes early, this habit has become a good one.

4. Time management

Giphy

During marching band season, the students are practicing and performing for over 200 hours. Sometimes it's hard to balance school, work, and band. But once you get into a habit of utilizing whatever time you can find, it becomes easy.

5. Good sportsmanship/ manners

Giphy

At contests, everyone is cheering for everyone. Even the band who places last will congratulate everyone who beat them. In my high school band, we had many rules. One of them being 'no foul tongues' meaning no cursing or arguing with people who tried to argue with us. If someone started an argument we were supposed to say "you have a nice band" and leave it at that.

6. Do well on the spot

Giphy

When you have to play something you can't get quite right in front of the whole band, it's embarassing. But once you do it so many times, you begin to do well at it. Even if you can play something well, it's daunting to play it with all ears on you, but once you do it enough times, it just flows. It doesn't matter if you're nervous because if you've done it once, you've done it a million times. For me, this learned skill applies during interviews or when a stranger says something that throws me off. You might be nervous but you just have to play what you practiced.

7. Fake it 'til you make it

Giphy

Honestly, this was a saying in my band. If you can't quite get it during rehearsal, you just gotta fake it until its over. Then go home and practice.

8. Practice until you can't get it wrong

Giphy

People often say "practice until you get it right" but really you should practice until you can't get it wrong. Once you can do something without error, you can work on technique or whatever applies.

9. There is always room for improvement

Giphy

Truly. Since being at college I've improved on how fast I can walk. I didn't think that the simplest of things can be improved but, alas, any skill can be better than it was yesterday.

10. Discipline

Giphy

Getting up before 6 AM five days per week is dreadful but every band member has to do it. Only to go to rehearsal in the hot sun, windy, or cold weather for hours at a time. But we have to do it to make the show the best it can be.

11. Teamwork

Giphy

You can always ask a friend for help with a certain part in the music or body work. Everyone helps everyone do better and no one makes anyone feel bad about not being good at something. Each section builds each other up to be the best they can be.

12. Memorization

Giphy

After having to memorize your dots, music, and body work and sometimes having to rememorize some things, it's easy to learn how to memorize almost anything. Memorizing things has become way easier than I thought it would ever be.

13. Sacrifice

Giphy

Band members sacrifice a lot of things like hanging out with friends or family just because they have to go to rehearsal. This is a skill that comes in handy when you have to do homework or just go to work.

14. Resilience

Giphy

When your performance is judged, it's often hard to take criticism, especially the first couple of times. But after a while, you begin to welcome it. You don't feel down about the criticism, it only pushes you to be better. If one rehearsal goes bad, the next rehearsal everyone is pumped up and ready to face the challenges. Marching band teaches you that if you get knocked down, you stand back up.

15. The ability to fix minor details easily

Giphy

Often times you'll have your music or dots down and will have practiced them for weeks and then suddenly there is a small change and you have to adapt to it. After doing this countless times, it becomes easy to change almost anything.

16. You're aware of your body placement

Giphy

In band, your instrument CANNOT bounce when you march. After being told so many times, you become conscious of your body placement. So you straighten you back or tighten your core. Whatever you have to do, you do it.

17. Space evenly

Giphy

With every set learned, each member has to check their spacing with the person next to them. After making sure you are dead center of two people over 100 times, you can easily space anything out evenly.

18. To appreciate hard work

Giphy

After putting in a crazy amount of work on your own, you appreciate other people's hard work because you know just how much they put in to get where they are.

19. Every person matters

The sound the band produces, what the sets look like, and the flow of the rhythms. The entire show wouldn't be what it is if even a single person is missing. Every single person matters and how much effort each person puts in matters just as much.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

179490
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

6612
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

452063
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23064
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments