“In no other sport are they told to 'take the field.' You should feel the excitement when you hear those words because this is the only place where you can make the field your own - control it. The field is yours, and you can use it to tell your story.”

Marching band is an amazing art form, and sport that usually spans the months of July to late November. I was heavily involved in the marching band in my high school and once I get to a real university after I finish my Associate's degree here at a state college, I hope to join the marching band at the university I attend. During my four years marching, I gained a lot of experience in all forms. Not only does marching band teach you how to play an instrument and march while doing so.

You learn a lot about people, life, being a team, and what family really is, even if they aren't your blood.

When you first start high school as a freshman, you know absolutely no one. But, if you’re in the marching band, they start rehearsals sometime during the summer, and you will immediately have anywhere from 30 to 150 friends. The bond you form during those horribly hot summer days is unbreakable. At the end of the day, you are all there for one reason, and one goal. To work on performing the best show you can. No one cares what you look like, or whether or not y'all are best friends yet, because in the moments that you are rehearsing and performing, you are one band.

My senior year, my mom passed away, and it was during marching season. The day she passed away, I needed to see my band family. I needed their comfort. I showed up to rehearsal and was smothered with love and hugs. They formed a circle and prayed over me and my family. These people are the most incredible people I have ever known. During my moms last few weeks alive, I missed a lot of rehearsals and a few performances but once I got back, I was surprised to be presented with a binder filled with letters from all of the band. Personal letters with notes on them about how much they love me, and how strong I am, Bible verses and little drawings. My heart was completely overwhelmed. Some of these people were strangers two months ago, but there's just something about performing that gives you a bond with people that I just can't explain.

To me, marching band was so incredible because it was my home away from home. During marching season, I was working with my bandmates and band director at least twelve hours a week, and that’s without a football game or competition. With a football game and competition that week, it could range between 16 to 25 hours a week. That’s a lot of time you spend at your school and away from family and non-band friends, but I promise you, it's all worth it in the end. That moment in late August when you do your first full run through of your show on the practice field and it’s incredibly messy and needs so much improvement, but you are each so proud because you finally did it! You just rehearsed your show for the first time as a whole! That is such an exciting moment. As the year progresses, that feeling becomes so important to you. Each Saturday you get to take the field and perform, showing everyone what you’ve been gradually working on for months.

Each performance is going to be different, and that's going to be frustrating. At the game Friday night you may have performed your best show all season, but the next morning's performance may turn into a disaster. When moments like that happen, everyone is going to be sad, your director will be upset, there is agony waiting for scores all day. You score really well, and you're proud, but you know that at your next rehearsal there's so much to work on.

At the end of the day, you are your last performance.

I graduated this past May and it's currently marching band season. I miss it more than ever, but I love going through my "On This Day" on Facebook every day and being reminded of my favorite moments, with my favorite people. I met my absolute best friends in the band, and even after high school we have an inseparable bond. I thank marching band for that.