It's that time of the year again! You have finally completed your final season as a senior in the marching band that you have been part of for the past four years. Each year it was something to look forward to with dozens of individuals who were waiting for this moment to come. It was a new year, a new show, and new faces as the freshman will be the ones taking your footsteps.
Looking back on these four years, you've been through the long hours of Hell-week (Band Camp), dozens of after school sectionals, parades, and the actual halftime performances themselves. It doesn't seem much to a non-band member but to you, it was the dedication and motivation that set the bar high for each consecutive year. The hours you put into learning your spot, using chalk other than a marking, and section day was really worth it. This group was something to look forward to every Friday and Saturday before the season's end.
This activity helped you make new friends, use your skills to the best of your ability, and to appreciate band. By taking it in before, you know that once you hit the last note in your last piece, then that will be the final time you will be playing with the individuals who know you best. Even if you transferred into a new high school, it made you realize that this is your new phone for the next two to three years.
The incoming freshman class truly saw your class, the seniors, as the role models that they would follow behind. Each move you made, they would observe and reflect onto them. Being a role model to your section, whether it's brass, woodwinds, front ensemble, or drumline, they all made up the band into what it truly is. For me I've been apart of three amazing sections: Drumline, Front Ensemble, and Saxophone. I will never forget about these sections. Each section has their own cool traditions that are always passed down through each class.
Remember that one time the band went to Disney? Remember when we tried to run towards the directors in dinosaur costumes? Those "remember whens" will be something to tell your children as they will see and ask you if you've been part of it. Take this year slow but also give it your best shot as concert season may/may not have started. Just remember one thing, you've been through so much. Music has filled up your ears and the beat in your heart, but you will never lose the rhythm and drive throughout the rest of your musician life.
