High school was a much simpler place that many of us took for granted back when we were still walking those hallowed halls. Among the many activities you could join, there was the option of band class - something that some people opted out of (thinking it was stupid) and something that many others flocked to because they knew the truth. In addition, many of us also experienced the wonders of marching band, which turned everything you knew on its head and offered an even more immersive musical experience.
I personally went through both sides of the equation as I participated in both concert bands and my school's marching band, sticking to the percussion section after a short-lived time on trumpet and baritone. Under the instruction of the one and only David Webb, our ensembles succeeded in performing beautiful music for many audiences. However, there were other kinds of lessons that we students learned as well.
Priorities are key, and you need to keep yours in check.
This is something that was primarily focused on in marching band, as many of the deeper lessons were. Throughout our day-to-day practices, Webb made a point of drilling into us how important it is that we keep a sense of priority at all times. Was it more important that we meander around the field telling jokes that we'd forget by the next day? Or would it be more beneficial for us to use that time perfecting our performance so that we could deliver a show that none of us would forget for the rest of our lives?
That was the question, and it was things like that that kept us on track. As important as such a lesson is for a group of high school students trying to organize a performance, it can just as easily be applied to many things later in life. Should you spend that money now and risk not having it later? Would it be more beneficial to take your time studying and mastering your knowledge for an exam, or are you willing to risk bombing it by doing absolutely nothing? It all comes down to what you're prioritizing, and by extension, what outcome you prefer.
You don't need to be the best, but you should always do your best.
This may seem a little cheesy and is somewhat of an unspoken rule, but it's important all the same. Webb was proud of the bands he had built up, as most band directors would be, but he made certain we understood that winning wasn't the primary goal. Sure, it was an amazing feeling (which we experienced often enough), but winning isn't always enough.
Something that will always be more important than walking home with a trophy is having full confidence that you (and whatever team you're working with) are giving the project your all in order to produce the best possible result. If your team can win because everyone is talented but no one is passionate about what is being done, then the victory is hollow and meaningless. As long as you put your heart and soul into everything you do, the losses won't feel like losses, and the victories will just be that much sweeter.
Don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened.
This wasn't something Webb needed to say specifically so much as it was something that I felt deep in my gut by the time I was preparing to graduate and leave this band family behind. As simple as this phrase may sound today (with it being used to death), there is a lot of truth to it, and it can be applied in so many situations beyond just graduating from school and/or leaving band ensemble.
Life is filled to the brim with ups and downs that are just waiting to trip you up and knock you down. The bad moments will sting, but the good moments will always be what stand out to you when you look back on them. As upsetting as it may be to turn the page on something you once found so amazing, you always have the reassurance that the next chapter is quickly approaching and that the pen is in your hand, at the ready for a new adventure.
Thanks to people like Webb and many other mentors out there in all of our lives, we have the knowledge necessary to not only make our own choices, but to make them well. We've seen the effects of both sides, and we know which side is better for us. As a result of something as simple as band class (something that all too many people overlook), we now have many beneficial tools at our disposal for the rest of our lives.
The question now is: how are we going to do things? What will we use these tools for? The answer...that's up to us.