It's no secret that the transition from high school to college is a big adjustment for most people. Just the thought of living on my own and not having my mom there to tell me how long to put mac 'n' cheese in the microwave was enough stress for my entire freshman year. Add on to that a 17-credit hour course load including biology and chemistry plus two hours every Tuesday through Friday evening dedicated to rehearsal for the WVU Marching Band (not to mention football games or other performances on the weekends) and you get a glimpse into my juggling act that was my first semester. As hard as it was balancing all the normal stresses of college along with being in such a time-consuming university organization, I owe much of my success first semester to being a member of The Pride of West Virginia.

Being in the band taught me crucial time-management skills.

This one is HUGE. In high school, I spent a substantial amount of time doing homework for my classes, but college is a whole different ballgame. There were no longer assignments that were due the next day, instead, assignments were given weeks in advance and somehow we were expected to not procrastinate and wait until the last minute. Yeah, right. Until I had my first college exam I don't think I truly realized how much time needs to be dedicated to each class. When you live on campus there are all these people around that you're free to hang out with whenever you want, but you also have to remember to make school a priority. By being in the marching band, I was really forced to make decisions about how I spent my time. Anytime during the week that I wasn't in class, eating, or at band rehearsal, I was doing some type of school work. Whether that was studying or completing weekly homework assignments, I set small goals for each evening and knew what I needed to accomplish. So many of my friends would say, "well if you weren't in the band, you would have more time to do school work so you could hang out with us more often." That's true, but I also would've had more time to goof off and I knew I didn't need that.

The band became my social life.

I'm sure by now it comes as no surprise that I'm a "band geek", in all aspects of the word. That being said, I think that a lot of the reason behind the "band geek" stereotype has to do with the fact that we all tend to clump together when it comes to where we fall on the social ladder. In movies, the band kids were always sort of generalized as being super weird and nerdy (not in the cute, hipster sense) and were always off sitting at some distant lunch table secluded from everyone else. If no other point sticks with you throughout the rest of this article, let this be known: BAND KIDS LOVE TO HAVE FUN! And buddy we do. Never before in my life have I experienced a group of people that can have me rolling on the ground in laughter over "The Land Before Time". (Yes, I mean the movie about the baby dinosaurs.) One of the most important things to do while you're in college is to make connections. Joining a university group such as the marching band introduces you to so many people. During my first season with the band, I felt like I truly belonged there. I found my group of friends, which is really one of the best things that have come out of my college experience. While others are meeting people in classes that they're required to take for their major, I have met people with a shared interest, and passion, for making music.

Overall, the band has shown me what it means to be devoted to something.

And no, I don't just mean the football team. While that is our main priority throughout the season, the devotion we have carries over into our lives outside of The Pride. Our members have majors spanning all across the board: engineering, journalism, biology, etc. Because of the devotion, we show towards the band program, we are also very driven individuals. As young adults, we are all beginning to have the realization that the real-world is upon us (scary, but true). Future employers are looking for people who are well-rounded, they don't care about how many shots you can put down on a Thursday night. College is the time to start preparing for your future, and being in a collegiate marching band has helped me do just that.