Ever since 5th grade I have been a proud band nerd. No one was surprised that I joined as my older brother had been in band and I had basically worshipped him and his band friends when I was in preschool.

Band has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and knowing it's coming to an end is heartbreaking. I've been reflecting a lot on my band experience lately and have come up with the top 5 reasons everyone should be a band nerd.

1- Playing an instrument makes you smarter

While the research isn't totally complete, evidence is stacking up that suggests musicians have a different brain structure than other people. Certain parts of a musician's brain may be larger such as the parts that control motor skills, hearing, storing audio information and memories.

People that play music may also be able to learn a foreign language faster than non-musicians, although in my opinion band itself should give students foreign language credits considering the amount of Italian words we have learned over the years.

2- We're better kissers

Okay so I might be biased but I'd like to think all the hours of building my embouchure has helped me in this department. According to several internet polls though, band geeks do tend to rank higher in the kissing department, coincidence?

But honestly, band nerds do have to use their lips on a daily basis, often for hours at a time and have built up an ability to hold their breath for long periods of time so...

3- It's a good excuse to travel

My first time ever going to Disneyland was with my high school band and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. While not all bands have the opportunity to do big travels like that, most bands do get to travel around their state for festivals and competitions.

4- We're basically Scientists

A band nerd's favorite game to play is "will it fit?" A game where, well, we see what fits. For example, did you know that a trumpet mouthpiece will fit in place of a tuba mouthpiece? Also, a trumpet can fit into a trombone and a human head will fit into a tuba bell.

Another well known game is "what sound will come out?" Often the answer is "an obnoxious one."

5- Band is family

It's no surprise that the people I see everyday and have traveled all over the West Coast with have become like a second family to me. Playing music together creates an instant connection that we won't have with anyone else.

These people, no matter how annoying they are, have a special place in my heart and they make the thought of leaving so much harder. #BandFamForever

There are countless reasons people should be in band and the reasons are different for everyone. Band is a unique experience full of inside jokes and Spongebob references and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.