The transition from middle school to high school caused many questions to fill my mind. Who will be in my classes? Will I be friends with the same people? Will I make new friends? My first introduction to high school was through band with May Camp at the end of 8th grade.
At this point, I was accustomed to the simplicity of concert band in middle school compared to marching band. However, May Camp emphasized the importance of discipline and to be successful, I needed to want to be there. Throughout middle school, I struggled to be consistent in my passion for music, so signing up for high school band was a big commitment. May Camp showed me how marching band means much more than just putting a show on the field. Even though I was a naive,
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I struggled to march and to even stand back up after our water breaks. Because of this pain, I had to constantly sit out, which prevented me from learning marching fundamentals. I had hit the point where it became unbearable, so I went to my doctor who diagnosed me with Osgood Schlatter disease meaning that I was experiencing inflammation below my kneecaps. Even though she informed me that this is common for individuals involved in sports, I expressed my concerns regarding marching. She discussed how because it was severe in both of my knees, I should reconsider continuing marching as it would prevent me from fully healing. Because of the sense of community that band had already provided, I went against her advice and continued to attend every rehearsal. The immense pain I was feeling was apparent to my section as well as the drum majors. When I would have to sit out, one of the drum majors always approached me to comfort me and also see if I needed anything. Because I struggled to march, I received a junior varsity spot for my freshman year. This was initially discouraging, but I understood the circumstances that impacted my chances of earning a varsity spot.
Although, as a member of JV, I was responsible for transporting props at competitions, I witnessed the band grow and improve every performance. I also had the opportunity to march at football games and was able to be with my friends in the stands. The community was made apparent when performing cadences and stand-tunes, as well as awards announcements at competitions. Even though I was in JV, I was motivated to continue marching band throughout high