Marching band. When you hear that what is the first thing that comes to mind? To those outside of the ensemble, most will just imagine the music or the halftime performances. However, to the 120 and more students who get the chance to actually march on the field, marching band is anything but “just this” or “just that”.

  Marching band allows students to meet new people and gives them an experience like none other. Junior Owen Basselman even stated that his favorite part of marching band is the friends he has made, as well as meeting the overall amazing people who put so much effort into the group.

  To other students, like junior Olivia Jobe, their favorite part is performing under the bright lights, with the crowd cheering them on.

This may seem like something terrifying but truly, you have no need to fear. It can be scary to imagine performing by yourself, but this is never the case in marching band. No matter what, you will always have plenty of students working right beside you.

  And unlike some other school activities, marching band focuses on building up students and helping them grow. One of the common phrases said throughout the group is “band makes you a better person,” which is evident in the way the members carry themselves.

  Think about it, how could less than 20 staff members keep a group of more than 120 high school students, who have loud noise making machines, under control? It is easy. They focus on teaching students respect, not just for those in charge, but to peers as well. By doing so, students are able to learn the 10 minutes worth of show music in addition to the 100 different places they have to be on the field at a given moment.

  Nonetheless, there are so many other aspects to marching band. Sophomore Patrick Ma explained how “personally it’s the friends” that makes him come back to the activity, but also that he “really enjoys playing the music.”

 Even though most marching band students play an instrument in class, getting an extra 20 hours a week allows students to grow and “get better” as mentioned by Basselman.

  So, are you considering joining marching band? If you are hesitant, ask yourself why. Is it because you are afraid you won’t make any new friends? Is it because you are afraid you aren’t good enough? Or are you just not sure you want to play your instrument for that many hours? If you answered yes to any of these questions, do not fret because there are simple answers to each one.

  If you are afraid you won’t be able to make new friends, do not stress, because in the beginning of each season the group does team bonding activities. These fun games give everyone an opportunity to get to know everyone according to junior Marie Baldwin.

  If you are afraid you are not good enough, again, don’t worry. Marching band focuses on the growth of everyone, and has music that is fit for the different levels of musicians.

“I really like watching people grow and change as the season progresses particularly the younger or new members,” said Abigail Motley, 11.

  Lastly, if you are just nervous because you do not want to play your instrument that long, then once again that is not a problem. If playing your instrument is not the best fit for you there are other ways to get involved with marching band! Most notably, you always have the option ofcolor guard. Guard consists of dancing, flag, rifle, and sabre spinning, and it makes up most of the visuals of the marching band show.

 All in all, if you are on the fence of joining the marching band, you should definitely decide to do it.

  “There is no better feeling than looking back on a season and realizing we all put so much effort into the show. It is amazing to take a breathe to look back and appreciate the season,” Jobe said.