Marching Band Reflection

Of all the activities in which I have been involved, Marching Band has unquestionably influenced my life the most. Through the twelve or thirteen hour practices, the all-day competitions, and the countless hours spent perfecting the performance, this experience has exposed qualities in me that the majority of the people surrounding me assumed I did not possess. Although five years of marching band have required that I surrender much of my time, I have obtained invaluable experience in leadership positions through my involvement in the band, and I have discovered the difference between potential and hard work as well as the importance of commitment. If one requirement exists in the Red Regiment of NorthWood High School, it is commitment. Without a commitment from each distinct member, a marching band never achieves the desired level of success. Every band is only as strong as the weakest player, marcher, or guard member, so if one person struggles the quality of the entire band is brought down. Also, when a band member misses a practice, the entire band is required to wait for that person to learn the new music or visuals that were added during the practice in their entirety. This inflicts a sense of responsibility on the band members: if they miss a practice, the whole band loses practice time another day and the success of the
Throughout the rest of my life I will be able to reflect on my five years in marching band and recall the countless lessons I have learned. From watching other people’s mistakes to making mistakes of my own or to grasping the rewards of my diligence, these lessons have been learned in a variety of ways; nevertheless, through the mistakes and the victories, the marching band experience has been one of the most influential experiences of my