Personal Essay: The Importance Of Being In A Band

I am standing on the back hash: in between the 30 and 35. I adjust my hat while I get into set position so I am prepared to preform. I hear the booming voice say, “Michaela Spillers, is your band ready for competition?” I wait for the drum major to give her salute. Check. The voice calls back, “Oxford high school, you may take the field for competition.” This is the moment the band has been practicing for all season. Participating in this band has helped me with strength, discipline, as well as making friends. Being in the band has increased my physical strength tremendously. Drumming boosts my upper arm strength. Seven hours a week for three months really gets muscle where you put it. Constantly marching not only builds leg muscle but increases cardio as well. With over 1,200 steps per run through, I am continually being pushed over my limit while increasing muscular strength with the addition of cardio. Band develops mental factors even more than physical factors. Band has increased my discipline along with coordination. While standing on our practice field, we look at the next set on our drill. We move to that set, work on that set, perfect that set. We continually work the set back and forth until the band has it as close to perfect as absolutely possible. We may run it three times to one time to 25 times. In the event that one person makes the
Bus rides to and from games and competitions are wonderful times to bond with my friends from thirty minutes to four hours. During summer band camps, I meet people from all over Mississippi and even out of state sometimes. This opens up opportunities to meet and bond with new people from throughout the region. While doing a run-through of the show, I may accidentally run into somebody. This is a circumstance where we would laugh in regards to this after practice and something we would look back to at the end of the