Confessions of a Drum Major

     Ha. Do you like my title? It's a marching band joke so if you don't understand it, don't flip out. You should actually be kind of happy that you don't know what it means. It's pretty embarrassing that I've stooped so low to marching band jokes.

     So, in case you haven't already guessed, I've spent the past two months in marching band, which was a HECK of a lot tougher than I was expecting it to be, not to mention that it managed to suck up every single ounce of my free time and some of my homework time too. Don't get me wrong, I loved marching band with a burning passion, the only problem was that I could barely juggle all of my other responsibilities with it. 

      Now I know that marching band is typically considered "geeky" and "weird" (which is understandable, I mean it's MARCHING BAND), but at my school, the band isn't as weird as most might think. Sure, there are still a select group of people that have it hardwired into their brains that marching band is the absolute geekyist thing to do, and I am have grown to accept that, but for the most part, the band at my school is idolized. Marching band is one of the cool things to do.

     If you have some trouble believing me, I don't blame you, but if you went to my school, you'd understand why. My high school is basically a terrible excuse for a school, and eveything really sucks. Our football team is downright awful (as are all of the other sport teams), our education is mediocre, and our town is nicknamed "Heroine Highway" with the lovely motto, "where the kids are high and the grades are low". It's not Paterson, but it's damn near close. The only redeeming factor is our music program, which is fantastic. We have one of the best music programs in the state of New Jersey.

     Therefore, the parents, and most of the kids, see to it that the music program stays as high up as it is. We put on many concerts, military tattoos, perform popular plays (with a live orchestra pit), and even have a BAGPIPE section. It's crazy how much music goes on here. It's crazy how much the people generally enjoy the music we make. I was sucked into this wonderful musical world, and honestly, I like it here and I really want to stay.

     Band welcomed me into high school in the best way possible. I knew loads of upperclassmen, and if I ever got lost, they'd steer me in the right direction. It was wonderful. I became friends with most of them, I got invited out to fun parties and I was interacting with loads of kids from different towns as football games and band competitions. I'm not exactly sure where I'd be without the band. They're the main reason my high school freshman year is going so well. I can't even begin to explain my gratitude towards the band. I can't even begin to explain how much they've influenced my freshmen year.

     I know that many people find band geeky, and I know a lot of people think I'm weird for being in it, but band is one of the best things that's ever happened to me. I mean it with all of my heart. I know I'm notorius for complaining about the long hours and always begging for water breaks, but band is fantastic. There's not a better feeling in this world that coming in first. There's nothing more fantastic than hearing people whisper, "Oh my God oh my God OH MY GOD are those the HIGHLANDERS??? They're FANTASTIC!!" There's nothing cooler than giving an entire crowd goosebumps by making them listen to a powerful song. It's such a cool experience. 

     Before you go and make fun of the band, before you joke about how nerdy it is, give music a shot. It really can change your life. 

     

First Impressions

   Well, you guessed it. I survived my very first day of high school. I actually managed to get myself on time to every single one of my classes, I got classes with some of my friends in it, my teachers are surprisingly bearable, and the world is not crumbling to pieces around me as we speak. There must really be a God out there, because it took nothing short of a miracle to make my first day of high school bearable.

   Okay, so maybe I'm overreacting. 

   But honestly, I had expected today to be as tragic and terrible as my first day of middle school. I expected to know no one, to be all alone, to feel self-conscious and fat and disgusting, and to have a downright terrible time and silently cry myself to sleep at night. Today wasn't even remotely close to that. Sure, I felt self-conscious, but who didn't? After all, we were making our first impressions on our teachers, on fellow classmates, on all the upperclassmen, on everyone. It's a big deal to look nice on the first day of school! I got up early, showered, styled my hair, wore a cute outfit, and I basically plastered a smile on my face the entire day. My cheeks hurt like heck. Everybody better like me. Or else I pulled my cheeks for nothing.

   Today was nice. I hung out mainly with my friend Leah, (we have nearly identical schedules), and I just went with it. I was laid back, I was relaxed, I felt comfortable in school. I was happy. I didn't feel anything remotely close to Charlie in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". I felt like freaking Katniss Everdeen. I joked with my buddy Martin, I messed with my friend Alex, I got a very sweet and kind locker mate, and I even got to catch up with my friend Brooke who I haven't seen in FOREVER. To be perfectly honest, today was fantastic! This has been one of the best first days of school that I've had in a long, long time. 

   Rewind two years ago to seventh grade, and you would find me weeping. I knew close to no one in any of my classes. I was unbearably shy, talking very sparingly with low volume, always admiring my shoes and the artwork around the classrooms. I didn't have a strong group of friends; I had just broken away from my old group last year. I felt alone. I felt ugly. I couldn't find myself. No one sat with me at lunch. My clearest memory of the first day of seventh grade was of me coming home, talking/crying to my mom, and stuffing my face with chocolate chip cookies that she made me. I was so depressed and sad that day. Even now I still get a small shudder thinking about it. 

   

   But I'm a different person now. And these four years are going to be the best I've ever had.

   So, first impressions on everyone and everything:

   1. I love our student council president Sophia Metcalf, she's sweet and beautiful and such a fantastic person. I already knew her through band.

   2. Mr. Gramata (my band teacher) is the same as always, and I can tell that he will be as bipolar as he was in eighth grade.

   3. Second period honors English is going to stink. I can feel it.

   4. We have to do bucket loads of work on boring topics. Plus, the teacher seems like she can get moody like Gramata.

   5. Third period is study hall. And it is fantastic. Martin's there and Sarah's there. Hold on to your horses folks. (If you are an upperclassmen and reading this, I apologize for our rambunctious behavior beforehand).

   6. The staircases are in odd places. They're hidden and really hard to find.

   7. The paintings all around the school are very helpful. For example, if I see Marilyn Monroe, then my lockers are in the other direction, and French is to the left. 

   8. Speaking of French, I can't wait.

   9. I want to get into French Honor Society. It seems awesome. Plus, we get to go to Quebec!!

   10. I. Hate. Geometry.

   11. I have no idea when I'm going to eat lunch considering I don't have one.

   12. I'm not too crazy about my gym class.

   13. I have health with Martin. Awkward....

   14. I don't have any classes with Mikaela or Ali or Brooke :(

   15. The library is so cool. Plus, I use it as a shortcut.

   16. My world history teacher needs to take a handful of chill pills.

   17. My gym teacher needs to take a couple anti-depressents.

   18. He looks like he'd rather commit suicide then teach freshmen how to play field hockey.

   19. A lot of sophomores and juniors wear dresses and wedges. 

   20. I desperately miss my eighth grade teachers

   21. I need a cute bag to carry my books. Stat.

   22. And cute gym clothes.

   23. And cute running sneakers.

   24. And I need to get my bass clarinet fixed.

   25. The entire school is like a gigantic figure eight that broke a couple arms off.

   I really, really hope that today wasn't a dream. And if it was, I hope tomorrow is nothing but deja vu.