1. Even if the weather looks okay beforehand, it'll always be hot.

Don't worry, with any band camp it'll always be hot. Everyone just hopes it rains or you get to play a water game.

2. Freshmen in high school are just scared kids.

Treat them like anyone else, you were once a scared freshman too. They just want to fit in and get everything. They just haven't experienced this before. Don't worry, they'll pick it up quick.

3. It's super awesome to go up on the lift.

That lift that the BD uses to see everything from above is super fun. It's just as fun as four years of anticipation and wonder will make you believe.

4. Marching bands look super cool from above.

That being said, when you're on the lift is looks awesome. Seeing everything from a spectator point of view is a new perspective that you get. It makes you realize just how much all your hard work for the past four years pays off.

5. Handing the power and responsibility of section leader off to someone is incredibly hard, but also rewarding.

Even when you've known them two or three years, it's still hard. I trust the boy that took over for me and will fr the next two years, but it's still hard! I showed up to help him transition into the position so he doesn't have to do it alone. But watching him and the other upperclassman achieve the leadership position and thrive in it is so rewarding, it makes me feel almost like a proud mother.

6. Everyone there is so young.

All the inside jokes from your freshman and sophomore years are slowly dying out and you realize that you can't all make fun of the past student teachers. The younger ones never experienced the awful student teachers that you had, they don't get how awful they were!

7. It's still your family.

They still welcome you back with open arms as much as you want to visit. They know you're busy with college but they still love seeing you and will accept you anytime, any day.