I think all band nerds can agree on one thing about high school and that is marching band was the best thing to ever happen to us.

The long practices in the summer heat along with rehearsing the same marches over and over again to the point where we felt like our legs were numb and our eyes fell out of our heads from rolling too much.

The water breaks we would long for and the time limit we disregarded because our band director was always relaxed about us doing what we wanted.

The dreadful act of memorizing every piece of music was stuck in the back of our minds as we played what was in front of us. Would we memorize the entire piece? Half? Three measures? Maybe even two?

A lot of us cannot forget how we never really memorized the entire National Anthem. I maybe had the first five measures down before I just gave up and pretended to play. You have to do what you have to do.

Let us not forget the oh so hilarious band dances that were choreographed for us. They were amusing and we made sure to go all out on them just to give everyone a laugh. Especially the part where we would all turn around and shake our bosoms.

Wait... What about the feelings we would receive right before we ran out onto the field for our first game? Our first band night? It was excitement and nerves all bundled into one and it was the most exhilarating feeling I have ever experienced.

All the way from our very first performance on that field in eighth grade to our very last at the start of our senior year.

Band was always there for us. Whether we were sad, angry, happy, confused, and even numb. Band was there and we would get lost in the music because we would be so distracted that nothing mattered in that moment besides the art we were creating.

I will always love band and I will always miss it. It gave me friendships I never thought I would have and memories I will cherish forever.

Marching band was the best thing that ever happened to me in school and I will always tell the stories of every game and band night for as long as I live.