When I look back on my high school years, the first thing I think of is my involvement in the band program. Band has left a huge impact on who I am today, from my friends to skills I have gained through the experience. Student’s who are involved in band gain experiences and skills that can put them ahead of others in the real world, and can gain friends along the way. My experience in music has influenced me in multiple different ways and has helped me grow, not only as a musician, but as an individual as well.

Music teaches students how to be committed and responsible. No one can get better in music without practicing and the responsibility student’s gain through practicing can also be seen in other aspects of their life including schoolwork. The long hours practicing can be hard but the reward that comes from it is worthwhile, showing band students that if we work hard we will get rewarded. Band students also have to be very committed and passionate about what we do. Not only do we have to be responsible enough to practice when we need to, but we also have to be committed to the art of music and the long hours and rehearsals that come with it. For students that have a passion for playing music this can come very easily and the long hour could even become, for the most part, enjoyable. This commitment and responsibility that we learn through music can be applied to many different aspect of our life. The commitment and responsibility that we gain can be used in the real world through school or the work field, and which can help us succeed in many different aspect of our life.

One of the best things to come out of my involvement in the band program is all of the life long friends I have gained over the years. From concert band rehearsals during the school year to marching band practice during the summer, band students see each other almost everyday, which, inevitably, makes us very close. Not only do we spend multiple hours together, but we also have a lot in common in our love for music. We see are with each other through thick and thin, and, even on our most difficult days when we feel like giving up, can find a way to cheer each other up. Many of my friends I have gained throughout the years I met through band and over the four years of high school they have become like a family to me who have helped shape who I am as an individual today, and make my love for music even stronger.

Through hours of band rehearsal and practice, I have gain many different skills that I can use in the real world, including, but certainly not

limited to, responsibility and commitment, that could put me ahead of everyone else. The friends I have gained have always been by my side and have, over time, become like family to me. When I think about the time I spent during band rehearsals in school, I always think of the enjoyment, passion, and pride that come along with it. Music has become a huge part of my life and will stay that way for the rest of my life.