[ALMOST] The End of Band Camp

I think we have our last day of band camp tomorrow -- a surreal idea.

We voted for the members of the leadership team.  No set number, everyone just voted "yes" or "no" for each candidate.  I hope that I'll be part of this team because I enjoy helping and leading and it will look good for college and NHS applications.

While our director explained the voting, he mentioned some leadership characteristics such as dedication, punctuality, ability to adapt to change, attitude.   Yeah, I don't feel like the best leader after he reminded the band of those characteristics. 

It's funny and neat seeing how my peers take on their leadership roles that we unofficially and automatically get as the older marching band members to help the younger, newer members: some yell at those who don't get it, others yell reminders.  I remember what it was like to be the one whom all the older marching band members practically got mad at because I didn't get it: I desperately wanted to understand but couldn't.  That really frustrated me.  I've tried not to single members out as much and just say, "Let's dress this line."  I've also shared my "nonpolitical correct" ways to do marching band.  Like how to dress a line, a diagonal, check intervals: all the things that I had to learn myself.  I've also tried to encourage and praise the positive aspects.  One second year member who struggled his first year improved his backward marching band by leaps and bounds: when I praised him, he told me how nice it was to hear positive feedback. 

In our piccolo section, the two first year members remind me so much of my peer and me.  One first year member got marching band right away, the other is still learning.  I was in the later's shoes not too long ago.  I remember what it was like.

So, I'm really tired.  I have no more capacity to learn drill.  We make a form and "follow the leader" in two blocks.  The other block with 95% experienced marchers got the form: my block with 50% first year members doesn't quite have it as well.  Frustrating.

We didn't have a chance to mark the sets in the music; therefore, without those marks, I was pretty lost while we learned the ballad because I know the show by where each section in the music starts and stops.  We marked the sets in later so that we're more clear.  I'm glad because it's embarrassing and bad (because I'm supposed to be able to help the newer members with their part of the show.)

I want to have fun in band and do well.  I've brought cards from a game to amuse us.

The leadership team candidates get to lead warm ups tomorrow: even after four seasons of marching band, I'm still not sure how I'll do with leading the music warmups.  Oh well, no one is perfect.