Opinion/Resources/Teen Perspective
By Teen Opinion Contributor Maggie Verdught
Photo: Deposit
In small print, the blue box at the bottom of the page read, “SUBMIT.” My finger hovered in the air for a second, hesitating… and I pressed it.
Typically, finalizing your schedule for the coming school year is meant to be, well, final. It’s not proper etiquette to drop a class. (Of course, these things happen every year, no matter what.) Don’t worry – I used proper scheduling etiquette when submitting my choices. My classes were in order, and I was ready to enjoy my daily study hall, practicing Spanish on my own and finishing up other homework assignments. Band class was gone, wiped from my day, and I relished the thought of it. The days of thinking about my clarinet, marching band, and attending formal band concerts were behind me. Or were they?
Choosing to quit
In fifth grade, I joined band class and received my first clarinet. At first, I was highly motivated and performed extremely well. I practiced a lot, and my talent and hard work paid off in those first two years. Soon, however, my motivation decreased, and I was more interested in other things than practicing. I always tell people that piano was my “first love,” and for that reason I continue to participate in competitions and practice pretty regularly. But the clarinet was different.
I did an honor band festival in eighth grade, which took quite a bit of work and dedication, and after that, I wanted to stop playing. Working with a big group of people (such as in a band) is a huge task, and it becomes even more difficult when there are varying levels of skill, work ethic, and motivation. I grew to resent working with others in the band. I stopped practicing at home, and relied on pure talent during class and at my weekly lesson. Due to my musical talent, I didn’t have to work hard to be “good,” although other kids did. I still feel a little guilty about that sometimes.
My mom knew all of this and told me that I had to stick it out in band until after sophomore year. This is because in my school district, official high school includes sophomores, juniors, and seniors, while the freshmen stay at the junior highs. Thus, the marching band was only for official high schoolers. So, I did band last year (I am a junior this year). And when it came time for us students to submit our schedules, I did so, excitedly ditching band and opting for a daily study hall instead.
Choosing to stay
Towards the end of the school year, in early May, our two band directors began planning for the next school year. They gave all the recruitment speeches and encouraged us to stay in band, of course. At this point I began to feel very guilty. I knew I was really good at the clarinet, and that I could be even better if I practiced! Not only that, but important people in my life were telling me that they wanted me to continue participating in band. People whose opinions I respect highly: My parents, my sister, my piano teacher, and more!
And all of them were telling me that I shouldn’t waste my talent, I should try out for drum major, I would be a good leader, I should stay in band, and that this would be an amazing opportunity for me.
So I began thinking a lot more about the possibility of staying in band. For me, it was a big decision, and I took it seriously. I got to the point where I had to make a pros and cons list, because I was going back and forth constantly! Here it is:
Pros and cons of staying in band (and being drum major):
Pros:
- Great opportunity for leadership (being drum major),
- At least 75% of the time, I would enjoy being the drum major,
- It would be fun to be the drum major with my friend Amy
- I would get to play harder, more satisfying/fun music in Johnson’s band (SIDE NOTE: at my high school, we have two bands. One director goes with the better band, and other with the worse band. I was the “best of the worst” last year, and just didn’t make the cut to be in the really good band.)
- I would get more satisfaction from being in a better band (better sound, better results)
- Volunteer hours during the year for band would be good for the resume
- Being drum major would be good for the resume
- It is generally rewarding to see the results from hard work and dedication to the music/band.
Cons:
- Time consuming,
- Must attend all of band camp and help sophomores
- Must attend annual car wash fundraiser
- Must attend all practices, home games, and big contest-performance
- Must attend all concerts
- Probably would have to volunteer a lot in general (see below):
- Must be very involved generally in the band (since you would be a drum major), committed to serving the band and helping out — throughout the whole year
- No study hall to work on homework and Spanish (means more work/stress in general)
- Difficult and unhelpful to do heavy amounts of cardio, at the hottest part of the day, during cross country season – especially on meet days, when I need to be fresh and ready to run my best.
Other considerations:
- Being in band does not push me towards any specific long-term goals; it would be mostly for enjoyment/resume/leadership opportunity
- Band/marching band is not always enjoyable,
- It can be frustrating to work in a group to be productive with music. It’s difficult to work through the struggles
- Marching band is hot and feels long. Even if I were in the pit (piano) or a drum major, it would not always be fun.
After much thought, prayer, and debate, I decided to participate in band for the rest of high school.
My final reasoning was this: You don’t get your high school experience back, and that includes band – the joys, frustrations, all of it. Band is a worthwhile experience that teaches you many life lessons, which you will hold onto forever. For me, this includes being drum major, which also involves honing one’s leadership skills. The challenges are worth it, because the reward is worth it. And I’m learning so much! I did try out for drum major and got the role, and I now have the privilege and responsibility of essentially being an assistant director for the band. This year, I have also made the cut to be in the better band at my school, which comes with all the benefits I wrote down in my list!
Why this matters
If you read my last article, “Using Our Gifts For God’s Glory,” you can probably guess the connection I’m about to make! My story with band is just one example of how God uses unexpected things in our lives to bring Himself glory. When I chose to stay in band, I surrendered my other desires to Him, knowing that His plan is best for me. I want to honor God in everything that I do, and in a small way, I am doing that by being a leader and participating in band. That’s why this matters.
My hope is that this story blessed you in some way and reminded you of the truth that is found in Jesus Christ – our life is worth living for Him, because of what He’s done and who He is. Have a great week!
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The opinions in this article are specific to its author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Counter Culture Mom team.
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Maggie VerDught is a high school student who enjoys learning about culture, news, and politics.
She is passionate about sharing the truth, especially with her generation. Maggie loves to run, read, and write poetry in her spare time.
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