Bethany W., Oakwood High School
Flowers on a Football Field
Any band kid knows that band camp is basically torture with an extra helping of sunburn and dehydration. My first band camp was exactly those things, but it was also where I found an activity I love.
In July of 2025, I officially joined the marching band. I’d never done band before. I picked up playing flute in January, but I wasn’t even in a band class, so this was my chance to prove myself.
On the penultimate day of band camp, the weather was exceptionally hot. Many kids begged our band director to let us stay inside, because even though the air conditioning in the band room had broken, it was still cooler than outside. Much to our dismay, he persisted and said it was part of the band camp experience. So we dragged ourselves outside with instruments in hand. After we ran through our halftime show what had to have been close to ten times, we finally got a break: five minutes to drink some water and rest before we went back to the heat and sun.
When we went back onto the field, most of the band groaned and dragged themselves out with their instruments. It almost looked like a scene from a zombie movie. Looking around me, musicians wilted like flowers without water. A few trumpets slouched as they marched, the drumline slowed down, and the flutes were still unable to be heard.
At our next break, I cautiously approached the rest of the flute section, saying, “Guys, I know this isn’t fun, but it’s almost the last day of band camp, so we should at least try.” They looked at each other, then nodded in agreement.
That afternoon, we went back outside. The trumpets still slouched and the drumline still slowed down, but the flutes were on point. As the other sections trudged along the field, we marched with confidence. Our positive attitude seemed to spread to the rest of the day: we made jokes and had a good time despite the weather. The flowers started to bloom.
In that moment I realized it’s not about following the crowd; it’s about keeping a positive attitude and looking on the bright side. After all, a little bit of happiness goes a long way.
