Essay #1 Joining Band

As I walked through the doors of the band room in Channel Islands High School, my ears were filled with noises. I can hear drums being pounded, I can see people practicing on their instruments, and I can hear them talking to each other about all the new people that kept showing up. As I stood there in the doorway I thought to myself; “What am I getting myself into?”
It wasn’t the first day of school it about the middle of the second week into the new year, but I had just gotten my schedule changed and I have never been inside the band room before. I looked around hoping to find the teacher but I can only see faces starring at me as if I was some sort of monster. I kept walking through the room hoping to find my older brother Robert who told me to join band in the first place. I couldn’t find him anywhere, I was starting to panic but as I turned around I saw him. He was behind me the whole time. I asked him if he knew where the teacher was he said; “Yeah when he comes in I’ll introduce you to him, for right now just sit down and wait for him.” After my brother said that he went into the locker room and started talking with the people that were in there. I took a seat and started analyzing the room.
There were many trophies on shelves that went all around the room, and there was a shelf for all the band photos with all the members on picture day, and as I was looking around I could still feel everyone starring at me. I felt insecure and unable to look back at them for fear that they might do something. Then I heard the bell ring and soon what seemed like a hundred students swarmed into the room to take a seat, and now there was a hundred faces starring at me. My heart was pounding so fast that it felt like my heart was going to pop right out of my chest, and I felt so sick that I just wanted to throw-up right there and then. Then my older brother came out of the locker room and introduced me to everyone. All the faces starred at me with a different expression and said; “Hi” and welcomed me into their band family. That relieved my symptoms a lot because I have gained their acceptance into the group, and now all I had to do was wait for the teacher.
The tardy bell rang and shortly after that Mr. Loreto Teruel came walking in with a stack of papers. He gestured hello to everyone and started talking about what the schedule of the day was, and then he said; “Welcome to your second week of school and it looks like we have a few new students in the class.” Before thought I was the only newbie so I felt sort of happy that I wasn’t the only one, after he asked me who I was he got to the O’s on the roll and called my brother first then me and asked if we were brother and sister. Then he started telling me about how my brother was a great trumpet player and hoped that I was a great musician just like him.
After hearing that I started to sink inside because I haven’t even played an instrument before and here I am expected to be as great and probably better than my brother. Shortly after roll was the new people were given a syllabus and the returning band members were asked if they have returned their instruments and uniforms for the new year. Then after that Mr. Teruel talked to each new person in his office to see what they’re and if they’re really interested in being in band or if they were just put here on accident. As people were being called in I sat patiently in my seat. My brother and some of his friends sat near me and started to talk about nonsense and the new year.
One of them introduced himself to me; “Hi my name is Abe, what’s yours.” I said “Hi I’m Sarah.” You’re Robert’s little sister right?” “Yeah” “Cool, well welcome to band” “Thanks” I think you’re going to like band it’s really fun, because we get to go to a lot of places.” “Like where?” “We go to Pismo Beach which is the BIG marching competition in November.” Is it hard to march and play at the same time?” I asked. Abe said; “It is when you first try because you have to build endurance and stamina to not get tired really fast, but once you learn it’ll be a piece of cake.” Abe and I continued to talk but we were cut short because I was called into Teruel’s office.
His office was small, but it had a lot of music posters on the wall. His desk had folders with various music pieces on them and a clutter of papers was starting to build on one side. Teruel had tools for fixing the instruments and they were thrown around, but most of them were put away in his tool box that was sticking out behind his desk. “Take a seat Sarah.” I sat across from him and heart was racing, I didn’t know what to say and I hoped that he wouldn’t make me try to play an instrument in front of everyone else.
“So Sarah what brings you to band?” Teruel said. I replied nervously; “Well my brother is the one that told me how fun band would be so I decided to give it a shot.” “Do you have any past experience on playing an instrument?” “No” I actually did know how to play the piano a little but was too nervous to say so.”O.k. do you have any instrument in mind that you want to play?” I said; “Not really” “Well do you want something that you can get the hang of quickly?” I replied”Yes” almost unsure. “O.k. then I think a Saxophone may be right for you, let me bring one from the locker room to show what it looks like.” Teruel left and I was left alone to wonder what a Saxophone was.
He came back a few minutes later with a huge rectangular case that looked like a sarcophagus. Teruel opened the case and pulled out the body of the sax. It was a huge gold J-shape with a lot of buttons all over it. There was a neck piece that you attach to the body, then the mouth piece, and then the reed. After assembling the sax I tried holding it and found out that it’s really heavy. I tried positioning my fingers on the right keys and used the neck strap to hold it better. It felt a lot lighter with the neck strap and it was actually comfortable, then Teruel asked me if this was something I was willing to try to play. I replied yes, and then Teruel told me that he was going to place me in the Beginning Band class so I can learn to read and play music.
After Teruel checked out an instrument to me I sat down with my brother and told me the news. Robert said; “There’s going to be other people from this class that will also be in that class too, so you’ll be able to know some people.”
The following week I was in the other class with some people that I recognized from the other class, there I met Eduardo, Sergio, and Kevin. Eduardo helped me a lot with the instrument and also hit on me most of the time.
Joining band has been very significant to me because after learning the basics and playing for a few months, I discovered a talent that I didn’t even know I had. I also met a lot of very talented and cool people that I will never forget, but most of all I can play in front of other people and not get nervous. I also gained a lot of confidence and found a hobby that I’ll be doing for a long time.