Every morning for seven weeks straight, my silent alarm would go off beside me, I’d get out of bed, turn the lights on, and wake all 138 members with a loud and cheery, “GOOD MORNING SPARTANS! The time is now 7 o’clock. You have 5 minutes to meet me outside for morning stretch!” to which I was always met with grumbles, good mornings, eye rolls, or smiles as they rolled off their air mattresses or sleeping pads. I can’t blame them; after sleeping on a gym floor or bus every night for seven weeks it’s hard to get up in the morning. The rest of the day would consist of rehearsal and performance preparation. As head drum major, it was my job to ensure the happiness and cooperation of members which usually entailed being the liaison between them and staff. I worked closely with our corps director to make each day run smoothly. But that is just the behind-the-scenes work. My main job was to lead the ensemble through rehearsals. From my podium at the front of the field, I would call instructions, motivate the members, and communicate back to staff. It is impossible to sum up all that being a drum major entails. I was a counselor, physical trainer, instructor, motivational speaker, and more, but above all, I was their friend, and they will always be my family.
I often had to hold myself back from calling the members my children because they were so much more mature than that. However, I spent the summer leading them and learning from them, and over time, I got to watch them grow into the world champions they became. By the end of the summer, I felt like a proud mama and I am physically and mentally stronger than I ever have been.
This experience was a rollercoaster. There were days when I felt I didn’t deserve the position I was in, and others when I felt completely alone and unappreciated. I now have more confidence in my beliefs and capabilities than ever. As I continue to explore the possibilities of my career, I can now say for certain that I want to work hands-on with disprivileged youth. Although that still sounds broad, I have spent years not knowing where I wanted to take myself after I graduate. This summer helped me rekindle my passion for working with students and I hope to take my degree to do just that. I now firmly believe in the power of kindness and knowledge. I will expand more on this at the end, but as a criminal justice major, I learn a lot about our prison and court systems where the focus is punishment. Although my summer was not entirely comparable to crime in our country, I did witness firsthand the impact that kindness and teaching can have on individuals, and is is a positive one.
We had three different kinds of days on tour: rehearsal days, show days, and free/laundry days. Rehearsal days were far and few once we got on the road, but they were crucial to our success and my personal transformation. These days were long, hot, and exhausting. From 7 AM to 8 PM, we were outside making our show as perfect as possible. Every toe point, every note, every flag toss had to be perfect, and you had to do so on minimal sleep after weeks of the same thing day in and day out. Show days always began with rehearsal bright and early in the morning, but by 8 o’clock at night, we were in full uniform and makeup performing to hundreds of people under stadium lights and competing against other groups. Four out of the fifty days on tour we got to do our laundry. It might not sound important, and you might be wondering why I included it, but it is these days that you have time to be a normal human being and bond with friends, and for many of our younger members it is a great experience that prepares them for college and beyond. Rehearsal days are what showed me my strength after feeling broken down. Show days are what reignited my passion for working with young people. Laundry days taught me to be myself and to be human even through exhaustion and frustration.
There were days when I thought I couldn’t do it anymore and many where I didn’t want to. It was the people around me that made it all worth getting out of bed in the morning. Something that was important to me going into the season was mental health. I made it very clear to the members that they could always come to me with any issues. Although managing the problems of 138 members was not easy, I was thrilled any time someone felt comfortable talking to me about something. These interactions really made me see how important communication is and made me excited to work with kids like them in the future. I learned a lot about ways to best help them which is directly applicable to where I want to take my career.
The other interactions that transformed me were those with staff. Specifically, our corps director Jared and assistant director Leah. These two individuals were new to their jobs this year and set the Spartans off on a new and promising path for the future. Each morning, Jared would stand amongst all the members and take us through some meditative breathing. He taught me the importance of tranquility. Leah always knew just what to say, and I hope that someday I can be like her. She inspired me to be a better person every single day. They taught me to be kind even when you feel you can’t and especially when you feel a person doesn’t deserve kindness. They taught me the importance of listening, respect, and friendship. I hope they don’t mind me saying that they are two true friends and mentors, and I would not have been the drum major I was without them.
As I enter the field of criminal justice, I believe that we can do more to prevent crime than to just punish individuals for their actions. My strengthened belief in kindness and friendship will be extremely valuable in my life. By shifting crime prevention to a more community-based model, we can help more than hurt the community and those convicted. We can teach inmates and students coping mechanisms for their mental health problems rather than punish them with no remorse. This summer, I watched high school and college students battle through some of their worst days, but they were able to get through it because they had a family and people lifting them up rather than tearing them down. The power of kindness is strong, and I have every intention on using that power every day for the rest of my life. This experience truly was the summer of a lifetime.