Have you ever heard a certain song come on the radio and immediately relive, in vivid detail, a specific moment from your past? For me, all it takes is hearing the first few beats of “Avengers”, and I am instantly standing five feet above the football field with the sun shining in my eyes, facing 126 of my classmates.

Looking back on my four years at Mill Valley, I can remember frantic 3 a.m. study sessions, grueling swim practices, lunches spent laughing, and a thousand other memories.  Among them all, my time spent marching and playing in the band stands out as the most impactful, and that is because my experience in band was characterized by the simple enjoyment I got from being a part of a group that is unironically enthusiastic about what it does.

So thank you Wagdog, for teaching me how to lead better; thank you Steiner (despite your daily roastings) for working to make us the best musicians we can be; thank you drum majors for becoming two unforseen best friends; and thank you, band, for all the memories.