By Alexandra Taylor • Sophomore • Violin
This trip was an amazing experience that allowed me and really everyone in the class to grow closer together, making us stronger as people in an orchestra who play together and stronger as friends who laugh together.
Before this trip, it was difficult for me to feel connected to everyone in the class; I had a few people that I talked to sometimes, but I definitely didn’t talk or feel connected to everyone. Even when everyone was sitting in the band room, waiting to leave, making sure that no one forgot anything, mingling amongst themselves with excitement and anxiety about the four total plane rides, 3000+ students, and the once-in-a-lifetime concert they were about to endure, I simply sat in front of where we stack our chairs and stands; I put on my headphones, went through my luggage, made sure I forgot absolutely nothing, and then I sat on my phone and listened to music while I watched others talk happily. Now, for the record, I am extremely extroverted. I thrive when I’m in a social environment and I am very good at striking up a conversation, but everyone had their own groups and I partially felt like an outsider.
Then we got on the bus and I started to talk to the people around me.
Then we got on the plane and I talked and played cards with the people I was sitting next to; we laughed, made jokes, and overall had a great flight on the way there.
Then I got to my room, and even though I was rooming with people in a totally different group than I was, I connected with them. It wasn’t awkward anymore.
And it was like that throughout the entire trip. I opened up. That girl who didn’t really like to talk much then became that girl singing karaoke as loud as she can, even though she isn’t an amazing singer; she became that girl racing her friends down the hallway of an empty convention center at 9 pm. Sadly, she terribly lost that race. I became the extrovert that I’ve always been but never expressed. I became *myself*. I believe that many people, just like I did, opened up during this trip. We even played really well, and I honestly think that part of the reason we did so well was because of how much closer we got to each other.
And today I sat in the window seat and slept on the first flight -- which was 4 hours -- and so did Connor, one of my friends who was sitting on the aisle, leaving Wyatt, my friend in the middle seat, alone to stare at the seat in front of him while listening to music because he decided it was a good idea to drink an energy drink at 5 in the morning. On the second flight, I was awake the entire time, listening to music, just finally wanting to be home.
“Only an hour left.”
“Only 46 minutes.”
“34… 28… 23…”
When the pilot announced we were landing, I just couldn’t wait to see my mom and ask her to buy me coffee because I was so desperately tired. Jokes, jokes, I love my mother and I really did miss her. I grabbed my luggage and walked to the car, so glad to almost be home. I loved this trip so much: the bonding experience with my fellow peers, the laughs we shared, and the Starbucks we bought every morning; I loved it all, but I am so glad that I am finally home, about to fall asleep for 9 hours and then spend another 5 telling my mom and friends about every detail imaginable.
