Sunburns, nerves, sweat, and instruments galore. Every Saturday there are about 120 students that show up to have a good time and do what they love; Marching band.

Most people that are in marching band are there because they enjoy it, and they love the fine arts department. They start at our high school, PLHS, then bus to wherever they go that weekend whether that is as far as Lincoln or as close as PLSHS.

There are a wide variety of things that students can do in the school. Why students choose marching band may surprise some.

“I first kind of joined [band] because it was like, it was just something extra to do,” freshman Izzy Wohlers said. “So I didn’t have to do all the extracurriculars. But then slowly I got into it, and was like oh my gosh, this is so fun. And then my sister (sophomore Caylee Wohlers), she was like, you should join marching band.”

People all find there different things to do during the competitions, while they wait for prelim awards or they wait to perform.

“I go annoy my friends, but I also go watch other schools perform, and I cheer them on,” sophomore Emma Pennewell said.

Others who are less social have their own ways of finding entertainment during the 16-ish hour days. Think about it, people are warming up for an hour then they only perform for 10 or so minutes. So, what do they do all day?

“I try to find my friends, but I mainly stay on my phone, and then I text my friends from different sections, ” freshman Charley Brock said. “I just try to socialize, I guess.”

Preliminary awards are awesome and nerve racking at the same time. The band will either go home, knowing that they gave their best shot, or qualify and celebrate.

“[Making it to finals] is a really good feeling, but it’s also like stressful listening too, because [finals] can go really late.” Brock said.
Once the prelim jitters are over and it is known that the monarch band has made it to finals, the things that happen after are chaotic and wholesome all in one.

“We’re ecstatic,” Pennewell said. “We’re all happy when we make it to finals because we get to stay longer, and we get to hang out with our friends. The night bus rides are the best part of the competition. Everyone’s calm or we’re excited. We play games, we cuddle, and we get to watch the stars and we get the lights off, which makes it fun.”

Then there is all the stuff people don’t like to bring up about the day, whether it’s just that the day was awful in their opinion, they didn’t do so well in finals from the jitters, or people were stinky and crabby at the end of the night.

“It’s hot when we wear the uniforms in 90 degree weather,” Brock said. “And people need to bring deodorant.”

In general marching band competition days are where people can make some of their best buds and overall a great place to spend time.