Poems Of The Young Heart

A time in Marching Band seeing old friends and feeling left out

There are times where one person feels left out. A time where you only know a few people and still not sure how new people feel about me. A few ways I felt like an outsider is not going to the same school as my friends, joining an activity that I don't know everyone, and the few people I knew didn't try to help me make more friends. This is how I felt on being an outsider.

The first time I went to practice I walked there from my house. During the whole 30 minute walk I felt nervous like I had butterflies in my stomach. I had hoped to meet up with my friend halfway there but she was running late. I decided not to wait.

So I got there by myself and walked in the brown brick building. I walked down the bright colored hallway. Then turned right down a black, red, and white hallway I start 2 hear drums and voices. I pause before I enter. One of friends saw me before I seen him so he runs up and hugs me. During the hug some of the people I did not know gave me strange looks. The kind of looks that says "who's that girl?"

The looks that the others were giving made me feel uncomfortable but something about my friend seemed different since the last time I saw him.(other than height)A few minutes go by and Another friend comes in and she has the same reaction as my first friend which was run up and hug me tightly. Then we start warming up our instruments. About 10 minutes goes by and the friend that I had plan on meeting halfway shows up late. ( she hasn't changed in that sense.) Out of all my friends I always expected her hug me whether we seen each other 2 hours ago or in 2 years. That Is a way I felt not as welcome when she suggested I join band.

Only getting to meet up 2 times a week. I only know about 3 other band members out of the 10 band members. Everyone knows each other because they spend 8 hours a day in the same building and having some of the same classes together. I only spent an hour twice a week and spending an hour with friends and getting to know new faces.

Our first game together we were still getting use to each other. I was very hesitant to talk to any of the people I didn't know. I really kept to myself that whole game. It wasn't till the second game against Cardinal Mooney on the way back from Youngstown. It was dark out because it was a night game. So we were all kind of crowded in the back of the bus. One of my friends sat back there with me and decided to pull me into the conversation with another member of the band that I didn't know.

The time that you can feel felt out can change your views. Sometime not going to the same school helps people bond. Joining activities not knowing people isn't always a negative thing.Being able to get to see others impact on the way we play our music.All have the same goal each game and that is to get the crowd riled up. This is a way that I realize being an outsider is not a bad thing.