The University of Washington Husky Marching Band (HMB) was the first community I found on campus. I joined HMB my freshman to find friends to make the UW seem smaller since no one from my high school in Portland, OR came to the UW with me. As soon as I joined the band, I felt an instant connection to my bandmates. I could go them for anything and they always had my back.
I think that if I hadn't joined HMB, I might not have found CEP. My section leader, Christian Read, when I first joined was a CEP junior. If I hadn't joined HMB when I did, I probably wouldn't have met Christian, never would have taken CEP 200, and never would have applied to CEP. Through HMB, I was able to continue playing music in college. From freshman year to junior year, I was part of the trombone section were I met some of my best friends. For my senior, I became one of the drum majors and had the honor of leading the band in the 2019 Rose Bowl Parade and Rose Bowl halftime. Being drum major is a one-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget. |