We had been preparing for A&T for over a month spending long days in the sun running drills and long nights practicing music. All of the hard work finally showed at the A&T game.

I was especially excited since it was my first college performance at JCSU. Since it was the same week as the first week of school, I was exceptionally busy balancing school work and band.

Every time A&T was mentioned a sense of anger came across throughout the whole band because we wanted to show them who we were and that we have more power as a small band then they do of a big band. There also was a sense of hype on campus about the battle of the bands.

The week before the performance band practice was very hectic. Everything had to be almost perfect. I can recall getting out of drumline practice so late that most of the campus was asleep. It didn't phase us because we knew that in order to be good we had to keep on practicing.

Finally game day arrived and everyone was in a relaxed mood for the most part of the day until we arrived at A&Ts campus. Then all of a sudden everyone just automatically turned their game faces on. You could feel a sense of silent anticipation and hype and a readiness to do damage as a band and leave with a Win between the two bands.

In the stands during the game we showed how much we had practiced by going back-to-back with songs at them. As we played I got that feeling that I got the first time I ever heard the JCSU band when I was 9-years-old, and to be a part of it now was a feeling words couldn't describe.

When half time came I knew I had to get even more focused because this what we all had been working for. All of the long days in band camp would pay off during the eight minute show. While I was on the field all I remember was feeling so comfortable that the show felt like it was 30 seconds long. That was another experience that words couldn't describe. After the game, the fans we spoke to said we were the better band. Our hard work payed off, even though we still have much more to do.