For the first two years of high school, my main focus was GPA. I didn’t work, I didn’t engage in any time-consuming electives and only studied. Over time this left me feeling rather lonely which didn’t help with my then undiagnosed depression and anxiety.

Before the end of sophomore year, I made a friend who was in the band and who recommended I join the band interest meeting that was coming up. I went and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made in high school.

Band provided me with a community and creative outlet. I regained confidence in my social skills which I previously deemed extinct due to covid. I met new people who introduced me to new knowledge in music, science, and ways of life. I had new life experiences such as learning how to balance grades with an afterschool activity and social life. While I loved band and it did so much for me, I also learned I had a tendency for panic attacks after competitions. I was fortunately able to learn to manage them which allowed me to help others who experienced similar events. I learned different grounding techniques, some that worked for me and some that better helped others.

After joining band I also became more serious about my involvement in TSA (Technology Student Association). Senior year I became president of TSA and using the social skills I rebuilt in band I got students interested in joining. Senior year I also became a mentor for 3 freshmen which taught me leadership and responsibility.

My academics were also positively affected after joining a club. With all-day summer band camps, 2-hour after-school practices, home football game performances, town parades/festivals like Lazy Daze, and weekend competitions, I didn’t have time to procrastinate and had to learn time management. The social aspect also came in handy for I knew more people in my classes who I could ask for help from.

GPA and grades is important because that’s what colleges look at. But I would argue extracurriculars are more important. You learn to deal with real world events and learn to be a member or a community/society. I learned more skills through joining band such as communication, responsibility, and time management then I ever have through a class. That is why I put a priority on my extracurriculars. Because they help me become a more well rounded person. Band helped me do and feel better as a person and I know colleges won’t see the teamwork, acts of forgiveness, memories, and getting over the hard times I dealt with in band when they see it on my application, but those things created the person they will have on their canvas unlike my gpa.