Page 97 - 2019 Senior Will

Matt Greene – The third “Matt” I have referred to in this damn thing. We kind of just hit it off during...sophomore year I think? I knew you from freshman year but the second year was the one where we started our annual banquet photos. You are super talented I’m super excited to see where your compositions take you. Who knows?
Taylor Hoffman and Renee Yavor – Though neither of you are currently in band, I felt I should thank both of you for being supportive of me (both during the joining process of SAI and for my recital.) as well as just overall being great ladies. You each killing it!
Bri Licciardi – THAT’S MY ROOMMATE! Though we got off to a bit of a rocky start when we met freshman year, I am so glad that we have become best friends (or at least you are to me). Our random deep conversations and building off of each other’s creativity is something that I cherish more than I can describe. There’s more I could probably say but I’ll save it for the end of spring after the 8-Bit concert. I’m reaching the end of my limit.
Last but certainly not least: Matt Bonett – You don’t even go here (anymore). But you are one of the most supportive and crazy people I know and I absolutely love you for it. I didn’t really meet you in the UDMB, but as mentioned above, I likely would not have joined 8-Bit had it not been for marching band so...yay band? You have fostered the nerdiness that has always been inside of me and I’m grateful that I have been able to grow alongside with you for nearly two years. Here’s to many more!
If you didn’t get a specified shoutout above, I APOLOGIZE. This being due so soon and me not wanting to write an actual novel (I’ve written stories over 30,000 words with one being over 100,000. Don’t test me I will write a book), I didn’t want to ramble on for too long. Plus I feel like half the mentions above say the same thing...oops. In any case, know that even if I didn’t directly mention you by name, I value the friendship and growth that we have experienced together.
But the last thing that I do want to say is this: band is a long and hard experience. There were times in college where I didn’t want to come back because of the time commitment or things were changing and I wasn’t a fan of the changes. Physically, it’s the most demanding thing I have ever done (running the stands the last game nearly destroyed me and I can’t get up and down off the ground as well as I used to with these older bones haha) and mentally there are its ups and downs. But through band, I have met people and made connections that I feel will last beyond band, beyond college, and possibly for an extremely long time.
Cherish your time in band. You might grumble or “bitch and moan” about coming to rehearsal, especially as the season gets colder and the semester harder. But you’ll still sign up at the beginning of the next season. Why? Because we are all crazy. But mainly because of the people. That’s why I stayed for 4 years. For the experience of making memories with all these crazy people. Love you all and see you on the other side next homecoming!
Rachel Reynolds ~~