Sweaty palms, the smell of wood, encouraging words, and smiling faces, these were all the sensations I experienced while making the most impactful decision on my life. The time was the beginning of my sixth grade year of school; the place was the Blalack orchestra room, and the decision was the choice of instrument that I would be playing for the next 7 years. Of course at that time, the decision seemed less cataclysmic compared to reflecting upon it now. And although that moment is etched into my memory, it is not the reason I wrote about orchestra. I love music and orchestra was a way to express this love, but in orchestra I found family and friends that would help me through the long years of middle and high school. If I had to give a moral it would be that having a family or friends is essential in the survival of high school and I found mine in Orchestra.

After my heart wrenching decision to play the cello in 6th grade, the rest of middle school went rather smoothly albeit dully. Of course the only exception to this was orchestra class. No matter how my day had unfolded, it always improved when I went to orchestra. First it was the excitement of “oh my gosh I’m playing an instrument” to an “I can’t wait to see my friends today!” attitude although not that cheesy. Over exaggerations aside, a typical day consisted of school, fine arts and friends, and that was just the beginning.

Everything began to pick up once high school started. I had a group of friends and we were close, but we got even closer as the years went by. Dealing with the workload of high school was a handful, but we realized together that in orchestra we were able to cool off and help one another. Needed help on that tricky math problem? Solve it together before school on the comfy well used couch hidden in the corner. Have a dispute with an individual or another teacher? Sit with the directors and talk it out person to person. Simply put, one can always find community and assistance in that room.

Looking back at the 7 years gone by, I never regret what instrument I chose that day in the Blalack orchestra room, for it was not the instrument that changed my life, but orchestra itself. The family that I received from orchestra was one of the greatest gifts ever been bestowed upon me, and of all the stuff I will leave in high school, that family will be the one I miss the most.