Jordan Adams

3rd

I was in symphony band in 8th grade when a lady came in and talked to us about

auxiliaries. We had taken a field trip to the high school and watched the band practice for an

upcoming game. I fell in love with the color guard, and knew that I had to be in their place. So, I

eagerly grabbed a sheet, told my parents, and in no time was on a bus with the other girls

heading to the high school gym.

We hadn’t even introduced ourselves before we were stretching and already learning the

routine. I heard from some girls that the routine given was the hardest they had to audition with.

Nice. The only nervousness I really felt was cowering away from the flag I failed to catch.

Thankfully, the other girls were there to help and guide me, making my story even worse.

March 10, 2019, audition day was here, after a month of changing in dirty bathrooms and

mosquitoes buzzing around at night. We got to the gym and began relaxing, stretching, and doing

run throughs. I was in group 4, which meant I had some time to finally let the flag hit me on the

forehead. Soon my group was next. We were out of the hot and sweaty field house but were

going to be auditioning in front of judges. Not exactly ideal for someone who’s shy. We did

some quick touch-ups and walked in, heads held high. I can recall the heavy sound of a metal

pole clanging on the floor multiple times. My metal pole. I didn’t have much confidence

knowing that I messed up, but I smiled in the group photo anyways, “You all did great!” giving

my low energy levels any boost.

I rushed to check my phone when I got home. I refreshed the page repeatedly, getting

annoyed. Why weren’t they updating? It was already 3, when they said the results would be

posted. After sitting in the chair for what felt like years, I saw it. In big headlines,
 Jordan Adams
3rd
‘CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2018-2019 AUXILIARIES’. I clicked on the link, reading

through quickly, desperate to find my name. My name, one name that wasn’t on the list. I

re-read. Was the order off? Was there a mistake? Did they forgot to put my name on the list?

Was all of that practice and effort for nothing? My eyes began to water as it finally hit me; I

didn’t make the team.

This only happened earlier this year, and it may not have cured cancer, but it really

changed me. Not as in “Jordan went on to become a world renowned philosopher”, but as in this

made me realize that everything I want I’m not always going to get, no matter how badly I want.

When something goes wrong in life, I can’t just sit and cry. I have to get up and keep, and if the

outcome is the same, perhaps I’ll try a new way.