Life is full of moments. Happy moments, sad moments, I could care less moments, but most importantly it is full of those wonderful life changing moments. Those life changing moments sneak up on you when you least expect it. I certainly didn’t expect any life changing moments when I prepared and went on my 2010 Florida band trip. I expected to leave, have fun, and come back. Instead I learned much more than I ever thought possible.
It was never guaranteed that I would even be able to go on the trip. It was an expensive trip, and I had to raise at least half the money myself. I held car washes, babysat, and sold numerous amounts of candy bars, but it was still difficult to raise money. In the end though my hard work paid off; I had family members pitch in money, and eventually even the band boosters helped me get the money to go. Just preparing for a trip that I wasn’t even guaranteed, had taught me that hard work does pay off, and it’s always worth it in the end.
Once I had packed my bags and got on the plane I vowed to have fun on the five days we would be in Florida. My vow was not broken; I had plenty of fun, and I created many unforgettable moments. While creating those unforgettable moments I learned more about the people I thought I knew almost everything about: my friends. I learned how annoying they could be when I was trying to sleep, and they were doing everything but sleeping. I saw a side of them that they had kept hidden back in Illinois.
Not only did I see I side of my friends that I hadn’t noticed before, but I different side of me came out on the trip. I was more free; it was like the sprit I had been holding back had burst free. I laughed and talked more. I danced in the streets of Disney World, when back Illinois I would never dance. I was quiet and more reserved. In Florida my problems were gone, even if it was just for a short while. It was amazing that a simple band trip could set me free; that it could make me forget the troubles and trials that awaited me at home.
During the trip I got to see wonders that the majority of the population will never get to see. I was able to go back stage and learn some of the secrets of the magic of Disney; secrets that will stay with me as long as I live. I learned so much about my friends, and about myself. I got closer to people I hadn’t really known, and now have friendships that will last my whole life. I learned how to let go, and live in the moment. I learned financial responsibility. All this from a five day band trip.
We all have those life changing moments, and they always seem to happen when least expected. I certainly wasn’t expecting a trip to change my life, but it did. I’m glad to have experienced what I did, and it has encouraged me to never pass up a trip. Who knows what may happen on the next one.
