A lot of people say you have to gothrough things that you don’t enjoy to get to the things that you doenjoy. Just recently I have fell victim to this. Doing things that Ido not enjoy to be able to do those things that I have a passion for. As I have stated in a previous blog post I never liked school. Tothis day Its not one of my favorite things. I think if I didn’t needan education to be successful in life I am not entirely sure I wouldbe here today. Although I know school is important for my future, Iam also here because of another reason.

Some of you may or may not know that Iam a Southerner. I don’t play an instrument but I am in the guard.The things with the flags, ya know? Well thats colorguard. For thepast five years I have marched fall and winter seasons. During fallits normal Marching Band, and during winter its something calledWinterguard (its more about the guard and not the band!). I wascaptain my senior year (fall and winter seasons!). And here at JSU Iam apart of the Southerners colorguard. I never found such a passionin something as I found in being in guard. It has slowly taken overmy life, and slowly become something I cannot live without. Thiswinter season I was not able to march, and its killing me. Althoughit was probably a good thing so I could focus on school it stillkills me when I hear people talk about how good their show is, or howmuch fun they are having.

Until recently my grades never had aneffect on if I could march or not. This upcoming marching season itsdifferent. I have to have a 2.5 GPA to be able to march on the guard.When I heard this it completely changed my outlook on school and mygrades. Grades had never been more important to me. And with the newsI received last night(I cant say what the news is but its freakingamazing!), grades are my top priority right now. It is so importantto me to do well in classes the rest of this semester and during theMay and Summer terms. Right now, school has never been more importantto me. Grades have never been more of a priority.

I could lie and say that I came here togo to school, but thats not the real reason. I came for the band. Icame to fulfill my passion. This is why school is so important to me,and why I try my hardest to do everything I can to do well in school.While some people are here just to be here, I am here for a reason. Iam here working my butt off to be part of something that I can notlive without.