Mike Skow Guest Columnist

It's hot out, I'm tired, there's a guy on top of a tower screaming at me and 1,2,3,4 is being pounded into my head. I'm at a marching band rehearsal and I'm here voluntarily. I've got 45 lbs. worth of tuba resting on my shoulder and the sun is beating down on my head, so you can imagine how miserable it can get. But you know what, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Marching band at the University of Arizona has been a dream come true. The camaraderie, the music, the jokes - everything except running a formation over again. I can't remember how long I've wanted to go to the UA, but I can remember how long I've wanted to be in the band. I started by wanting to play basketball for the UA, then I wanted to play football here too. But then I was at my first Band Day, and I realized what I really wanted to do here: I wanted to march with the best band in the western United States.

When I started marching, I started at the beginning, at band camp. It's a week of fundamentals, music and discipline. You go through an entire week in the sun, and after that, the wet weather in Seattle doesn't look so depressing.

One of the best parts about band camp my freshman year was meeting everyone and getting to know the fabulous Twirlers, Guard, and Pommies. Up to that point in band camp you think; wow, it's the auxiliaries, that's cool, awesome. Then they come up to you, and that knot in your throat grows about five sizes bigger and all you can say is, "da da, muh mah, duuuuh, hi." At least that's how I felt. The end of band camp came and there was the final pep talk, something about eating dirt, and then parties to celebrate the end of our director's "work so hard, you'll do it in your sleep" policy.

The pride that some people display is astonishing. It's one thing to see pride in the first-year members because it's sort of expected. "Oh, I'm in the Arizona Marching Band, whoopie, whoopie!" Then you see the people who have been in the band for five and six years. People like Jon Schwab and Marybeth Maynard who work, study for a college degree, have been in the band for six consecutive years and still have that passion and fire to be on the field. Not only are they great for advice, but always good for a laugh too, especially when you talk about birds and how "friendly" they are to Jon Schwab.

You look at people like them and think one of two things: what are you on, or how do you do it? How can they come back for six years, withstand the same crazy man on the podium screaming at them, and still march? Not for four or five years, but for six! It's incredible.

It's the help of people in the band, such as Jon and Marybeth, that make being in band that much more worthwhile. Their help and the help of our director, Jay Rees, and drum major, Scott Mattlick, prepares us for the biggest event of our season, Band Day. Band Day is the chance for the UA band to perform our show in front of more than 35 high school bands, and what makes it really sweet is hearing the applause from thousands of people after we finish that last note of the show. You can hold me to this when I say that the stadium seems louder than it ever gets at a football game. Maybe it's the adrenaline coursing through my veins, or the shock that I actually made it through the entire show, but I get so pumped hearing the crowd at Band Day.

My experience in the Pride of Arizona has been nothing short of spectacular. The people and the music are amazing, and the experience is something that words can't really describe.

Whether I'm here for four years or six years, I'll never forget how much pride I've felt and how much fun I've had while I marched at the UA. And if you ever get the chance, come see what the "pride" of Arizona is really about: music, hard work, and friendship.

Mike Skow is a business and journalism sophomore. letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.