Preparing for a performance or upcoming game can be stressful, especially when it is the first competition. Next week kicks off the competition season to the TG winter drumline. It has been a stressful few months with instructors being sick or gone due to work or teammates out of town or home ill. When at least three people are gone, practice is either canceled or cut short due to having only a team of twelve people. These short or canceled practices add more stress when preparing an upcoming the performance.

Sophomore Chris Ulate comments, “During a competition week, stress increases because of excitement mixed with nerves”.

According to Psychology Today, approximately 20% of students reported high levels of stress before a performance/game, and many of them reported high anxiety after ones that their team had lost. Not only is stress high before a competition but can increase based on the result of the competition. Over the past two years, the TG drumline has improved drastically in scores. A team that always scored last or second to last wins state and second place scores. Competitions can be both exciting and stressful.

Senior Mary Hoang comments,“To me, it’s very hectic because there’s a lot of schools with many instruments, unloading/loading trucks. There’s constant movement everywhere.”

There can be five or twenty-five other teams at one competition. Some teams can vary from twelve to like thirty people. The more people the less space there is at schools no matter how large the area is. This causes “traffic jams” with instruments, time delays due to complications and so many other problems which can put stress on the teammates in preparing for their performance.

Although these events can be stressful, they can also be very rewarding. Chris Ulate said “It’s an incredible experience to see a team work together to accomplish a task that had many hours put into it.” The season always starts off with an event they like to call Day of Percussion. It is an event where every drumline comes to watch professional percussionists and hand out with other members. Senior Mary Hoang was one of two members who had the opportunity to be part of the Leadership drumline where they got to perform with members from the other teams. It was a great way to meet new people and gain amazing memories.