As October begins, band students across Texas prepare for the infamous chaos of the month, deemed “Bandtober.” With marching season in full swing, their schedules are packed with rehearsals, football games, and social events. Amongst all the busyness, competition days stand out as a break from rehearsing and a chance to see all their hard work pay off. At the end of every Bands Of America (BOA) competition, students are given the opportunity to meet and get to know bands from other schools after the finals announcements, called Full Retreat.
“Competitions do take time, but I enjoy them,” Mrunali Rajiv ‘28 said. “Everyone can bond with each other, and it’s fun to get out of the house [on the weekend].”
When the last band finishes their finals performance, students line up in uniform outside the stadium and march onto the field together to the cadence of a drumline. Parents in the audience cheer as each school is lined up. Then, a hush settles over the crowd so scores and placements can be announced.
“It does feel scary, but you’re full of energy because you’re excited to know what [place] you are,” Rajiv said. “It gives you a sense of adrenaline.”
After results and trophies have been awarded, the announcer gives one last message of appreciation for the hard work and dedication of every student in attendance, with the iconic line that “all of these band members are winners in life,” and then invites the performers to break ranks.
“All of the tension that has been building in your body for the past ten minutes releases,” Naomi Hansen ‘27 said. “It’s like this cloud that was over you of stress about results evaporates and you get to go celebrate with your friends and meet with kids from other schools.”
As chaos ensues on the field, students run up to each other, hugging, celebrating scores, and meeting new people. Some interactions don’t last long, but just a high five or a quick introduction, gives band members a glimpse of what other band programs are like and how they relate to each other.
“My favorite full retreat experience was talking with some kids from Round Rock last season,” Hansen said. “They were really fun and cool, and we had a lot of things in common to talk about.”
Although it comes after a long day of effort and competition worries, full retreat is an important tradition to help remind students that scores are not all that matters.
“It makes you realize how similar we all really are,” Hansen said. “You think about other schools sometimes and you can’t even comprehend their realm of existence, but then you see them on the field [at full retreat] and you’re like ‘oh they’re just another clarinet like me.’”
