When I was a P-Rookie…

I’m pretty sure there are only two reasons I came to Penn State: Creamery ice cream and the Penn State Blue Band.

I’ve heard about the band ever since I was little. My dad, Penn State Class of 1984, marched sousaphone and would talk about his experiences all the time. He’d laugh at the shenanigans that he and the other sousas got into (things that they would never be able to get away with now) and he’d reminisce about the bowl games he marched in.

His stories always made me think that he had such a great time in college, so when it came time for me to pick which schools I wanted to apply to, Penn State was a no-brainer. When I was accepted to University Park, I knew right away that I was going to live in State College for the next four years and, fingers crossed, I would also be in the Blue Band.

I knew that I had to work really hard that summer. My dad kept warning me that if I didn’t practice, I was going to be really disappointed if my audition didn’t go well. I sight-read new pieces every week and I’m pretty sure I practiced more than I ever had for any band I had been in previously. I also watched Making the Blue Band about 46 times that summer. I had a crazy thought that if I could memorize as much of it as I could, I would feel less stressed about the audition process.

After a two-day road trip to Pennsylvania with all of my dorm stuff, school supplies, and anxious thoughts, I stayed at my grandparent’s house before traveling to State College for auditions. I remember lying awake that night going through my piece and trying to recall everything I could from the Making the Blue Band documentary. With all my anxiety and nervousness I don’t think I fell asleep until about two hours before I had to get up.

When we got to the Blue Band Building, I stood in line for registration and to sign up for an audition time. The line seemed to take forever, there were so many people auditioning. I talked with some fellow auditionees and started to get more excited about all the people I was going to meet in the next two days, regardless if I made the band or not.

Later on, my parents helped me carry all of my belongings up to my room in South Halls and all I could think of was my upcoming music audition. We ate lunch at Highway Pizza and did some last-minute shopping at Wal-Mart before the inevitable came. My parents dropped me off at the Blue Band Building and my Mom cried as I tried to hold back my own tears. They drove off and I walked into the Blue Band Building to begin my college career.

I picked out one of the mellophones that were lined up in the rehearsal room and began to warm up. I was so worried that I was going to bust my lip before I went into my audition so I tried to play as little as possible without being too unprepared. At this point I either knew my stuff or I didn’t.

I was a shaking bundle of nerves as I waited outside the uniform room where my music audition was going to take place. That nervousness bled into my audition and I played the whole piece vibrato because I was still shaking. After finishing the sight-reading portion, I was convinced that I wasn’t going to make the band. I was sure that I didn’t play the piece up to standard.

I was alone in my dorm room that night because my roommate hadn’t moved in yet. I was trying to get some sleep before marching auditions the next day but I was too excited to doze off. The marching auditions were what I was looking forward to the most.

I woke up insanely early the next morning to get breakfast and make the long trek up to the rehearsal field. I made a nametag with my instrument in one corner and “P. Rookie” in the other corner. We were all Prospective Rookies.

Looking back, I really have no idea why I was so excited for marching auditions because it was one of the most grueling days of my life. I wasn’t used to the marching style, the humidity, or the amount of physical work we did. At the end of each segment I felt like I was going to fall over but I did my best to keep a smile on my face.

That night was pretty cold for a summer night. We were all sunburned from being out on the field all day and the night air felt great on our burned skin. Our task that night was to play a fight song while marching with proper high-step technique. It felt so awkward and unnatural, I had no idea how anyone could actually do it, especially in front of 100,000 people in Beaver Stadium.

After demonstrating our skills, all the P. Rookies sat in a block waiting for our fate. If our name was called, we made the band. The block was dead silent as Dr. Bundy began reading off the names.

When he came to the mellophone section, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. What would I do if I didn’t make the band? That’s what I came to Penn State for! How would my dad react? Would he be disappointed? I stared at a blade of grass trying not to concentrate on the knots in my stomach.

“Mixer.”

Dr. Bundy had called my name.

I had no idea how to react. All my built-up anxiety and tension was immediately released and I was able to actually breathe for the first time in half an hour.

All my hard work had finally paid off!

That rookie season was hard work, but one of the most memorable seasons that I’ve had. I met and became friends with the people who were in Making the Blue Band and I felt like I was meeting royalty. I marched in Beaver Stadium for the first game of the season against Youngstown State. I didn’t play a single note the whole entire pregame.

The audition experience may have been pretty stressful and scary, but all of the staff and guides made it something I’ll remember forever. Maybe one day I’ll tell my stories to my kids and they’ll get inspired to audition for The Pennsylvania State Blue Band like I did.

—Katie Mixer