A Losing Game, a Winning experience.

A Letter to my Fellow Bandsmen (especially those younger):

It's winding down to the end of 2010, and more things are ending than just the year.

For one, I only have one more semester at Cal left, and I feel like I just started. I need at least another 4 years to truly appreciate this campus, I feel, and I also feel I haven't taken advantage of all the awesome things this campus has offered me. I think of all the nights I spent not doing anything, putting off homework, etc., and if I had spent my time more wisely, I could have gone to many more festivals, shows, musical performances, or gotten involved in another club or two. I regret nothing that I have done during my time here at Cal. I am simply bemoaning that any student will spend 4 or 5 years here and not have enough time to take advantage of the diversity that is offered. As an alumna, I will try my best to keep experiencing things on this campus whether it be football games, movies at the Pacific Film Archives, or going to see performances at the Greek or Zellerbach. Newmen reading this take note! NEVER, I repeat, NEVER think that this campus doesn't have anything left to offer you. If you continue to serve it, it will continue to serve you.

Secondly, yesterday was my last day wearing a Cal Band uniform. We lost the game, but I will never forget rushing out of the North Tunnel for the last time with tears in my eyes, doing a March-up to the stadium doing all of the continuities we made up about the 4th year class, and I will never forget the feel of doing my last rainbows in front of Sather Gate with my uniform hat at my feet. I had spent all semester waiting for/dreading/getting excited over yesterday, and now it's already over.

I want to take this post to thank everyone that I have met through the Cal Band. I honestly had never thought I would meet this many people during my time in college, and if I've changed during my time in college, it was for the better and because I knew all of you. We all share one thing: we all have experienced the Cal Band for everything it's worth. We will all eventually go forth from the band and meet new people, live in other places, but we will be, always and forever, Cal Bandsmen. I truly believe the saying, "Once a Cal Bandsmen, always a Cal Bandsmen," and will act accordingly when it comes to 3rd quarter snacks, generations bondings, Nor Cal Parties, and watching those last moments as the band marches out of Memorial (or AT&T Park next year!). Feel free to call me out on it if I fail to keep serving the band in any way an Alumna can (except maybe Alumni Band Day.... that I still need to think about).

Although I am leaving the band forever (except for basketball games!), the band will never leave me. The strength of the band is the bear, the strength of the bear is the band.

Until the final "Lights Out".

-Lizz