It was my sophomore year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fall semester, which was the marching season of the Woodlake High School Tiger Band, brought forth great pressure to those who had to rise up and become leaders at a young age, which included me. As the year progressed, there were many discussions and arguments that rose within the band, from topics as small as the school lunch for the day, to big topics like the true purpose of the Tiger Band. Me, being the sophomore I was, as well as becoming Drum Captain that same year, I was kind of pulled into these discussions. However, every time I would add my input into these discussions, it felt like I was slowly losing myself. My mental health was in danger. It continued for so long, that these discussions became fights, and I was in the middle of it all. It continued for so long, that after weeks, I began to beat myself up for every little thing that went wrong, even if I had nothing related to it. It was no longer about keeping myself accountable to make sure I did my part for the group, it was about me trying to make sure that I knew my place in the band. Although this was a very scary part of my time in the band, all it took was one conversation between myself and the band director, Mr. McCue. All it took was for him to remind me that I am a good musician, that I contribute so much to the band. I should not need to make myself feel lowly compared to anyone else, because I am just as much a member of the band as anyone else. All it took was for someone to acknowledge that I existed. From that moment, I knew that in order to grow as a person, and as a musician, I had to make sure that I was in a clear space and that my emotions were under control to make calm and logical decisions within the section that I now led. The 2019-2020 school year ended up being one of the most successful years the Woodlake Tiger Band has had, taking 1st place for the Parade Division at the Orange Cove Band Review, as well as receiving 1st place for field show at the Selma Band, including an award for best percussion in the division. I used many techniques that helped cope with the stress and emotions that built up during this time. For example, every day, I talked to my friends and family members about the things that have been bothering me during school, and I made sure to include any issues I was having with the band in order to make sure that I was being heard, and to make sure that I know about the issue as well. I also changed the way that I practiced and rehearsed, in order to make sure that I was using my time most efficiently and without stressing myself too much. I reduced the amount of time I practiced, but in exchange, I divided that time lost within other days to make sure that I was still getting the quality of practice needed to stay on top of my music. Because of this time, I have been able to expand my leadership within the band, now becoming President of the Tiger Band Council, as well as remaining the Drum Captain of the Percussion section. This time, although scary to go through, left me with skills to be better prepared for the future.