Band Camp Survival Guide
 

What To Bring

Here are the essentials that you must have:

1) Socks and tennis shoes. (NO SANDALS, FLIP-FLOPS, etc…)
2) **Your instrument** (Yes, there have been a few that have forgotten this before...)
3) A three ring binder (Meade 5 Star is the preferred brand), some sheet protectors & A PENCIL!!
4) Lunch (you may not leave campus.)
5) A hat or some other head covering.
6) Sunscreen
7) A water bottle/cooler (NO SHARING!)
8) Shorts (No long Jeans)
9) Lip Protectant
10) Sunglasses
11) A positive attitude and SMILE!

Why The Essentials Are Essential

Sunscreen: sun poisoning, although rare at camp, is not fun. Sunburn, guaranteed from camp, is not exactly pleasant either. Yes, you will get a "band tan" even if you use sunscreen, but believe me, even if you never wear sunscreen, YOU NEED IT at band camp.

Breakfast: We have seen far too many freshmen get sick and want to sit out the first day of band camp because they did not eat breakfast. You must eat breakfast during camp. It will not sit like a lump in your stomach or make you feel sick while you are marching.

Water: This one is obvious. You probably will sweat a lot at band camp.  During breaks, you will need to fill up with water. Important note: Do not bring water bottles filled with carbonated sodas, it will just make things worse. Water is best, but sports drinks are acceptable too.

Shorts: Wear shorts every day to band camp. - no big explanation - it's gonna be hot.

Lip Protectant:  Brass players use this especially.  Reed players should wipe it off before playing to avoid clogging the reed’s pores. Avoid anything with camphor and/or menthol as these will dry your lips out faster.

Sunglasses: These definitely keep the UV light from your eyes and make the glare bearable, since you have to look up, sometimes into the sun. (It is acceptable to close your eyes at attention if you are standing still, facing into the sun, but that's impractical if you are moving.)

Hat: It will keep the sun out of your eyes and face (preventing "Rocky Raccoon" tan lines around your eyes, which look silly in your school pictures.)

Lunch: This is as important as eating breakfast.  LUNCH IS NOT PROVIDED, and you may not leave campus. Some of the best social time is lunch hour.

What To Expect At Band Camp

Expect to work, and work hard. Expect a suntan or sunburn, with tan lines from your shirt and socks. Expect to be pushed towards excellence by the directors, your peers and yourself.   Expect to make friends that will be yours FOREVER! Expect to grow and get stronger every minute as you develop personal poise and performance skills you will draw upon in the future.  Expect excellence in everything you do. Expect to learn the majority of this year's show, and expect to be proud of the hard work you will put into making the Band one of the best bands around! Expect that when you graduate, you will be grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the best organization at Bryan Station.

What To Do

Show up: There have been a few cases of people who completely messed up and didn't realize that there was a band camp, or that band camp was required.

Be on time: You are responsible for being on time. You cannot blame this on traffic, on car trouble, or on your parents. You take full responsibility for it. The only exception is if you call the band room BEFORE the time you are supposed to arrive and explain the situation (ie car trouble, parents overslept, etc). The band room phone number is 381-3311.

Behave: Just get in line, stay in step, do whatever is asked of you. The Directors will take note - as well as the other members around you. Also, behaving tends to get things done a lot quicker (nothing worse than rerunning a drill set over and over again because the band isn't behaving correctly!)

Keep cool: Both literally and physically. First make sure you are not overheating (the intent is not to make anyone sick), but also keep a calm mind. So you can't hit the line the first time you try it? As long as you keep trying, and listen graciously to advice you WILL eventually get it.

Footwear and Foot Care

You will be on your feet for many hours at a time during the next several months.  You must have proper footwear in order to be comfortable and avoid injury.  A good pair of sneakers or tennis shoes is essential for participation in marching band.  Sandals, flip-flops, boots or moccasins are not appropriate for this activity.  We will be marching on pavement, which is not as forgiving to your feet as a grass field.  Invest in a new pair of shoes appropriate for this activity.  Your feet and the rest of your body will thank you.

Make sure to wear white cotton socks.  They have no dies, and the cotton is a naturally absorbent material.  This will help avoid problems like athlete’s foot and other maladies.  A preventative spray of Tinactin or other over the counter foot product will also help keep your dogs happy.

Don’t Let Sun Slow You Down

Sunburn is a condition resulting from over exposure of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) rays found in sunlight.  Everyone, even those with dark skin, is at risk for sunburn.  Most sunburn will appear a few hours after sun exposure.  The most intense symptoms may not occur for as long as 24 hours afterward.

What can be done to prevent injury?

Use a waterproof sunscreen with SPF of 30 or greater at all times.

Have a hat and shirt on at all of the time you are exposed to the sun.

Be aware of cloudy days, because you can still burn.

Be informed about any medications you are taking and their side effects.  Some medications produce allergic-type rash on body parts exposed to sunlight.

What are treatments for the injury?

Use cool wet compresses for the first 48 hours. Do not use ice.

Cool oatmeal baths may be helpful.

You may use aloe in the first 48 hours.

NO lotions or petroleum jelly in the first 48 hours. They hold in heat.

Apply moisturizing lotions after 48 hours.