Armed with a rifle, a sword and a flag, I ventured to Michigan in pursuit of a near impossible dream. My arms were spilling over with luggage, and I repeated a mantra in my head:

“Expect the worst, hope for the best.”

After joining Color Guard at the beginning of my freshman year, I discovered the world of Drum Corps International, also known as DCI. The organization is made up of the best independent marching groups the country has to offer, and I wanted to be part of it.

I began following my dream when I registered for a weekend-long audition camp, three days of being watched while learning routines before being told whether or not I could join the group. It was physically demanding, but the true challenge was internal: staying positive. I continued to hope for the best, but my positive attitude was interrupted by the negativity I heard from others. When we learned something new, I heard them grumble about the difficulty and how obvious it was that they would be excluded from the group at the end of the weekend. Their negativity was almost contagious and I had to work hard to stay positive.

Positivity is not exclusive to auditions, though. When I’ve gone into a test believing I’ll succeed, I’ve always done better than when I’ve walked in discussing how I’m guaranteed to fail. When those around me complain about school, friends or other drama, I find myself trying to create a more positive atmosphere for everyone, including myself, to be more comfortable in.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to stay positive. We all have days when we feel like everything is crashing down around us and we just want to cry. At the audition, I attempted an incredibly difficult routine but couldn’t do it. Tears stung my eyes as I thought about being cut. We’ve all gotten bad test scores and felt like it was the end of the world, but letting one moment negatively affect you can leave a dark cloud hanging over the rest of the day. Finding at least one positive idea within a negative event can help to let the sunshine in.

Despite my successful audition, I still want to work on improving my twirling and throwing skills, as well as my mental resilience. I want to remain happy as I achieve my dream and make the best of whatever is thrown at me. Spending nearly 20 hours spinning and dancing over a weekend is demanding, but maintaining positivity will put a happier spin on that experience.