My Life as a Band Geek by Jillian Cantor

Jillian Cantor has been compared to iconic authors like Sarah Dessen for the realistic and beautiful writing of her recently released debut novel, The September Sisters. Cantor certainly appears to be an author to keep an eye on! Learn more about Jillian Cantor from her adorable Geek Fest guest blog below.

When Bella Aire asked me to write about my inner geek, I immediately thought of being in high school, being in marching band, and being what other people might have referred to as a “band geek.” In high school, I was a pretty good musician, and for most of high school, this was my life. I played the saxophone and the clarinet, took weekly music lessons, and even competed, on clarinet, in music competitions. I was a member of marching band, jazz band, symphonic band, and orchestra. I had the Mozart Clarinet Concerto memorized, as well as the school fight song. I roll-stepped, I wore a wool uniform and a tall plumed hat to football games, and I owned my very own pair of Dinkles (those hideously ugly white marching band shoes). When I was a senior, I was the marching band captain, and when the drum major got mono, I had to fill in for her for a few games.

I know a lot of kids at my high school called us band geeks, but I never thought of myself this way – at least, not in a bad way. All of my friends were in band, and sure, we might have spent Friday nights in uniform, but we always had a good time hanging out, playing music. The people I met in band were fun and funny and smart, and some of them are still my friends to this day.

But my favorite part of my band “geek” experience is this: As a sophomore, I had a huge crush on a senior, who played drums and was drum captain in marching band. After a few months, we started dating. Then, even after we both left high school (and marching band) behind, we kept dating. And now, we’ve been married for almost nine years, and we have two kids!

I haven’t played the clarinet in at least ten years. When I got to college, I realized my real passion was writing, and I gave up on music. My husband? He’s a band teacher now. Yep, he’s still a band geek all these years later – but inwardly, I’m still one, too!

Curiosity question: Are you/were you ever a band geek?