Blog entry completed by Mya Riner!
We are the Spirit of Tech. When you are a Marching Virginian in the Spirit of Tech, you really have to have the Spirit of Tech - it’s in the name!
Spirit can look like many different things. It can be dancing in the stands during football games or engaging with fans during our infamous March to Victory. It can also be as little as giving a thumbs up to a friend across the field during rehearsal.
During long, strenuous practices, it can be increasingly difficult to keep up with this kind of spirit throughout the semester, especially while juggling school, other organizations, social lives, work, and of course, band. I personally find that it’s not so much about having spirit because we are Marching Virginians, but it’s more so about how having spirit legitimately keeps me going.
I wanted to write this blog to truly represent how having spirit can genuinely be infectious. It can be as small as smiling as you walk by other MVs under the pavilion or going back to your dot on the field eagerly when setting drill. Spirit matters, and the idea can really alter how someone’s day is going.
Today’s blog highlights a hand-picked group of MVs whose spirit has been infectious to me, whether I know them at a personal level or not. Out of 330 spirited MVs, these are the handful of people that I find myself looking toward when I’m having an off day. I asked each MV, “Why do you smile?”
Jason Bradshaw – Trombone
“I smile because it also helps other people have a good day. A smile can go a long way.”
Ash Demastus – Piccolo
“I smile because I have a great time.”
Hanna Scaer – Mellophone
“I smile because of my friends and family.”
Diego Penadillo – Baritone
“I smile because I get to come here everyday and see my friends that I love hanging out with and get to play music and keep doing what I love every single day.”
At the end of the day, the Spirit of Tech isn’t just about the big moments – it’s about the little ones that keep us moving forward. The Marching Virginians thrive because of the spirit we share with each other. So, the next time you catch yourself smiling, remember that it might be exactly what someone else needs to keep going - and that is the Spirit of Tech.