Corlandt Townsend

9/28/20

Eng. 131

Ms. Almas

Situations and circumstances can ultimately bring the best out of who we truly are. It has

been times in our live when an event has shaped our thinking into positive and rather sometimes

negative perspective about life and the people we see in it, whether is was an embarrassing

moment, a difficult tribulation, and even important decision. How we learn from these situations

and how we over come them is all that matters in the end, I can give you one example about a

ongoing tribulation I had. There was a time in my college dissertation when I was chosen to be

section leader of the Mighty Marching Hornet drum line, with that prestigious honor came much

difficulties, trials, hardships, lessons, but most importantly faith and endurance.

In 2018 I walked in Dr. Oliver office on a regular week day, my intention was to tell him if

he needed a section leader that I would love to do it, and rest assured God gave me the

opportunity after I heard it over an announcement about three months later. When the

announcement was made I was ecstatic I was mostly over come with joy because of the fact that

not a lot of people get this opportunity and the responsibility would be hard but the reward would

be even greater. After about a couple hours go past I get a call from a friend telling me to meet

me at they house for a talk this friend was also In the percussion section and basically I was

blindsided by an intervention of individuals that did not want me to be section leader or want be

to succeed as such. That night left me in total dis believe but it prepared me for what was going

to be along journey, during this journey people talked about me, they hated on me, they yelled,
they wanted to fight, and they overall just wanted to see me fail and quit, it was plenty of times

ill go back to my room stressed and and anxious because of what others thought of me. The

worse part of all of this was feeling helpless or alone, there was know emotional support on my

end it was just the spiritual help that God sent, most times it was just judging and criticizing for

no reason at all, and this was on more than one occasions.

The help that I did get came mostly from a frat brother that was arguably one of the nest

section leaders to come through Alabama state, we would often talk over the phone or he would

come down here so we could meet in person and talk about the ongoing immaturity that was

within the section. This help gave me much confidence boosts as I can see what I was doing right

and doing wrong on a everyday basis, yeah people were still talking but I tuned them out and

went to work, I had a whole freshman class I needed to be worried about and the fact that they

were currently recruited active bandsmen, which meant they couldn’t really talk at all nor move

it gave me some wiggle room. When it came to games when we would battle other schools that

came down for the day and when I would win my battles so then I started gaining trust, it wasn’t

the overall trust but it was a start. I would often get a lot of support from a lot of outside people

and people that just didn’t want to see anybody with their head down in shame, because little did

people know encouragement was what I needed the most even when I didn’t feel like

encouraging myself.

What I learned from the aerial of experiences was that first a lot of the bad words and

discouraging remarks came from friends and people that I thought was on my side, yes, people

are followers and whatever the crowd is on then people will likely join in but still it shouldn’t

mess with any mans integrity and that’s what I thought lacked the most with certain individuals.

Another thing that I had learned was the power of perseverance, even when it came down to the
hardest moments I always still managed to stay head strong and get back on the field, this built a

lot of character in me because of the fact that most people give up at the sign of danger and

although I thought about it and in on instance quitted before it began I never seen myself as a

quitter in any situation which was one thing I loved my Dad and my Mom had instilled in me.

One of the main things that this experience taught me was that of being an actual leader, to know

the answers in a questioned heavy room, or to always find a way out for anybody helped me to

understand why I went through what I went through, In life I plan to be very successful and I

could do any of that without actually learning and going through the process of becoming a

leader in life.

The price of glory is high and the price is often paid in blood, sweat, and tears, the becoming

of a man or woman starts with first always being a student and always having the willingness to

learn. I know people have gone through similar situations and has had different results, but I am

mostly content and happy with my results because I gave the best I had, and in life as long as you

do that you will see the promise land of a lot of situations. Today I still take on leadership roles

and challenges that test my leadership, and thankfully I can say that I am immune and used to

being in the spotlight. Becoming a section leader brought out the best in me and the strong

qualities that I didn’t know I ad, to this day I try to be the most optimistic and positive person on

earth because of what I seen negativity do to others, I decided to forgive those that wanted to see

me lose and I always remembered with any situation to strive for the highest.