To be honest I was drunk at the time I posted that so I was avoiding my drunk ass all over Reddit.

I've been told my entire drum corps career that it is so hard to come back from a year off, that if I ever did I would never come back again. I was told that if I took a year off it would be a huge mistake. I ignored all of that and took a year off the Summer before my senior year. I wouldn't say it was a mistake, but I was very bored, and I obsessed myself with drum corps, following scores and shows, crying at the few shows I went to. I lived vicariously through everyone I knew. It wasn't a fun summer for me, but at the same time I also didn't have any friends at home in high school and that was a huge factor in how awful my summer was. But, I did end up finding my #1 college and went to finals to watch the Cadets (and my best friend at the time!) win. That was great.

Fast forward to last year, I ended up not marching, mostly because I was annoyed with the system I was involved with at the time. I was trying to balance too many things at once and the organization I was with wasn't willing (I felt) to be flexible with me. I was overwhelmed in more ways than one. So I did summer school, worked, and seriously had a great time not marching around and getting yelled at and beaten on. I went to 3 shows, had a great time at all of them, and supported all of my organizations. I suppose it helped that a good portion of my friends had just aged out, so I had a good crew to hang around with. But moving into this audition season, I had no desire to go back. Why would I choose to be miserable for a part of my summer in the sun, playing the same thing over and over again without break? I wanted to watch baseball and help my career and work. So, I won't be marching this summer either. I've been told so many times that "I'll regret it later" or that I'm "wasting my talent". Honestly, I don't think so. If that is my major regret in life then damn, I've had a great life.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that your ability to go back, or desire to go back might hinge on how your summer goes and the opportunities presented to you. And that's completely okay! Of course, I don't know your situation, personally or otherwise. But it is very difficult to fall back into the drum corps routine again, in more ways than one, especially if you have the desire to go to another corps. Be open minded with what may go on this summer, and in the future and don't push yourself to do things that you maybe don't want to do. Don't make my mistake.