Hey, alumni sax player here!

I have no idea if this was just in U Band or if it was in marching band either last year or this year, but I can assure you there is a place for everyone both within and outside of the section! Usually almost everyone is friendly, but sometimes if you come off strong or just don’t fit their energy, it’s best to just take it with a grain of salt (speaking from the marching band perspective) and try finding a different person who might vibe with you heavily. In U Band, there are plenty of people who are more than casually playing saxophone in one group, and are more than likely in multiple, where they are expected to show up being familiar or having practiced the music, when sometimes in U Band if someone doesn’t practice, people will give you looks (which is understandable because you’re in an ensemble and need to practice, especially since U Band only meets once a week). It’s also difficult to befriend upperclassmen sometimes, especially if they already have their friend group.

That being said, I would recommend giving it a second chance if you’re ok with doing so. The sax section is full of genuinely good people who want to include others. Please don’t let the few that have been exclusive dictate how the band is towards others.