Morgan Tan
What did your time in WHEU mean to you?
If high school was a rollercoaster, WHEU was a triple loop. I’d be lying if I said that the past four seasons didn’t bring some of the biggest challenges that I’d face and sacrifices I’d make in high school. But I’d also be lying if I said that this program wasn’t crucial in my development as an individual. I’m inexpressibly grateful for every event, bonding, connection, and mistake that forced me to look beyond myself to a group of people whom I needed, and who needed me. WHEU taught me to be humbly led and lead other peers. The past four seasons taught me how to grow into spaces I needed to fill, and how to admit when I was wrong. And as cliche as it all sounded from senior leaders in my freshman year, I really did make some of my closest connections with others in band. Late night bus rides, band camp and making outrageous promotional Instagram reels were some of the fondest memories I gathered with people I’d likely never otherwise meet. But band, more than anything, was a safe haven in which to grow up. For that, I’ll always look back on these years fondly.
What have you contributed to WHEU and how have those contributions supported/improved the overall experience for all of its members?
On that first day of band camp, there was only one thing on my mind: what are they thinking? I feared that, after two years of never having the guts to ask honest questions, my members felt the same hesitancy. From the beginning of leadership, I committed myself not to be a leader of my band, but a leader for my band, leading me to invite constructive criticism and questions I would’ve been scared to ask. When members confided in me, I personally dealt with or brought their concerns to our drum major, and the issues were quickly addressed. Those interpersonal experiences bled into my actions as president of WHEU Council. Every decision I brought to the council was met with contention. It was exhausting, and through those heated meetings, I desperately wanted to put my foot down. But I wouldn’t. It was my responsibility to give my fellow members the best possible experience over the season. From band camp activities to our spring trip, every decision was influenced by the valuable advice of my council and band members. I’m grateful for every opportunity I got to hear from others and serve this community.
What have you learned from being a member of WHEU and how will you apply those lessons to your future endeavors?
There was something about those arduous band camp days that chipped at my spirit, year after year. Every summer, I’d wonder how I would manage to push through sunburnt exhaustion. But as bleak as my outlook sometimes seemed, I am most grateful for those moments where I thought I just couldn’t go on. In them, I learned how to trust in an outcome that I couldn’t see. I learned how to commit wholeheartedly through good and bad. And most importantly, I found discipline in an absence of motivation. It was the hardest lesson I’d ever had to learn, but undoubtedly the most fundamental to my future. Next year, I’ll be a pre-med student, and to be honest, I’m afraid of letting the struggle of school obscure my goals. But because of four years of pushing myself to my absolute limit in balancing band, leadership, and all of my other activities, I’m all the more confident in my ability to say that I won’t quit when the going gets hard. WHEU taught me, above all else, how to believe in something bigger than the mountain in front of me, and that’s a lesson I’ll never forget.
