One of the most anticipated aspects of the entire school year for Marriotts Ridge band, choir, and orchestra students is the spring trip, and this year was no exception. This year’s spring trip was a three night trip that took place at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Students stayed at the Crown Reef Beach Resort for the duration of the trip.
The trip to Myrtle Beach was around 10 hours long, including driving time and stopovers, and was a relatively smooth trip.
“The travel was good, but a little exhausting. Of course, it wasn’t 12 hours like last year’s trip, but there were some practical difficulties with riding on the bus such as using the bathroom, sitting for seven hours, and the cramped space,” senior Madrigals student Adithya Vadivel explained.
Students and chaperones arrived at the Crown Reef Beach Resort around evening time after a fairly smooth trip. Students were four to a room, with a view of the beach from the balcony. Many of the students had interesting opinions about the hotel, however.
“The hotel could have been worse. I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that a one-night stay is the same price as a ticket to [one of the events] though,” junior Women’s Choir student Natalie Shin stated.
The main point of the spring trip is for each section of music to compete against other schools within the state. Students spend the second semester of the school year preparing usually 2-3 pieces that they perform during the spring trip for a panel of judges. They are then given a rating out of 100, superior being 90 and above, and a rank within the other competing schools. To the music department’s surprise, Marriott Ridge High School swept every category, receiving first place in every category and superior ratings in every category except one. The music department’s cheering left students with sore throats but proud faces. This accomplishment wasn’t unheard of for Marriotts Ridge, but it certainly excites music students every time.
While the main point of the trip is to compete, it is also to enjoy the attractions that the place has to offer. In this case with Myrtle Beach, this included a walk-up beach, pool and lazy river within the hotel. The first night of the trip was used to enjoy these features of the hotel, watching the sunset on the beach and playing chicken fights in the pool. Many people said that this was their favorite aspect of the trip.
“My favorite part of the trip was getting to spend time with my friends! My roommates were the best and I had so much fun hanging out on the beach with them, swimming in the pool, getting ready together, and just talking!,” junior Concert Choir student Allison Bonier stated.
In addition to the resort, students also were able to experience attractions and shops at WonderWorks theme park and an evening at the Medieval Times. WonderWorks was a fun, however short experience due to limited time. Students were given only about two hours to enjoy carnival rides, shops, boating, an aquarium and more.
“I preferred the amount of free time we had to ourselves this year. However, this year felt a bit more rushed as far as activities and everything,” Shin elaborated.
In addition, Medieval times was an unexpected, yet surprisingly fun experience for many, being described as “surreal” and “exciting”.
Overall, the spring trip seemed to be a very fun experience for most of the music students and is a trip to remember for years to come.
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Spring Trip 2024: Myrtle Beach
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About the Contributor
Mahika Juneja, Staff Writer
My name is Mahika, and I am a senior this year. This is my second year in journalism and I am excited to write articles for The Stallion. I like to dance and spend time with my friends outside of school. In school, I play on the MRHS Tennis Team and I’m a member of the Women's Choir.