Registration Day for the Last Time

By: Casey Robinson on Nov 1, 2021 | Categories: General

This was my final registration at CMA, and the experience was bittersweet. I was leaving home after being home for months with my friends, family, and pets- but I was ready to come back to Camden. I was missing the structure and was bored at home. The registration process itself wasn’t too difficult or confusing, and the whole thing from start to finish took maybe 30 minutes. The first stop was the infirmary, where I got a rapid Covid test. Next was the Admin building, where I got my photo taken for my ID. Then, back across campus a little way to the Academic building, where I got my class schedule. Finally, I checked in with Mrs. Brown- the school quartermaster- in the gym to see if there was anything I needed from supply. Registration has never been difficult or tedious in my experience- my first year took maybe an hour due to all of the equipment I had to get and uniforms I had to be fitted for. Last year was even shorter. But even though I’m a senior on Battalion Staff, and was ready to come back to Camden, I was still nervous. I remember getting a weird feeling in my stomach coming back onto campus for the first time since early July- I had done a tour and that was the last time I was here. I didn’t want to leave my family- especially my mom and my cat, but I pushed away the negative thoughts and focused on the task at hand. The biggest thing I was concerned about this year was getting into my dream college and doing my job well, and I told myself if I could stay focused on that, I’d be fine. When registration was over, I hugged my mom goodbye, stepped into the Band and Staff barracks for the first time in my three years here at Camden, and started getting moved into my new room. I thought about my previous years here while putting my things in order. It was a lot different from my first year; moving into Charlie Company with seniors like Leopold, Jucker, McCaskill, looking over my shoulder, telling me where to put things and what to do. Though I quickly got acquainted with those guys, at the time it was honestly intimidating. Last year, I was familiar with the Charlie barracks rooms to the point where I knew exactly where everything went. I moved in quickly, and was reading at my desk within 30 minutes of stepping in the door. This year, I moved my stuff in with the help of my roommate, coworker, and brother from Charlie Company, Callis. The first thing I noticed was how different the rooms were- everything was totally different from Charlie. I already knew where my things went for the most part- some things don’t change from company to company. Although, I did have to consult some Band and Staff natives- namely Barry and Luebken, to tell me how to set up a press and where exactly the shoeline went. It was a bit of a culture shock, but I did fine and had a week to adjust before classes started. Though it was my last registration and my last time moving back into Camden after a long summer, it was my best yet.

- Mark McGregor