Good ol' GT Band.

Up to this point in the course we have defined "community" in many and very different ways. All of these "communities" have had one aspect in common, interaction between its members. This, I believe, is the edge of the definition of a "community". The Band at Georgia Tech reaches the edge of this definition and pushes itself even further, as a community.
The Georgia Tech Band is a group of individuals who maintain their own individuality outside of the band in some of the most obvious ways possible. However, within the group as a whole, each individual shares a common interest or belief with another equally individualistic member of the group. Although there are many of these smaller more personal bonds between members, there is the one uniting interest of all the members of the Organization, music (or for a select few flags, and others free football tickets). Each member of the band wants to be a member, and wants to be a member of the organization. Along with commonalities between the members of the organization there are also the unifying actions of the band. When the Band is in uniform, it is not a group of individuals all dressed alike; it becomes one unified body that acts, works, and often thinks together.
Communities also often serve as an escape for its members, and a place they can go for support and guidance. The Band at GT very much exhibits this characteristic. Practice and performances can be an escape from the typical stresses that a Georgia Tech student may be subject to. Therefore members are able to relax and enjoy themselves in a fun and low-stress environment. Also The Georgia Tech band begins its “bonding” an entire week before classes begins. New members to the band begin to make friendships with other rookies as well as those more experienced members before the stresses of school set in. This allows the new students to become acquainted with their unfamiliar environment with the help of those who have been there before. Here the Georgia Tech band becomes a support group of sorts that helps new students adapt to the college experience, as well as provide opportunities for students to escape the stresses of school.
Although a “community” can be defined as many different things, there are characteristics that if a group meets them, the group can undoubtedly be considered a community. The Georgia Tech Band is a group of individuals who have come together for a common purpose; it creates a comfortable, fun and safe environment for students to participate in, and gives students the much-needed extra support to help them achieve excellence in the rigorous academics at Georgia Tech. The Georgia Tech Band is a community.