Episode 202 features first-year undeclared students reflecting on the journey of entering college without a declared major—and learning, step by step, how to build identity, community, and confidence at San Diego State University. The title “I Am the Marching Band” comes from a powerful student metaphor: the idea that success in college is not about having it all figured out on day one, but about showing up, trying new experiences, and gradually assembling the pieces of who you are becoming—much like the way a marching band comes together, instrument by instrument, voice by voice, until it forms something meaningful.

In this episode, students discuss the realities of the first-year experience: the excitement, the uncertainty, the pressure to choose a major, and the ongoing process of finding a sense of belo ...