Some say it as, “Early is on time; on time is late.” My family calls it “Scott Time.” It’s the habit of arriving early so you’re ready when an activity starts, instead of hustling to be on time.
I prefer the way I heard it, repeatedly, throughout my college career from my mentor, Steve Zegree:
5 minutes early is 10 minutes late.
There is a lot to do between arriving and beginning. I can’t begin to count the number of students I’ve had over the years who have walked in at 6:59 for a 7:00 rehearsal, only to immediately ask to go fill a water bottle or use the bathroom. Or maybe that’s all taken care of, but they need to spend a couple minutes getting out their music and a pencil, moving a chair into place, and catching up with a friend they haven’t seen in a week.
In a better world, all of this happens in the 15 minutes before rehearsal starts. If you arrive 15 minutes early to a rehearsal, you have time to breathe, prepare, and be ready for a downbeat at the very moment rehearsal begins. It goes double for performances, when you need to budget time for concert attire, hair and makeup, extra warming up, sound checks, and so much else.
Recognizing that you need that cushion – it isn’t optional – is a good first step.