When I was younger, I remember going to my first real concert. It was Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers, and I was 8 years old. Nearly 10 years later, a concert is more than enjoying music and performances.

For me, a 5 Seconds of Summer concert is where I am happiest. I get to watch a band I love while being surrounded by others who love them too. There is one thing connecting every single person in the arena, and that is 5SOS. Thousands of people are brought together for a few hours, where everyone can feel happy. For those few hours, the only thing that matters is the fun we have while watching the band. I love being able to see four guys that bring me so much happiness, even if it only is for a few hours. But for those few hours, it is only them, me, and a few thousand people. I’m surrounded by strangers, yet feel so comfortable.

At concerts, one of my favorite parts is meeting people. I love being able to meet my followers that I only know through the internet. It’s so amazing to have people excited to meet me! At one concert, a girl, Grace, ran across the venue barefoot just to meet me. I’ll hear someone yell my name when I walk past groups, which is really cool for me! It is also funny to watch when someone starts to recognize me or they think they might know me. At first they are nervous to say anything, but once we start talking, they usually relax and a lot of times we end up following each other on social media and become friends. Meeting everyone is one of the reasons I love concerts so much.

Concerts are a place to make connections. Everyone there has one thing in common: we all like the same music! Instantly, there’s something to talk about. Whether you’re in line with someone for hours, or you’re just sitting beside them before the show starts, it’s easy to create a conversation. Most of the time, I meet people who have a lot of similar interests to me. A lot of my friends I have met at concerts. Some of my friends I’m only able to see when I go to concerts because we live so far apart. It’s amazing how a band can really bring people together.

It’s more than just the music. It’s the feeling I get when watching an artist perform. It’s the amazing people I get to meet. And it’s the memories I get to make. I go to concerts so often because of all of these reasons. When something makes you happy, you want it in your life as much as possible. Those few hours of happiness mean a lot more to me than just seeing a band.

I never thought that one band could be so influential on my life. Without 5 Seconds of Summer, I would not have my book, Remember to Forget, my YouTube, or many of my friends. They have helped shape me into the person I am today without even knowing it. I am not sure what I would be like if I wasn’t a fan of them. My life would be completely different and definitely not as great.

Three years ago when I started liking 5 Seconds of Summer, I never would have expected everything that would happen to me. I just thought they were a great band, I never imagined that they would become such an important aspect of my life. Even my mom has become a fan; both of us have met the drummer, Ashton. Being a fan, you never expect them to actually know who you are. But, a few days ago, 5SOS talked about my book with fans. They do something before their concerts called soundcheck where they play a few songs and fans can ask questions. Someone asked about fanfictions. The drummer, Ashton, said there was one that had been published and it had a pink cover. He also said it was cool it had been published. Luke, the lead singer, said that he had copies in the tour bus. That is my book! The people I love know about my book and me! My friend called me to tell me since I wasn’t there, and both of us were so excited. I never thought they would actually know who I am. I never liked the idea of being just a fan, I always wanted them to know who I was. Now they do know me, which is unbelievable.

It is unbelievable when I hear from my followers that I, too, inspire them with my writing. I never thought that would happen, but it is amazing and I am so glad that I’m able to do that. I started writing so I could make an impact on people’s lives, whether it be big or small. I have people and things, such as 5SOS, that make me happy, and knowing that my writing, or even myself, does the same things for others is truly amazing.

The happiness I feel after a concert lingers for days, sometimes even weeks. This happiness motivates me to do more things I love. Watching 5SOS perform to thousands of people at arenas such as Madison Square Garden motivates me to work harder. They were once like me too, just teenagers making YouTube videos and waiting for their chance. Seeing how far they have made it really inspires me. It makes me want to write more, make more videos, and just be an overall more productive person. I find myself being so excited after concerts that I don’t know what to start with in the days that follow. There’s so many things I want to do and accomplish, and I’m so excited to see what the future has in store. If you have something in your life that you really like and it inspires you, follow it, talk about it and even dream about it. You never know where it could lead. Even at a young age!