First concerts are like a first love, you never forget them. It is (most of the time) your first time ever seeing one of your favorite artists live and in the flesh. The feelings running through you are indescribable and you just feel overjoyed. Personally, I think back to 2012 when I went to my very first concert and the headliners were my favorite band ever, Linkin Park. Playing alongside them was Incubus in the Honda Civic Tour at Xfinity (formerly know as Comcast) Center in Mansfield MA. Honestly, since that day, I have gone to so many concerts and each one feels like the first. This summer I'll be seeing Linkin Park a 3rd time on their One More Light World Tour, this time, closer than ever before and I still get the rush of excitement running through my veins.

Before the concert.

First, you have to find people that like the music and artist(s). Then, you have to see they are willing to purchase tickets and you have to plan the trip out if it's far away from your home city or state. Once you have the confirmation on everything, you wait for the day to come. When it does, you wake up nervous already. You want to get up right away and start texting or calling everyone so that they'd wake up as well. You want to do everything at once so that you can start getting ready. You get filled with anxiety wanting everyone to be ready at the same time and it gets more and more delicate the closer it comes up. Then boom, you get in the car and you start to be on your way. Your trip is packed with songs from whoever you're seeing that night.

I would suggest that the first concert you go to is of someone you know and love. There is nothing more awkward than to be there not knowing a single lyric. But once you're there and you see all of the artist's merch and logos everywhere you say to yourself, "wow this is really happening." What makes this stage special is seeing so many people like you that love this artist or these artists and you feel a sense of unity because of it. But when it comes time to get in line to check your tickets in and go through security, you know the time has come. It's time to find your seat and wait impatiently.

During the concert.

The lights dim and you hear people scream. For that moment, you forget the opening acts and feel happy thinking that it's the headliner. You feel impatient, disappointed and embarrassed all at once. You sit back down and try to calm down a bit. It's all good up until the opening act(s) finish and you think the headliner is coming up immediately following, but no, it's just an intermission to get the stage ready for them. At this point, you don't know how patient you can be and so you go to the bathroom if needed, get more snacks and stretch your legs a bit. You won't want to sit when the headliner comes on so you better relax those legs during this time. Then, you sit checking your phone, eating or talking to a friend.

When the lights dim again and your heart races because you know no more opening acts are coming, so you know this is the real deal. Then, you see them and you're sitting there paralyzed for 5 seconds thinking, "they aren't just a poster on my wall, they are real." You stand up and scream, dance and sing throughout the night. You're happy as can be. Then, the concert stops for a bit and the artist(s) say their final words and sometimes they will have an encore. On the final words you know that the concert is almost over, but when they leave and people are yelling "encore" you start to feel nervous. Then they come back and you feel happy again. But then it's over as euphoria runs all around you. You're forever changed from this point on.

After the concert.

The post-concert depression is real. You feel sad that the night ended and you have to head back to reality. You become an even bigger fan and you feel a sense of purpose to live more. You want to keep going to more concerts and potentially meeting new people. You feel a bit more excited to live. You feel like anything is possible, especially when you meet a celebrity and feel nervous but then realize that they are just like you.

Concerts are amazing. I will never forget August 14, 2012. What is your first concert date? Or, if you haven't gone to a concert but will go to one in the future, who would you want to see? I encourage you to break that wall and go see that artist or those artists that have touched your heart. Who knows, maybe a special self-discovery is waiting for you in that arena!