To start off, I want to preface by saying that I am not writing this article in any way to brag. I write for the Odyssey to connect with others and express my opinions and emotions, but I also write for the Odyssey as a way for me to reflect and look back on periods of my life, in order to maintain an appreciation for my experiences. Getting to go to the VMAs was probably the coolest and most surreal thing I'll ever do, and I want to share my experience and also use this article as a way to look back on this amazing opportunity for years to come.
Once I found out that the VMAs were going to be in Newark, I knew I had to go, but I was just planning on standing outside and hoping for the best. As I'm sure you've all figured out by now, I love Taylor Swift, and her album 'Lover' had come out just three days after the VMAs, and it wasn't even announced yet that she would be attending, but I had a feeling she would to promote her new music. I signed up for free tickets through 1iota (which if you're not a member of, you should definitely look into it because it gives you the opportunity to request free tickets to so many awesome events) about three weeks before the event, and didn't find out until the 24th (two days before the VMAs) that I had actually gotten the tickets. I was sorta in a weird daze, because at that point it was announced that Taylor would be there opening up the show, and I knew I would be seeing her closer than I had ever seen her before (which was such a surreal experience, considering she basically sang the song Lover right in front of my face.) I had only gotten one ticket, so I took the train from New Brunswick to Newark all by myself, got there at the time I was supposed to, and was a little nervous about the seats I was going to be getting considering so many people had been able to get into the venue before me. I ended up getting barricade right in between the three stages, meaning I was basically right at the tip of the main stage, the award stage was about 10 feet away from me and the third stage was about 20 feet away. Meaning, Taylor Swift was sitting less than 20 feet away from me and I was in complete shock the whole time. The little dances she's known for doing at awards shows? Done right in front of my face.
Right after she won Video Of The Year, I was on camera seen cheering for her (which, if you would like to see it, I have posted on all of my social media platforms.) I literally cried as Taylor opened up the VMAs, because she sang Lover probably about 10 feet away from me, and I experienced a complete emotional overload. Basically, I had the best night of my life and all I had to pay for it was about twenty dollars for a train ticket there and back. Thank you MTV, 1iota, and Taylor and her team for such an amazing night that I will never, ever forget, and thank you to all of my family and friends who were so ecstatic that I got this opportunity, and who support me and my crazy Taylor obsession.
