The ambiance of a concert sparks a light inside anyone attending. The electric energy pulsating through the crowd is an addicting rush that unites every single concertgoer in perfect harmony. If you’ve ever been to a concert, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The atmosphere is incredible and that exciting feeling that you get inside when the lights dim and the crowd cheers as the lights flash back on and your favorite band/music artists appear on stage is never forgotten. The feelings that I get while experiencing music is why I have let music become such a big part of my life.

High school was soundtracked by pretty tame stuff, and I found myself listening to music more and more each day. High school caused me to become extremely stressed and caused myself to feel anxious and depressed. I spent a lot of time trying to find things to create a border of happiness for myself and ended up turning to music because it was something that truly expressed how I felt. I found artists who I was able to connect with and even though I didn't know them personally, they made me feel not so alone and buried in my thoughts. I found music to be like my own personal drug.

Before finding my connection with music I didn't exactly understand how people were so crazy about bands. I thought it was crazy that people would sit outside a music venue for hours and revolve their life around a band. However, over time I realized why. It was the connections that were made.

As I continued to turn to music for my happiness I started to understand how people become so connected with a band. I began to realize how people become, I guess you could say obsessed with it. It is because music is able to feel like a drug and corrupt your mind, It's almost like once you turn to it there is no turning back. Soon what I knew to be my "real life" seemed to be chasing me down with impressive speed. I began to rely on music more and more. At first, it was a nice form of escapism. Delving into pop-rock and indie albums made me feel as if I was the subject of a popular flick instead of a boring, normal and stressed out high school kid. But the more I listened, the more I figured out how the music was causing a change in me while simultaneously being its backdrop.

I have always been a straight-A, preternaturally serious teenager. I didn’t go to concerts; I went to sports tournaments and hung out with friends and family. I loved to shop and shunned the hazy music festival summers that my friends and peers indulged in. I needed to get into a good college and get a great scholarship. I was way too impatient for the "quests for self-discovery" that my peers sought through Death Cab, Taylor Swift, and Mumford & Sons. It wasn’t until I got to my freshman or sophomore year and reclaimed my inner "fangirl" that I realized how special it is to fall in love with bands and basically grow up with them. In particular: The 1975, One Direction, and Ed Sheeran—they all provided the soundtrack for my own change in perspective. I became disillusioned with what I used to want, and instead became enchanted with music and music enthusiasts. They brought out the happiness inside me which was so special to me

I started to attend concert after concert and I could just feel the happiness growing inside of me. It was something that I hadn't felt for a long time. When I look back at my photos on my phone the ones where I have my real and true smile are the ones taken at a concert. I find it to be so eye opening. Something about seeing the bands and artists that you have connected with living is indescribable.

Not only has music brought out my happiness, but they have been a uniting experience for myself. I have met some of my best friends because of the bands that I have connected with. At a concert, we are able to connect with the people and the music around us and create bonds that you may have never made otherwise. At a concert, your life becomes a movie and It’s truly one of the most euphoric experiences that one can possibly encounter in this lifetime and I am so glad that I have been able to experience it.

The bands and music artists that I have connected with over the years have a special place in my heart and have helped me become the person that I am today. They have helped me find my happiness and I couldn't be thankful enough. Living my life soundtracked to music and bands is pretty cool and I wouldn't change any of it.