I've had my fair share of celebrities that I have met and every time I encounter a different famous individual, I'm still just as star struck. I'm not the typical "psycho" who starts screaming and tells them that they love them. I'm the calm on the outside, freaking out on the inside type. I get extremely nervous that words don't really come out, but when they do, whatever word vomit I spew is surprisingly normal. How do I meet these celebrities? It happens either by accident or it's intentional and it's probably one of the best experiences meeting someone you so fondly admire.
-One of the best celebrity experiences I've had is when I met Nev Schulman fro MTV's Catfish. He came to FGCU for a lecture and I and a few friends were in charge of making him feel comfortable and basically helping him with whatever he needed. He showed up 30 minutes earlier than expected and I wasn't mentally prepared but I acted like it. He shook my hand and repeated my name when I introduced myself. We were in the room with him during sound check and I was taking selfies with him although he wasn't aware and then he caught me and was so nice about it. He was joking around with me and was just an all around great person. I took so many pictures with him that day and he didn't mind at all. At the end of the night we all were riding an elevator with him and he had a pack of Oreos and he offered me one so there I was eating Oreos with Nev with crumbs all over my face and clothing. I think I handled myself pretty well.
-Another great moment was when I met Dan + Shay, who are a country music duo. I was at a Hunter Hayes concert and they were opening for him. I didn't really know who they were before that day other than hearing their name before. After they performed, I fell in love and they told everyone that if you buy their CD, you are guaranteed to meet them after the concert. I ran so fast to that merch table I think my high school gym teacher would be proud. After the show, I waited on the line with my friend and it was my turn. They complimented my shorts and they gave me hugs. Everything happened so fast. I was looking into their eyes one moment and the next I was gawking at them from the sidelines waiting for my friend to get her photo taken.
-Country artist, Brett Young also performed at FGCU for an Open Mic Night. I really wanted to meet him because 1. he's very talented and 2. also very attractive and 3. so tall that I thought a picture with him would be hilarious. So, I went up to him, introduced myself, told him how great of a job he did and asked for a photo. Brett was very nice and said he would love to take a photo and was laughing about our height difference.
I've met a couple of more people like Midnight Red, Nathan Sykes, and Austin Mahone, but these three experiences were probably the least stressful. So, if you've never met a celebrity before definitely try to, whether you meet them on the street or pay for a meet and greet, it's completely worth it. Just make sure to take some deep breaths beforehand so that you don't panic or pass out. Make sure you have your phone/camera ready and you have enough storage. Most importantly, be yourself because those memories are worth a lifetime.
