Through my high school years I was always bullied. People found new ways to bully me whether it be because of my weight, my clothes or the way I spoke. It got very nit picky and people started making fun of me for loving a band called One Direction. They are near and dear to my heart. So dear that I have a tattoo on my forearm that says "Girl Almighty" with five arrows. One Direction was that band that got me through a bad day, which usually was every day. Once I got to my senior year I had already seen One Direction in concert and it was more than just an experience, but a wake up call. Though people were still making fun of me during my senior year due to my love of One Direction, I still decided to write my college essay on the first time I saw them.

The first time I saw One Direction was June 26, 2013, in Mansfield, Massachusetts. I wrote in my paper about how much I loved them and how much they have helped me through school. I wrote about the hard times the members, too, went through. I knew that I wasn't the only one who was struggling because they are humans and they struggle, too. I wrote in my essay about the minute they walked onto that stage. I said that I couldn't breathe, and I really did stop breathing because they weren't just some picture on my phone or computer. They were real people, standing in front of me and interacting with me. They were the real life image of a dream coming true and my dream was to get into Penn State. That day will stay with me forever and always, even my college essay will stay with me. I still have my essay saved on a USB drive and when I mention that I wrote about One Direction people become interested.

I wrote about One Direction because the essay called for an experience that shaped who I am as a person. That experience helps me through life on the daily, that I can go for my dreams and nothing will stop me just like nothing stopped them from achieving their dreams. My dream now is to inspire others, because when others say they are inspired by me it gives me a warm feeling deep inside my heart. One Direction has inspired me to inspire others. One Direction has taught me that it is okay to be myself even if there will be people that will not like you. Be nice to those who are mean to you because you have to show the mean people that you are not like them.

Now here I am at my dream college, achieving goals that I never thought I would. I'm so glad I can actually say, "One Direction helped me get into college." Because without them, I don't think Penn State would have admitted me. I am so thankful for the band for helping me through hard times and bad days. I am thankful I have them when I didn't have anybody else to turn to. My next goal in life is to meet them and actually thank them in person for all that they have done for me, and the millions of other fans.