One Direction. I cannot even begin to think about how people run and hide when they hear those two words together. However, I can begin to think of the fondness that appears on my face when the words flow through my brain. It doesn’t matter where I am, what I’m doing, what I’m eating, if I hear “one direction,” my head shoots up like a puppy who knows that it’s time to go for a walk. It’s even come to the point where if I’m in class, and the professor just happens to say “one direction” during a lecture, I’ll say, “Where?” and my classmates will look at me confused and, dare I say it, it’s happened on more than one occasion. It’s fine, though. I’m 21 years old and I love One Direction. Yes, you read correctly. I am 21 and I love a boy-band. Allow me to take you back a little bit.

It began on a cold, December afternoon in 2011. It was all thanks to a friend I had in a high school government class and also my blazing curiosity. I didn’t know who One Direction was, and I thought Harry Styles was an alias. It wasn’t until I returned home from school that I clicked on a YouTube link that led me to their first music video, which then led me to their X-Factor performances and video diaries. I had no idea that it would spiral me into a future that would include tears, tour tickets and tenacity.

Now, from what I have witnessed in my four years of being a fan, there’s backlash against older One Direction fans, which isn’t fair. It’s seen as weird, creepy, and even childish. Childish, my favorite of the three. Their fan base is primarily seen to host girls from as young as six to the age of 15, and the fact that there are older fans is completely overlooked. So I'm one of the older fans. What’s wrong with that? I work, I pay bills, I pay my car note and insurance. I see nothing wrong with wanting to come home from a long day, grabbing a glass of wine, starting a bath, and listening to the tranquil sounds of their album, FOUR. And, hey, with the upcoming release of their fifth album later this year, I’ll have more music to take a bath to. Also, I must add that Harry, Louis, Niall and Liam are over the age of 20, so it should be okay for me to be a fan, especially since I'm in their same age range.

When it comes to the question of why I like them, I think of my answer going along the lines of this: it’s not just about the fact that they are four beautiful individuals who have blessed this Earth with their luscious hair, pretty eyes and huge hearts, but this group is talented beyond belief and they don’t receive enough credit. Their musical abilities and personalities have grown immensely since their formation five years ago. It’s not all “What Makes You Beautiful” bubblegum pop anymore. Take a listen to their newest single “Drag Me Down” and feel free to comment what you think of it. In my unpopular opinion, you can’t base the future success of a group like One Direction just because of how they were when they started out. They’re changing, and they’re changing at a pace that we soon won’t be able to keep up with.

What I’m trying to really get at is that it is A-okay to be an older One Direction fan. Embrace it! Live it! Love it! Don’t be ashamed to say that your favorite group is One Direction. Don’t be afraid to start tearing up when you hear them on the radio -- especially if the song playing is "Little Things." Don’t be ashamed to let out a tear to show that you’re still sad about Zayn leaving. Don’t hesitate to drop everything you’re doing and dance when you hear "Best Song Ever" at the mall. In fact, don’t be afraid to be a fan of anything. If you find something that makes you happy -- no matter what it is or your age -- hold onto it.

Nowhere in life does it say that there is an age limit on happiness, so don’t have any regrets. Four years ago, I would hesitate to say that I liked One Direction, but I’m a changed woman, and I am not afraid to love a boy-band.