Close your eyes and imagine your middle school self, probably wearing all black and some heavy eyeliner that makes you cringe every time your mom brings out the pictures. From 2010 to 2013, this was my life. I was in middle school, I was trying to find out who I really was, and I was incredibly awkward. However, the thing that I remember more than my horrific sense of style was my growing taste in music. At this time in my life is when I bought my first CD (My Chemical Romance's "The Black Parade") and I cried for over two hours locked away in my room because my mom refused to take me to a Fall Out Boy concert. It was at this time that I felt most isolated from the world since I've never been great at making friends, so my time was spent mostly listening to music from bands that would ultimately leave a mark on my life. There are many bands that impacted my life, but here are the bands that will always hold a special place in my heart.

1. blink-182

There will never be a band that will surpass the love that I have for blink-182, and though Tom Delonge left the group before I had the chance to see them together in concert, I was so excited to see them take the stage back in April. Their music and overall style made me feel understood in life like many other people who listen to alternative rock do, and no matter what is going on in my life, their music still puts a smile on my face. Songs like "I Miss You" and "Always" will always be my go-to songs, and if I'm being completely honest, they will definitely be on my wedding playlist.

2. My Chemical Romance

Another band that greatly affected my life was the one and only My Chemical Romance (MCR). If you walk into my room back at home, you will notice that there is a marking on my closet door. Yeah, that's when I thought writing their name on my door was an amazing way to express my love for MCR. It was the first CD that I ever bought, and I took the posters inside the CD case and tacked them to my "music wall". Like many others, their split in 2013 had me left dreaming of a day when they would reform just for one last show. "I'm Not Okay", "Welcome to the Black Parade", "Helena", and "Famous Last Words" are for sure at the top of my list of recommendations.

3. Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy, where do I even begin? I was head over heels for Pete Wentz, who seemed to directly influence my eye makeup looking back, and I felt a personal connection with Patrick. I was that awkward kid who felt out of place anywhere I went, but I was still trying my best to get out of my shell and be more social. Their music was certainly on repeat as I wrote my Pete Wentz fan fiction locked up in my room. I can remember sitting in my car as time went on and jamming out to "America's Sweethearts" and crying for almost two solid hours because my mom couldn't take me to their concert. I understood that she couldn't just take off work to carry me an hour away on a school night, but in the moment, I felt like my world was falling apart. I'm sure there are many others who feel the way that I do about these bands and look back with happiness at the memory of their impact because we know that our lives changed forever because of them.