The last time I saw Lady Gaga in concert was the Monster Ball Tour in 2010 as a sophomore in high school. What I experienced that night planted the seed for me to experience self-love and acceptance for the upcoming years of my life.

It would be seven years later that I would get to experience her again at the Joanne World Tour on November 19, 2017. Even as an adult, I feel as if her messages of hope and love are universally needed by everyone.

When I went to the Monster Ball in 2010, I was an oddball in my early teenage years. Actually, that might even be an understatement. To put it kindly, to anyone who knew me from 2007 to 2010, I am so sorry and I thank you for actually putting up with me.

My two friends, Jennifer and Shelby, and my mom accompanied me to the then Verizon Center in Washington DC. (In photo left to right: me, Jennifer, & Shelby.) It was there, while we walked through the concourse level that I saw every type of person under the sun.

People of all sexualities and gender identities were out, loving themselves and for some of them (you can tell), it was the first time they didn't have to hide who they were or who they wanted to be.

I saw costumes of all different kinds, ranging from copies of her most popular outfits and costumes to new creations I could have never dreamed of putting on my body. I even saw a man dressed in only caution tape ala her Telephone music video with Beyonce. To say I was overwhelmed is putting it lightly.

I can close my eyes and recall what she said to all of us that night. "There will be people who don't understand you. These people don't get you and they don't want to get you. They will try and tear you down and break apart what makes you, you. Well, guess what? All of those people aren't here tonight! We locked them all outside. Here at the Monster Ball, you are loved and you are all valid. I love you."

That's right, Lady Gaga said she loved me. Okay, well she said it to the sold-out arena of 18,277 but I was one of those 18,277 people!

Flash forward 7 years. I'm 23 and I'm a college junior.

I'm sitting right next to the stage in sequins, denim, and fishnets ala her Joanne era aesthetic. I even found a pink Panama-style hat on the Wish app and waited 2 months for it to arrive for this concert. Since that last concert, my sense of who I am and how I want to express myself has changed DRASTICALLY.

Now, I'm not saying I owe my whole entire new-found confidence in only Lady Gaga. You can have someone preach self-love and acceptance until they're blue in the face but it has to ultimately be you that makes those proactive choices to express yourself.

But her words that night changed me for the better. I feel confident in my flawed body and I wear what I want because I want to.

Above is my friend Eryka, Shelby (again!), and me! My mom had taken the photo meaning I had almost everyone from my last Gaga concert with me again! (Also, talk about a glow up, yay me!)

The thing is with self-love is that it's a process. It doesn't come overnight. You gradually have to work your way into feeling that confidence and reassurance that you can do anything, say anything, or wear anything you feel like. (Within reason, I'm all for self-expression but I don't believe in offending people for it.)

The concert? Magical. Our tour date was lucky enough to be the one that she performed her American Music Award's performance on. I was even lucky enough to watch her win an AMA live and in person. (Though I was happy she won, can you imagine if she didn't? Awkward...)

There were numerous costume changes, fire bursts, and set changes (she literally danced across the whole arena while she performed Applause off of Artpop on a giant moving bridge with projected neon flowers on it. At the end of a bridge? A giant holographic crystal platform stage...yes, I'm serious.)

But for every extravagant and over the top moment, there was a candid one to match. Joanne is arguably her most personal album she's ever written and some of her songs are naturally toned-down.

Listening to someone who is known for being dramatic share their life story in a plain, no-frills ways is a unique feeling. Here's Lady Gaga, known superstar, sitting down and having a conversation about chronic pain. Or coming out to your parents. Or the death of her aunt. Or mental health. Or acceptance in general.

That's the magical thing about Lady Gaga. We needed an artist who would give people a platform to express themselves with. She's constantly been an ally of the LBGTQA+ community (at the Monster Ball, all of her merchandise sales went to LBGTQA+ charities) and has given them an opportunity to truly be who they are. A night without judgment.

I left that night with an instilled sense of love for myself, my family and friends, and even the many fabulous strangers around me. As if she was my cool older sister, Lady Gaga spoke to me again.

Even now that I'm confident in myself and a grown adult, the message that "you're perfect just the way you are" is good to hear from anyone. I won't lie and say I didn't shed a tear when I saw children as young as 10 walking with their parents in sequin outfits because I knew they would grow up with that acceptance.

I'm a flawed person. My body isn't perfect and my mind isn't much better. I learned 7 years ago I am loved and accepted for being myself. I took that message to heart and it made me a better person because of it. Hearing it again all these years later reassures me that I'm exactly where I need to be.

Behind all of the glitter and lights and costumes is a message: You are loved.

....and I felt loved too.