I think it's safe to say that music plays a big role in our daily lives. Whether this means us playing music as we get ready to start our day, listening to the radio on our car ride to and from work or just turning on our favorite band as background noise, music is something we all carry with us. Personally, music has brought me to many different places and connected to me to so many people that have given me some of the best experiences. I'd like to think that I discovered my love for music at a young age. There never seemed to be silence in our house; always music playing in the background to accompany our busy lives. I remember dancing around my bedroom to the latest Gwen Stefani hit thinking about how cool it would be to go to a concert someday. Little did I know that I'd be attending a lot more than one.

Recently, one of my favorite bands (The Summer Set) came out with a new album, "Stories for Monday," and it made me think back to the many concert experiences I've had and what they've given me. Aside from my first concert way back in sixth grade (Taylor Swift, no shame), my next concert that was quite memorable to me was attending Warped Tour in 2013. Now, this took a big amount of convincing my parents to not only let me go to a huge music festival, but with someone I had just recently become friends with. But, all of that convincing was so worth it. This was the first of many concerts that I would attend in the coming years, and I can't even begin to explain how much it meant to me.

As a 16-year-old girl, finding your place in the world can be pretty tough. Being only halfway through high school, it's hard to tell where exactly your place is, who your friends really are and what you want to be. For me, music helped me through all of this. It brought me to a majority of my friends and made my high school years so much more memorable. Music has brought me some of the best, long-lasting friendships that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else. Our common love of music brings us even closer together. The thing about music is that you can form a bond over it with anyone. Whether you're listening to your parent's favorite song from the '80s, bonding with someone you just met at a concert or going for a late night drive with a friend just to jam out, music can connect us to others like nothing else can.

Now, after listening to "Stories for Monday," I've been taken back to that exact place I was just a few short years ago. I guess all I needed was a reminder that music can take you wherever you need it to. Whether you're in a rough spot in life and need a little pick-me-up, need some advice or just need to get away for a little while, music is always there to do the job. If anything, music has taught me that something as simple as a song can bring you back to some of your favorite places with your favorite people. It can be a reminder of both the good and bad times, but also a reminder that you made it through it all. When you're at a loss for words, music's got your back. Even if there's nothing else going right in life, you've got music to ease the pain for a little while.

So, here's my little thank you to those who've accompanied me in my music-loving adventures. Whether it was allowing me to go (ahem, Mom and Dad), being my partners in crime at shows, sending me songs you know I'll enjoy or just sharing the common love of music, you all mean more to me than you'll ever know.

In the words of The Summer Set:

"You are here. You fought the weekend war and you made it to the other side. Welcome to Monday. You can be anyone here. This is a new day, a new beginning, a new chance to be great. We are wiser and wilder than we were yesterday. Go kiss a stranger, scream your favorite song from the top of the tallest building. You have the right to remain rock and roll. This is the end of the innocence. Youth wasn't wasted on us. Now get out there and write your story."

Be sure to check out "Stories for Monday" here.