Dear Alex, Jack, Rian, and Zack,

I still remember the day I discovered your band like it was yesterday. I was 12, and like most 12 year-olds back then, I was listening to the typical pre-teen bubblegum music like the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. I was getting bored with them and wanted something new to listen to. When I stumbled across “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” on YouTube, I was hooked instantly. After it ended, I swear I clicked that replay button so many times that I could’ve broken it. Scrolling through your YouTube page, I began watching every video on your channel that you had uploaded at the time. Starry-eyed and amazed 12 year-old-me began to fall in love with you; and I began to have your songs in a playlist on YouTube on repeat, all day, every day.

From then on, you have changed my life. There were times when I felt sad and I felt that I had no one to talk to, and times later on where I felt as if I didn’t have things figured out and I wouldn’t have my life together, but you made it all okay. All I would have to do was plug my headphones into my iPod, scroll to your name, and it would all be okay again. I felt as if I could connect to every lyric you saying, they all felt relatable, and that is one of the countless reasons why I fell in love with you. During the times where I felt alone, I would watch your concert-DVD, Straight to DVD. It talked of your travels, how your band formed and where it all started for you, along with footage of your concert from Madison Square Garden; this DVD became my go-to feel better whenever I needed it. But, just listening to your music and watching the live videos simply wasn’t enough for me. I longed to see you live.

The 2013 Spring Fever Tour was announced in January of that year, and I just had to see you. I had been longing to since the day I discovered you and I felt that three years was a really long time, I couldn’t take it anymore. I went through all of my old things that I no longer needed and sold them, saving up enough money to buy tickets for one of my best friends, Carolyn, and I. May 2^nd, 2013 finally came, and I wish I could put into words how excited I was that day, but I can’t. From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed, you were on my mind. When the lights went out and you appeared on stage, I was reminded once again why I fell in love with you and your music. Singing, screaming and dancing along to your songs with my best friend and countless other people for the same reason was an amazingly incredible feeling that I am yet again unable to put into words. But if there’s one thing I can take from that day, it was that seeing my heroes live is one of the reasons that I am who I am today.

Let me fast forward to May of 2015. That was an unforgettable month that I will cherish until the end of time. I had an extra ticket to your Future Hearts Tour and I didn’t want it to go to waste, so I asked an old best friend of mine if she wanted to attend the concert with me, and from that point on, we reconnected and were once again back in-sync like our friendship had never paused. On May 14^th 2015; I finally got to meet you in person, all thanks to one of my very-good friends. She won a radio contest and took me as her plus one (Sam, I’m still forever in your debt!). We were (literally) less than two feet from Zack, the bassist, and I was joking the entire time that I wondered what would happen if I reached out and touched him. That day, I was star-struck and unable to come up with words to say other than “Hi” and “I love you,” and also, “thank you,” but I want you to know that meeting you was an unforgettable and memorable experience that I will always look back and smile on. Our picture together is the background on my phone, and I look at it when times get tough as a reminder of how much you four have gotten me through; and for that, I will be eternally grateful.

After May 14^th, 2015; my best friend Mady and I became closer than ever. We bonded over your music, picking out song lyrics that we swore we would get tattooed, sending picture of you back and forth with captions like “Rian is definitely my future husband,” and “I miss them. Post-concert depression game still strong.” We were able to strengthen our friendship and bond over something that Mady had fallen in love with all over again after May 14^th. In July of 2015, you once again sent us into modes of excitement and panic when you announced your Back to the Future Hearts Tour. I quickly scanned the tour poster for our date and found it; November 11^th. There was no question about getting tickets and being barricade for this concert; we weren’t going to miss it for anything in the world. After our tickets were bought, we began planning out how the day was going to, imaging the perfect setlist and planning our outfits, even though tickets were bought in July and the concert was over 100 days away. Before May 2015, I had never imagined myself getting that close with one of my former best friends again, but because of me asking if she wanted to attend that concert with me, we became closer and bonded over something that brought us together again, and that was you, All Time Low. So, thank you, once again, for bringing my best friend back into my life. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without her, or you.

I could go on forever about you. You’re the reason that I have gotten through every single hard time in my life when I didn’t know where or who to turn to, you’re the thing that keeps me going and stops me from giving up when things get tough, and you’re my go-to pick me up when I’m feeling down, stressed, or if I just want to reminisce on your concerts that I have attended throughout the years. I’ve spent god knows how much on tickets and merchandise, and have, and still do, sport your t-shirts and hoodies to this day. I never knew that loving a band this much could be possible, but you definitely did prove me wrong. You showed me how powerful and how much of an impact one single band can put on your life; it can bring you closer with old friends you never thought would be in your life again, it can help you meet new people and bond over something that brought you together in the first place, and it can teach you unforgettable and important life lessons such as never giving up when the going gets tough, not caring what others think of you, knowing that as long as you work hard, you can achieve anything that you set your mind to, and, most importantly, knowing that sometimes it is okay to put yourself first and do what’s best for you.

So, All Time Low, this letter is only a portion of what I want to say to you. If I went on non-stop, this letter would probably be 20 miles long, maybe even more. I just want to thank you again for everything that you’ve done for me; helping me through the bad times, keeping me calm when trying to figure my life out and make important decisions, and bringing me closer to one of my best friends. But most importantly, I want to thank you for existing and being who you are. If it weren’t for you creating your songs with infectious music and meaningful lyrics and me stumbling upon “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” that fateful day, I’m not sure where or who I would be, or what I would be doing today. Thank you for continuing to make music and for playing it on stage almost every single night. Knowing that you love what you do makes myself, my best friends, and thousands of people all across the world so happy. Thank you, for changing my life for the better and helping shape who I am and who I’m bound to be. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you.

Love,

A Fan Who Is Extremely Thankful She Discovered Your Band