"The Hunger Games" midnight premieres? I'm the first one in line. One Direction? Back in the day, I may or may not have written a fanfiction. "The Fosters?" I did at one point have a fan account on Instagram... Or two of them. "Merlin?" I didn't sleep a whole weekend to marathon. Joe Sugg? Oh boy, don't even get me started on my husband.

I'm what they call a fangirl, an internet-stalking, I-can't-even fangirl. I'm also what they call an unashamed 18-year-old fangirl.

I couldn't attend the "Mockingjay Part 2" premiere because, well, college. I don't listen to One Direction anymore. I haven't posted on my "Fosters" fan accounts since the summer. "Merlin's" final season ended almost three years ago. Joe Sugg... Well, that one hasn't really changed.

The thing about my inner fangirl is sometimes she doesn't show on the outside. But she's always there; my inner fangirl is basically immortal.

I want to address something here, though, before I delve into my lack of shame in regards to my fangirl self. What is the image that pops into your head when someone says "fangirl?" For any adults who may be reading this, you may not have the same image as today's teenager does, so let us take a look at the image that I'm referring to.

According to a few urban dictionary entries, a fangirl is:

• a rabid breed of human female who is obsessed with either a fictional character or an actor.
• (derogatory) a female fan, obsessed with something (or someone) to a frightening or sickening degree. Often considered ditzy, annoying, and shallow.
• a female who has overstepped the line between healthy fandom and indecent obsession.

Who would want to ever call themselves a fangirl with a connotation like that? Very few. The reality is that most fangirls are called that by someone trying to insult them, not by themselves trying to associate with those who follow a certain band, movie, book series, television show, and/or celebrity. "Fangirl" is just another word used to perpetuate sexist stereotypes in this generation of women.

A fangirl should be viewed as someone who supports something she loves, who attends concerts or book signings or premieres, or someone who shares the link to her favorite YouTuber's videos with friends. A fangirl should be someone who appreciates the hard work that someone put into his or her art in order to put a smile on another's face. A fangirl should be someone who is willing to remain devoted to someone she has likely never met and likely never will meet, simply because this person has touched her heart in some unexpected way.

Unfortunately, a fangirl is viewed instead as someone who obsesses uncontrollably over something she loves, who wastes all of her money on concerts or book signings or premieres, or someone who watches her favorite YouTuber's videos on permanent repeat. A fangirl is seen as someone who worships something far too mainstream to possibly be artistic and skillful. A fangirl is someone who would legitimately kill for someone she has likely never met and likely never will meet, simply because this person has somehow taken possession of her free will and common sense.

Or something like that.

Yes, tears are sometimes shed. Money and time are sometimes "wasted." Emotions are sometimes shared for a stranger.

However, the common fangirl is powerful. Are we supposed to pretend that some of our pop culture icons of the past century did not have fangirls? Who attended Elvis' concerts? Who bought his records and dug him out of the deep poverty of his childhood? Who made Elvis a symbol for the pop culture of the mid-20th century? Elvis Presley is only one example of very, very many people who accumulated fangirls in their times.

Fangirls have existed long before this generation. Don't ridicule today's fangirls just because they have a new outlet, the internet, to express their love toward something or someone. Don't ridicule today's fangirls for doing exactly the same as generations before. Don't ridicule today's fangirls for making someone's dreams come true, be it sold-out concerts, bestselling novels, top-rated movies, or a million views on YouTube.

Without devoted fans, what would happen to celebrities? To books? To movies? How many half-empty concerts would a singer perform before quitting? How many dusty books would an author write before demoting writing to a hobby? How many unwatched movies would an actor star in or a director make before saying goodbye to the film industry for good?

The fangirl is not the enemy. These products that you secretly love but are too embarrassed to publicly show affection toward probably wouldn't even exist without devoted fans, without those fangirls you insult online or, worse, in person. Rather than call them crazed, rather than call them "rabid" or "ditzy, annoying, and shallow", remember that their devotion keeps these industries alive.

So what if they write fanfictions, update fan Instagram accounts, keep Tumblr blogs, hang posters, or change their phone wallpaper to a celebrity's face? So what if they attend a few concerts or midnight premieres? So what if they stay up waiting for an album to be released or a YouTube video to be posted? So what if they cry when they meet their favorite celebrity or when their favorite character dies?

At least they care. At least we care.

I'm not ashamed to call myself a fangirl. I once was; I didn't want anyone to imagine me as a screaming, crying teenage girl outside of a concert or at a movie premiere. I was so afraid of having the urban dictionary definitions of a "fangirl" listed under "Olivia Murk Caya." I was so afraid of the stigma. But not anymore.

Do as you will. Judge me as your heart desires. I still love "The Hunger Games," "The Fosters," and "Merlin." I still count down for movie and television season premieres. I still follow accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. I still fantasize about a sixth season of "Merlin" or about meeting Joe Sugg on the streets of London (or Atlanta, if he wants to visit me instead).

I've embraced my inner fangirl, as I know she exists. I bet, if you look deep inside, your inner fangirl exists too. And that, my friend, is a very good thing.