When people find out that I'm a fangirl they usually assume I'm one of those girls screaming, crying, and chasing after bands I like. OK, so the screaming and crying was totally me back in 2011 but not now that I'm 19.

I'm never going to regret this part of my life. My love for bands has brought me so many good things, all of the money in the world couldn't get me to change it. So why has becoming a fangirl the best thing I ever did?

1. Friends, Friends, Friends.

I meet the BEST people through concerts. My best friend and I met through twitter because we had been fans of the same bands. I have friends from as close as the next town over, friends from a few states away, or even as far as completely different continents like Europe. These types of bonds are the strongest because we connect through the internet instead of face to face, we don't have to be constantly hanging out to be friends. I know these girls will always be there for me no matter how far away they are.

It's incredible to meet people who have the same love as you for something. When I'm at a concert, I can go up to anyone and they're all friendly, it's the easiest environment to meet people and there's no judgment. It's even better being able to finally meet people I've talked to for weeks, months or even years and then have the night of our lives at a concert for a band we both love.

2. New Places.

I would never have done the traveling I've done so far in my short 19 years of life if it wasn't for concerts. I wouldn't feel the need to go on spur of the moment trips or take a risk and go to a completely new place with just my best friend my by side. I've gone on five concerts in five days road trip across three different states, to see four different bands. I spent less than 48 hours in Los Angeles, California to see one of my favorite bands, Before You Exit. I drove 10 hours to Kansas City, Missouri with my mom to see One Direction. I booked a five day trip to Washington D.C. with my best friend all scheduled around seeing a band. I'm incredibly thankful to have a family who encourages me to do these types of trips because they've helped me in so many ways. Some people may think I'm absolutely insane for doing these kinds of things just for concerts but no amount of money could buy the memories that came along with them.

3. Memories That Will Last Longer Than A Lifetime.

You know what they say. A picture is worth a thousand words but the memories are priceless. These memories are all happy. I know for a fact that this is the time in my life I'm going to enjoy looking back at when I'm old and graying. I can still vividly remember the first time I saw One Direction live. I remember the rush of emotions I had when the lights turned off, how much fun I had singing and dancing along to my favorite songs or even the sadness that came across me when the concert ended. What I love even more is being able to document these moments even if it's only through a photo or two so that when my life has come and gone my family after me can get a glimpse into the pure happiness I've experienced. These memories that I've collected over a long list of concerts I've been to are the ones I want to talk about and tell people when I get the chance.

4. A Better Me.

I've grown so much as a person. I've learned so many lessons in life through my experiences as being a fangirl that I'd like to think I've become a better me. I can always continue to improve myself don't get me wrong, but it's given me experiences and opportunities that I may never have had the chance to do without. A perfect example would be when I had the opportunity to have a media pass to a Christmas show in LA. It was incredible to be able to get a taste of that side of concerts and be able to assist in interviewing the artists preforming at that show since it's something I'd love to do. It's helped me realize what makes me happy and what direction I want to go in with my future.

Now I understand that even after explaining why I am so thankful to be a fangirl people still don't understand. They don't completely understand why I choose to spend my money on something that will only last two or so hours and that's OK. But let me leave you with one thing.

Don't knock it till you try it.