The deafening roar of the crowd, the blinding light show, the exhausting, never-ending dancing, and the achy post-concert hangover are all concepts that any concertgoer is familiar with. Every quality concert has its extremities which leave us in an entirely different state the next day, so who is to say it can not make just as big of an impact on your everyday life?

I have been a die-hard music fan since I could crawl. From the moment I awoke every morning until the second I slipped into bed at night, music would be playing all throughout my house during my childhood. My parents hooked me on pop-rock bands like Train and Maroon 5 — both of whom became my first concert — while also immersing me in rap artists like Biggie, Eminem, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

I even began playing guitar and writing music from a young age, making it one of my favorite pastimes. In the fourth grade, I joined my school’s choir and have been involved in my community’s choral programs ever since. Inevitably, these factors translated into my teenage years, in which I now soundtrack my entire life to whatever music I can get my hands on and continue to write songs as a form of catharsis. I have also grown to love performing music in front of crowds; in March and April of 2018, I traveled to New York City to premiere a composer’s choral piece with my high school choir at the world renowned Carnegie Hall. However, even with these great opportunities and musical outlets within my arm’s reach, I know that being a performer or relying on an MP3 file on my phone simply is not enough to fuel my love for music.

Aside from the few concerts I was dragged to when I was in primary school, with bands that I only liked due to my upbringing, I had never been to a concert of my own choice until I was almost 13. The first show I ever experienced in all of its glory was The 1975 at Red Rocks Amphitheater on May 2, 2016. Every part of the show was so undeniably foreign compared to the concert life I thought I knew; the anticipation was invigorating, the crowd was joyous and lively, and the experience was nothing less than rejuvenating. Needless to say, I went to four more shows that summer, and I loved every single one of them.

Amongst fans of smaller artists, especially bands who perform at venues on or around Colfax, “camping culture” is very prevalent. Camping culture centers around the idea of sleeping overnight on the streets or lining up the morning before a general admission show. This (most often) ensures that a person will secure a spot close to the stage. While this idea is unfathomable to some, it is a very popularized tradition, especially at indie or rock shows.

At each of the shows I have attended, especially those for which I have lined up hours before, I have met countless new, amazing people, some of which I now call my closest friends. I traveled 15 hours to experience a show in The Woodlands, Texas, in the summer of 2016 and had the opportunity to visit incredible places. The majority of the different opening acts also became great assets to my music taste and have grown to be some of my favorite artists today.

Ever since 2016, concerts have become a favored tradition for my friends and myself. It has changed our lives, given us more to look forward to, and makes for just about all of our best memories. Saving for tickets and merchandise has also taught us money management; while tickets can be especially pricey at times, we know that if we put in the effort, we can make it happen. To say it pays off in the end would be an understatement.

Music has helped countless people cope with stress and turbulence, which goes to show why it is such a big aspect of many people’s lives. In a survey of 45 students at Erie High School, 53.3% of those people listened to at least four hours of music per day, with only 6.7% listening to less than one hour.

The music scene has completely turned my life around for the better, and I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to indulge themselves with the same experiences. You could watch your life improve one concert at a time while the benefits could shape you as a person, and you may find yourself being just as appreciative for this lifestyle as I have grown to be.