What a 9th Grade Couple Taught me at the Taylor Swift Concert

"And even though you want to, just try to never grow up." - Lyrics from Never Grow Up, by Taylor Swift.

This weekend I saw Taylor Swift live in concert. I have always wanted to see her in concert and have always failed to get tickets. They would sell out in seconds and I had no idea how or who was able to get access to this event.

Then finally after an all- call on Facebook for anyone with an American Express card (they get early access) my good friend Jessica got us tickets in those few seconds.

However, even in those few seconds the only seats we could get were way at the top. Of course I was still incredibly excited. Yet when we got there this Saturday night and we realized how high we were I couldn’t help but for a moment really wish I was at the bottom, right in front, having the front row experience.

There was even an opportunity to text to win “pit passes” that would get you in the standing-room-only pit right beneath the stage.

I entered 65 times.

I realized as the concert began I was starting to become preoccupied with getting on the floor, wishing I was sitting in the front row, wondering how in the world people were able to get access to that seemingly VIP-only experience.

And then I realized before being thankful for even getting to the concert I was already fretting about going closer, getting more. 

And then this adorable 9^th-grade boyfriend and girlfriend in black-rimmed glasses and matching neon glowing headbands just 2 rows in front of me were having a front row experience. They were singing along, rocking their fists up in down, and having a great time. 

This touched me; I’m always distracted by these kinds of moments whenever I’m in large crowds. And this time, those 9^th graders snapped me back and reminded me I could have a front row experience wherever I was.

And so, I pumped my arms, sang along as if I was in a music video, lost my voice, and eventually took off my shoes and jumped around on the top level of the dirty stadium floor.

I felt like I was 14 years old. And it felt great.

Though I thought about how I could make this into a deep insightful college-related metaphor I realized I don’t really have one. All in all I had a great experience and I wanted to share it with you.

I felt young in a really freeing way and it reminded me that the only thing that keeps us from feeling that way all the time is….us. We blame it on our society or our circumstances, or where we’re sitting in the proverbial stadium of life, but really, we are in control of how we experience the world and the joy we choose to exhibit.

So wherever you are, take off your shoes, don’t be afraid of the dirty floor or being the oldest person jumping up and down, and make the best of where you are. You just might inspire someone a few rows behind you to do the same.