Lessons Learned

Since going to concerts for the past 6+ years, I've picked up a lot of knowledge. I've learned how to wait for general admission concerns, I've perfected what to pack in my bag, how to dress comfortable enough yet still feel cute...the list could really go on. However, no mater how many concerts I have attended the thing I've learned is I am never done learning. No matter how much you can control the small things, like your makeup and what you pack; you can't control your body.

On July 28, Molly and I packed up our car and were on our way to Auburn Hills, MI to see one of our favorite bands, 5 Seconds of Summer, for the umpteenth time, and I was nothing short of excited and very unprepared. Until about two hours ago I had no idea what I was wearing, I had thrown some food in the cooler and speedily did my makeup. We got to the venue got our tickets, and had time to spare. We stopped and got some food at the local TGI Fridays and decided to go to the venue.

We had met up with a friend of ours that we had met the previous summer at a Young Rising Sons concert, and immediately bonded. Our friend pulled out a plastic bag full of bottle caps and offered us one for our mandatory uncapped water bottle. I think everyone who has been to a concert can agree about the how bothering it can be to knock over an overpriced bottle of water at a concert. She enlightened us how easy it is to just pack some bottle caps so you can shake and move all you want without having to spill water everywhere. This was one of the first lessons I learned that night.

Previously in the afternoon, I had taken some migraine medicine to help the headache I could already feel forming (I was taking no chances tonight). We got to our seats, second row!!!!!!, and that’s when everything hit me. My stomach, in the least dramatic sense, was killing me. I felt so many things and so many things were going through my mind. Was this my anxiety kicking in? Was this what I had eaten? Why was this happening now? After missing the first opening act, and still no improvement, I decided to finally swallow my pride and ask where the first aid station was. The last thing I wanted to do was to make Molly miss these acts and follow me around while I was not feeling the best. So after a few minutes of wondering we had found the first aid desk and it was AMAZING. I had never known about this luxury. I told them what I needed and how I was feeling and they had given me some medicine. If I can stress one thing, it is to take advantages of the arena and their services. I had no idea this existed, and these trained medical professionals are here to help, whether it was an upset stomach or a twisted ankle (free of charge too!).

Truthfully, I didn't feel better up until the seconds the lights went down and I saw the beautiful Michael Clifford take steps onto the stage. I know I always say how concerts truly do make me feel amazing and help me to forget about everything going on in my life. Today was a true representation of that feeling. All the pain I was feeling had disappeared and I was dancing and singing at the top of my lungs. The concert was everything I needed, without realizing it. 5 Seconds of Summer has always been one of my favorite concert experiences, and that night in Detroit was no exception.

Xx Annie