In 2023, I attended my first concerts. Although they happened in the same year, they meant very different things to me. The first concert I ever attended was the Ready to Be Tour, performed by Twice. Later that year, I attended the Pandemonium Tour by Joji, which became especially meaningful because it was the first concert ticket I ever bought on my own. What makes the Pandemonium ticket experience meaningful to me is not the concert itself, but how I bought the ticket. Back in 9th grade, right before summer break, Joji announced his tour. I remember thinking, “Hey, you like his music, and now you have a job and some savings. Why not?”
Motivated, I bought the ticket during art class–yes, art class. It was one of those moments in school when some teachers allowed phone use only after all tasks were finished. I remember that moment clearly. I was genuinely happy because it was the first time I had bought something
expensive on my own, without my parents’ help. Earlier that same year, my mom had bought me a ticket to attend the Ready to Be Tour. Both concerts were destined to take place in different seasons of the year. The Twice concert was the very first event I ever attended. I honor my parents, not only for buying me some merchandise, but also for driving me from Virginia to New Jersey on a random Wednesday for four hours. Luckily, my parents had some relatives and friends near the stadium where the concert took place, so we had time to rest and organize ourselves before the event.
The experience hit me like a truck. Despite the intense heat, having no food in my system, and feeling completely lost because I had underestimated how massive MetLife Stadium really is, I had an
incredible time even though I attended the concert on my own. It was overwhelming, exhausting, and unforgettable all at once. I still remember myself sitting on the highway with an ice cream in hand, quietly processing the entire experience and trying not to think about the fact that I had to go back to Virginia and work the very next day.
A similar thing happened at the second concert I attended, theone I bought the ticket for in art class. This concert was on a Wednesday, but this time on The Capital One Arena. Right after school, I rushed to get ready for the concert, this time dealing with a freezing cold and a music exam waiting for me the next day.
For this concert, I had a floor ticket, which allowed me to connect with people from different stages of life before the concert started. Some, like me, were still in high school; others were in college; some were already part of the workforce; and a couple were even married. Despite our differences, we were all connected by the same artist. Once again, I had an incredible time jumping with the crowd, and seeing Joji up close made the experience even more exciting, especially when I saw him signing T-shirts and other items fans handed to him.
I ended up arriving home at midnight, and with that exam waiting for me:
unsurprisingly, I failed. My mind was still filled with concert memories, and I hadn’t studied for it at all. Fortunately, my teacher gave me the opportunity to retake the exam, and I passed it with an A. Even so, the strong contrast between the excitement and joy
of a concert and the return to everyday routine still feels unreal.
That contrast returned again in my Junior year, in November 2024, when Stray Kids, my favorite group, announced their world tour on a random Monday at the end of third period. I remember that moment vividly, mainly because the presale was scheduled only four days after the announcement. To make it even more chaotic, the real “war” (the presale) started at 11 a.m. 
By that point, I didn’t have any free periods, nor did I have someone I trusted to buy the ticket for me. I spent those days going a little crazy, carefully planning how to be ready for the presale without disrupting my assistance and performance in class. I remember practically crashing out with my school laptop, trying to write a summative English essay while switching between tabs every two minutes, with my cards on hand and terrified of missing any movement on the presale website.
What matters most is that thanks to the income I was earning at the time, I was able to win the ticket war with a VIP ticket, something that once felt completely out of reach, and with amazing and real progress on my English essay.
The summer of 2025 was brutally hot, so intense that the concert had to end earlier than expected. Despite the setbacks, I had an incredible time. What made the moment even more special was that the concert took place just one week after the end of the school year, making it feel like a true celebration of freedom.
I still get emotional thinking about this specific concert because when I first arrived in the United States, Stray Kids had performed in New Jersey, and I wasn’t able to attend. At the time, money and transportation made it impossible, and that disappointment stayed with me longer than I expected. Years later, standing in the crowd with a VIP pass hanging on my neck and with my lightstick on hands, realizing that the sadness and nights of frustration I once felt had been replaced with something greater. What I couldn’t afford or reach before had finally become possible not because of luck, but because of time, growth, and perseverance.
Now, I will attend a concert in February as a different version of myself, with more experience but carrying the same excitement I felt in past years. Through each concert, from my freshman year to my senior year, I have learned that growth does not mean losing passion, but learning how to carry it alongside the routine.
Experiences like concerts may seem small or optional, and even unnecessary, especially when school
and responsibilities take over. However, as I look back, I realize these moments shaped my growth just as much as academics did. They taught me independence, balance, and the importance of choosing joy responsibly. These experiences may feel far away for my underclassmen now, but one day, these events full of people, energy, and adrenaline may become the memories that define who you are.
