by Cassie Florido

The lights dim down low. The screams of 19,000 teenage girls erupt as camera flashes illuminate the Dallas summer night sky. The countdown projects onto the screen. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. The clock hits zero. The stadium erupts, and the screams are deafening. The words “One Direction” hit the screen as the five boys run out onto the stage. The moment I have waited a year for finally arrives. The band that I had once seen through a computer screen, stand in the same stadium as me. Breathing the same air as me. The night that I had been waiting for had finally arrived, and it was a dream come true.

If you would have told me back in August of 2011 that One Direction would have been the biggest boy band in the world, I would have laughed and walked away. And if you would have told me I would spend countless hours of my life obsessing over One Direction, I would have, again, laughed and walked away. But in reality, this is exactly what has happened. Every day as they continued to get bigger, I became even more obsessed.

Let me take you back to where it all began. It was just one click. That’s all it took. A one minute, seven second long YouTube video. As I clicked on the video that read “One Direction Video Diary Week 1,” I had no clue these five boys sitting on a staircase would evolve into an infatuation I could never escape.

Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik have become more than just a band to me. These five boys have taken me on an emotional journey that has turned my life upside down. The journey started long before the name One Direction was heard around America. As the boys started out on their incredible rise to fame, I was there every step of the way.

Staying up until four in the morning watching Liam on Twitcam. Watching every single “X Factor” episode in a week. Watching a stream from the UK of the boys documentary “A Year In The Making” and crying the entire time. Buying the first ever American magazine the boys had a poster in. Watching the first ever live performance of “What Makes You Beautiful.” Covering my walls with posters of the band. Seeing the boys win their first Brit Award. Watching them perform on “SNL” and at the Olympics. And watching the boys win three MTV Video Music Awards.

All of these events in the boys’ careers are memories that I will never forget. But the highlight of my personal journey with One Direction came this summer when my family took a road trip to Dallas to see the boys in concert. I know the term “it was the best night of my life” is overused, but that night might have actually been the best night of my life. Finally seeing the boys perform and do what they love was something very special to me. Plus, the half a second that Niall waved at me through a gate just proved that we are going to get married. He feels it too.

Now since all of you are wondering, Harry is my favorite member in the band. Who can resist his luscious curls and beautiful, raspy voice? I can’t. Everything about him is perfect. His hair, his voice, his sense of humor, his eyes, his smile, his everything. Perfect.

Even though Harry is my all-time favorite, depending on the day, the other boys can sometimes be my favorite member.

Niall Horan seems like the kind of guy that would sit around with you and watch sports all day and sing to you with a guitar. If any of you know me, that is basically the description of my perfect guy. Not to mention, his Irish accent when he sings gets me every time.

Liam Payne is probably the sweetest, most caring guy in the band. He is always smiling and laughing and every time I see him I just want to squeeze him and give him the biggest hug.

Louis Tomlinson is the jokester of the group. When I first watched videos of One Direction, he was instantly my favorite member. His voice also is like a million tiny angels kissing your eardrums. He is the oldest member in the group. but don’t be fooled. He is a teenage boy at heart.

Zayn Malik has the most beautiful face I have ever seen. His voice when he harmonizes is ever more beautiful than his face. While some people say Zayn is shy, deep down he is really funny and just as crazy as the rest of the boys.

The boys have taken the world by storm. The once wishful boy band trying to win the UK version of the “X Factor” has become the biggest boy band in the world. When the boys were eliminated on the “X Factor,” Zayn said, “This isn’t the last you will see of us.” He wasn’t kidding. To think of all they have accomplished in two years is insane. At one point, the boys had no clue who each other were. Now look at them. They were the first UK group to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States with their album “Up All Night.” The boys’ journey has recently been topped off with the release of their sophomore album “Take Me Home” charting at number one and a performance in one of the most famous arenas in the world, Madison Square Garden.

One Direction’s success is special to me because I feel like I have watched them grow through every step of their journey. While some may say, “Oh, they are just another boy band,” it’s more than that. They have stayed true to themselves along this journey and have worked so hard for all of their success. Even through all of the fame, they haven’t let it get to their heads. They are still the same crazy, immature, goofy boys I fell in love with in 2011. I still cry every time I see their “X Factor” auditions because it’s crazy how far they have come. I have been with them for their unbelievable journey and I will be here until the very last second they call themselves “One Direction.”