Bliss. A word used to describe the highest level of happiness one can achieve. Usually people associate this with heaven. Or with the first bite of that amazing dessert they were just waiting to dig into. Or with a good nap. Virtually anything that makes a person happy can be associated with bliss. In my case, bliss is a distinct feeling; I usually only experience it once or twice a year. It starts with the bass. I can feel it before I hear it, the vibrations running through my body and shaking me to my very core. When I first started experiencing this bliss, it made me feel uneasy, as though an earthquake had tumbled through me and collapsed my internal organs like dominos, one on top of the other. But as time went on, I began to realize that it was something I enjoyed feeling because it wasn’t pain. It was reassurance that I was there. That I was at the concert. Ever since March 5, 2016, concerts have been my bliss, my heaven on Earth. On that very day, I was fortunate enough to experience one for the first time, seeing Shawn Mendes at Radio City Music Hall. That day has forever changed my life. Concerts bring out a side of me that no other environment has the capability of doing. I become free-spirited and confident. In those moments that I sing along to the music I’ve listened to for years, I’m suddenly eased of all my worries, my doubts, my insecurities. It’s as though nothing in the world matters to me but whoever is on that stage. Music created a gateway for me to express my emotions and grow into myself, my confidence never greater than when I’m at a concert. It is the one place where I know I can still sing my loudest and most out of tune, yet not be judged or even heard over the vocals of the artist. Music makes people feel open to being vulnerable. In a world where people are so quickly judged for expressing their emotions, concerts are a safe place where it is acceptable to cry and acceptable to scream and acceptable dance. I feel free. I feel connected. Music concerts unite people under a common interest, thousands of people singing along to the same words at the same time. Through my experiences at concerts and the absolute joy I feel when I am there, I have learned to become more accepting of myself. Since March 5, 2016, my confidence level has grown astronomically, to the point where I no longer feel like I have to guard my emotions and protect myself from the potential scrutiny of my peers. Whether they know it or not, Shawn Mendes and other talented artists have watched an insecure girl grow into a confident young woman, ready to take on the world and all the opportunities it presents. The feelings I experience at a concert are almost indescribable; but wait, actually they are…bliss.