How I met One Direction IRL (with pics!)

Sep 30, 201312 min read

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Published: Sep 30, 2013

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SOOOO lately I've been pretty busy (as you all probably already noticed >_> ) so I kinda want to do something to keep you entertained, and thought 'hey I haven't actually shared with you the story of how I met 1D!'. It was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. Not because of 1D themselves... but I'll explain later.

I imagine most of you don't really like 1D, and also as a 'disliker' I'd thought this might be something you'll find interesting? XD

(Btw regarding my art I am actually simultaneously working on piece but it's just my slow progress and trying to juggle it with school assignments)

But DISCLAIMER: This is not written to 'bash' 1D, don't want to start arguments, I will respect everyones taste whether you like them or not. My discomfort in this experience is not actually 1D themselves. I enjoyed watching their concert and I do, in a way, 'treasure' my experience of meeting them haha.

So anyway, I was reminded of this experience because 1D is currently touring Australia again. This happened last year, the time when 1D was such a huge deal it was on every Australian media outlet

I'm sure you Aussies remember when this was. Like sometime last year June/July?

So I was seriously getting SICK of 1D. Ok I see them as just average musicians and I know many people who have stronger voice qualities, well back then anyway. they sure can sing and do have talent though. Not sure how much they've improved from last year so right now my views towards them are neutral (leaning more on dislike though) but during that time I WAS FED UP WITH THE HYPE.

My younger sister, however, she's such a huge fan, she was like no1 fan back then (also her constant 1D music playing kinda built up my dislike) and she was really desperate to meet them, like any other teenage girl so she entered various competitions that offer her a chance to watch 1D's private concert. My sister is very good at winning competitions and doing her best at what she wants.

First competition she had to build a 1D shrine, she covered half of our living room with 1D stuff, hoping she would win. Took her 4 weeks to make everything. LOOK AT THIS HARD WORK:

Photo 1-10-2013 5 02 50 pm by GreyRadian

My sister made a lot of the things there from scratch by herself.

Well she didn't win that one so she entered another competition that was like "Tell us in 25 words or less bla bla bla" and my sister, she's much more better at winning these types of comps. And this time the competition offered 2 tickets to Sydney + accommodation for private concert AND photos with them. AND GUESS WHAT. SHE WON. She burst into my room at 7am (early for me) but I didn't mind because I was sooooo happy for her now she gets to visit her idols, right?

WELL little did I know that the following day I WOULD BE BOARDING THE PLANE INSTEAD Facepalm

Winners had to be ages 15 and over on the day. The event is happening 5 DAYS SHORT OF MY SISTER'S 15TH BIRTHDAY ARRRGHJKDGFJHDSGHDFJKG

So yeah, I had to replace her (and I had to go with my mum since I was still underaged), devastated as hell that I'm literally taking away her dream, and I'm not even an appreciator

ALL HER HARD WORK AND I'M TAKING AWAY HER DREAM

But I was happy to visit Sydney again! Haven't travelled to other Aus states for about 10 years so i was excited to see Sydney (and Sydney only). People are much more friendlier! I even had an interesting talk with a taxi driver, someone thanked me for walking on the left side of the path, I talked with strangers haha. It's like the LA of Australia, all the studios are there ^^

Haha also our hotel was located just around the corner from the Sunrise/7 studio and that day they also invited 1D to the studio so the entire plaza was full of screaming girls like I've never seen that many people in one public space in Australia before LOL

For aussies: Idk if you can relate, but whenever I watched Sunrise I used to ridicule the people at the back trying to wave at the cameras and stuff, i's be like 'pfft what a bunch of attention seekers' so I pretty pissed I ended up in the same spot that day T_T

Anyway I spent that morning trying too find the 1D merch store for my sister.

This was the line... you cant even see the store sign, it went past two parking lots, took me an hour to reach the store. But literally that day belonged to my sister so whatever she wants me to do.

THIS WAS THE STORE INSIDE:

Btw the store was sooo small and merch was super limited and overpriced. Even the friggin plastic bag was $2 BY ITSELF >_>

This plastic bag for $2?! I bought Bastion off the app store for $2!

Ok so NOW my terrifying experience begins. We had to travel by coach and I didn't expect I'd have to be travelling with a BUS FULL OF SCREAMING FANGIRLS GAAHAHHH. And to make it even worse there were TV CREWS broadcasting NATIONALLY travelling with us! Being a shy girl AND not liking 1D, I certainly DID NOT want to be caught on TV in this situation lol! It would be fine if it's just aired in Sydney only since nobody knew me there but it was aired throughout the whole country ahahaha fml

It was soooo horrifyingly awkward for me; I suck at pretending to be happy and they were like 'SHOUT OUT THE LYRICS OF *insert 1D song here*' and I had NO CLUE so it really made me look depressed. Actually no, I was depressed. It's not like I could pretend to know the lyrics anyway...well it's better to remain silent than shouting out 'BLA BLA BLA BLA' in a bus full of rabid fangirls o.0

Eventually the tv people knew to avoid me and not initiate conversation with me. Nearly everyone on the bus though I was some kind of freak.

I also cant stand loud noises. I COULD NOT TOLERATE THE GIRLS SCREAMING CONSTANTLY IN SUCH A SMALL ENCLOSED SPACE. Stressed me out sooo much. It's worse than exam period! Girls even started crying when they first got in the bus, I mean the bus wasn't even moving yet! I felt like I wanted to cry too. For a completely different reason.

As I mentioned earlier about friendly people in Sydney, there was a father and daughter sitting behind me on the bus and apparently he was the one who entered the competition for his daughter and won

He was also really nice to us and despite my super unfriendly and antisocial attitude, he was nice enough to start a conversation with and even helping us out on some parts

And then YAY we arrived.

'Private concert' my ass. There were about 200 people there >_> But I did get a good view. I didn't take many pictures because I was busy recording the whole thing for my sister.

But yeah the concert was pretty cool! It lasted for about 20mins I think? But I still remain indifferent... because to me the concert still wasn't particularly 'special'.

I MEAN C'MON. WITH ALL THAT HYPE I REALLY HAD VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF THEM

Then finally the meet and greet... This was where the father helped us again because we were standing in the wrong line

I was actually REEEEAAAALLY nervous about this because my sister wanted to talk to them over the phone, I didn't know what it was going to be inside so I was really panicky because I wanted my sister to have everything she wanted and I really didn't want to stuff this up!

Then it was my turn... I was told to put my phone away and they were really pushing and rushing me so... my sister couldn't experience this moment.

Then I went inside the room where we're supposed to have our photos taken. I saw the girls before me... they were screaming and crying all over their faces when they met them. I didn't know what to doooo ;_;

I'm the kind of person that can contain their emotions (maybe even too much hence I can't pretend to be happy like in that previous situation). Even if I met my idols like Hideo Kojima or even Jesus Christ, I wouldn't be screaming all over the place.

I had no idea what to do! I was being the most awkward person you would ever meet at that moment. I SAID HI BUT THEY DIDNT SAY ANYTHING BACK!

SO HERE'S THE PHOTO YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. ME AND ONE DIRECTION:

464943 425292047498027 1993030722 1 by GreyRadian

Haha I blurred my face :3

Nah you can see all the photos of the other fans and you can also find my photo here of you want: one-directionfans.com/gallery/…

I'm just not comfortable uploading an old photo of me... especially with that ugly hairstyle

Actually please visit that site with all the photos! You can see how everyone else is hugging and being between them but I just literally walked up to them, said hi and just smiled for about 3 minutes because I have no idea if they were shooting the camera or not! My face screams 'HELP ME WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!'

ALSO you can't see it from these photos, but behind the camera there were SO MANY POLICE I've never seen so many police in one room before and THAT TERRIFIED ME even more! I'm not guilty of anything... but on top of what I went through GUHH i was sooo scared.

I was too scared to move which is why I am standing like that way in the pic hahaha. It should be my sister standing there though TT_TT

Pretty much that experience for me was comparable to seeing Mickey Mouse at Disneyland for the first time. "Woah he's much bigger than I thought! And he moves! :S "

~~Except I ran to take a photo with Mickey~~

Then I left. Phew glad it's over. I was so happy I don't have to make sure everything's perfect for my sister (which I really wanted to do but it was kinda stressful) and thankfully we returned with a different bus with different people! The new people did expect me to act like a typical 1D fan but thankfully I finally had the chance to explain myself, I was kinda glad I managed to make some temporary friends during the stay.

And for the rest of the afternoon I got to visit Kinokunia and got to eat yummy ramen at the ramen cafeteria near the bookstore (maybe Sydney siders are familiar with that place?)

I treated myself with an overpriced Pixiv artbook which was at $80 when I couldve gotten it at $40 someplace else but i was too tired to think otherwise. and I wanted something out of this experience that benefits myself! "But at least they're cute right???" Um no. Sorry. Just. no.

So that was the end of my One Direction experience. IT WAS WASTED ON ME I don't even appreciate 1D I kinda wish I was a 1D fan just so this experience did not go to waste. Or maybe I should've sold it for $10,000.

It really feels like a memory that doesn't belong to me. Oh God/Buddha/mother nature/Allah, why did you have to switch it around??

And the thing that pissed me off was they didn't even check my id at any point, even at the airport so my sister couldve still went. I didn't know Australian Domestic airports didnt check passports... I swear even in USA they checked my passport when travelling interstate?

As for my sister, she got to receive the signed 1D merch that was part of the prize pack, and it was until two days ago when she actually got to see 1D with her own eyes.... for $400 >_> DAMMIT SHE SHOULDVE GONE INSTEAD OF ME.