Some obsessions are "Forever Young"

 Freshman year, I was invited to a One Direction dance party.
    Was it the wisest decision just the weekend before finals? No.
Did I mask it as a "stress buster activity" and go anyway? A-wee.

If you knew me when I was 11, you'd know that I was one of the biggest fans of the boy band; I'm talking themed-birthdays, fan accounts, merch and random facts that still remain ingrained in my brain 8 years later (Yes, I still remember Louis loves girls who like carrots and KEVIN!)

But this post isn't about my teenage fever dream (though you'll notice a few references creeping through the post)
It's about what I realised midway through rage screaming to No Control.

As my teen years evolved, my fangirl self for 1D kind of faded. It never became a zero, but took a backseat, becoming more of a nostalgic memory of my tweenhood. 
But being in a room full of people, at the end of their teenage (dirtbag) or midway through their 20s, reminded me of what the band meant to so many of us: a symbol of identity fostering a sense of community.

When I was in that room, I knew that everyone around me shared the same love for the band as I did - the same obsession. Sure, we were all adults, but having something that we held so close to our hearts and a memory of our childhood felt, simply, happy(ily).

I couldn't help but think of what would have happened if I had never told people that I still have a guilty love for 1D. Would I ever have experienced the above?

And maybe this doesn't have to be just about music.
What if I never started blogging? Would I still be who I am without it?

Probably not.

Doing things gives you personality; as eccentric as they may be, if you like it, do it (so long as it's legal, lol)
Maybe we shouldn't be ashamed of our random tidbits because who knows where they'll take us?
Who knows if you'll meet through it? What kind of friendships might you make from it?

That's not to say that obsessions can't change.
Yes, you'll grow, you'll evolve, you'll experience new things, and you'll find new things to love.
But maybe it's not the worst thing in the world to not suppress your past, as you never know when it'll come up again and make you feel Alive.

So perhaps the things we once loved don’t really go away—they just wait through the dark until we’re ready to run remember them. And when they do come back, they remind us who we were, who we are, and enjoy the moment to its fullest.

If you've ever had a 1D phase or a similar obsession, I'd love to hear about it in the comments! Don't forget to share and follow for more content every second Friday of the month!

Signing off,
Kuhu :)