They're Not Just A Band To Me

I get this question all the time, "Why do you love Green Day so much? They're just a band." Well, here's an answer to your question.

I've never been a confident person. The farthest thing from it actually. I heard Green Day for the first time when I was in fifth grade. My fifth grade teacher played the guitar and every Friday we'd stop class and sing songs while he played. The lyrics to every song were put up on the overhead and we sang through them. There was a coffee cup with popsicle sticks in it, each one of us had one with our name on it, and every time your stick was drawn you could pick from the songs he had. I remember every single time my stick was drawn I picked "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)." The one thing that I will always regret seeing to this day was the name of the artist in the upper right hand corner of the sheet: Green Day.

By the time I hit sixth grade, I knew that Green Day was the band who sang Good Riddance, and I was more than intrigued to hear the rest of their music. So I did, and I fell in love with every single song I heard. I can honestly say, without hesitation that Green Day's music has made me who I am today.

With a lack of confidence and excess of self consciousness, I'm unhappy with myself the majority of the time. It's easy to appear happy and cheerful all the time but all the while secretly hating yourself. If there is one thing that Green Day has taught me, first and foremost, its that no one else's opinion of you matters. The only opinion of you that matters is your own. If you're at ease with who you are then nothing else matters, and you're guaranteed a happier life.

I'm no longer shy about my opinions. If I have an opinion I'll voice it. I stand up for things that are important to me instead of hiding behind false opinions. If I disagree with something I'm more than happy to say something about it and I don't care what anyone else things about it.

I know a lot about Green Day. I know where they came from, what life was like for them growing up, and what they went through to get to where they are now. They've given me an appreciation for a genre of music that actually stands for something and makes a difference. That's why going to that concert meant everything in the world. That's why being on stage next to Billie Joe was the most overwhelming and amazing that's ever happened to me.

I wear what I want. I am what I want. I do what I want.

And I love Green Day unconditionally.