I’ll admit: I used to be that person who walked away and covered my ears every time “What Makes You Beautiful” started playing.
So when my internship presented me with the opportunity to watch a screening of the concert film “This Is Us” about the pop British-Irish boyband One Direction back in early August, I wasn’t really sure why I accepted the offer. But then again, who would deny the chance to watch a 3D movie for free?
As I settled into the movie theater, I felt rather out of place surrounded by girls (and their moms) wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the faces of One Direction. I didn’t even know all the names of the five band members, aside from Zayn Malik. Everyone knows Zayn Malik. (Google-image his name, and you’ll know why.)
There’s a chance I judged a woman in her twenties sitting next to me, who started crying less than halfway through the movie and didn’t stop until it ended, although I definitely had no right to judge after the way I acted watching “Les Miserables” for the first time.
Afterward, when a studio representative, who was there to gauge the audience’s reaction to the movie, asked me for my thoughts on the film, I threw out something along the lines of: “I wasn’t a fan of One Direction before, but now I think I’ve been converted into one.”
Little did I know, it was actually true. Within that same day, I soon realized that I was indeed becoming a “Directioner,” as we One Direction fans lovingly call ourselves.
I fell, and I fell fast; I added the One Direction station on my Pandora account, and then I “liked” One Direction on Facebook — that’s when I knew my newfound love was becoming serious.
For the past three weeks, I’ve been doing my homework while listening to both albums — “Up All Night” and “Take Me Home” — on repeat. I’ve been training myself to learn each member’s voice, and I practice identifying which boy is singing each line.
I’m sure I’ve lost a few a friends along the way as I try to convert them into One Direction fans. The only person who has been pleased with my new development is fellow Directioner Cristina Curcelli, who is a proud owner of a One Direction bracelet, a One Direction iPhone case, a One Direction keychain and who knows what else.
Of course, I watched the movie again when it premiered on Aug. 30, this time with Cristina. And while I sure didn’t cry as much as her, there were definitely tears leaking out of my eyes at some points. And this time, I could sing along word-by-word to all the songs.
While I still wouldn’t willingly subject myself to listening to “What Makes You Beautiful” on repeat, I have to say, my One Direction movie poster looks pretty good hanging on my wall.