Why yes, that is my sister and I in that screenshot because that is my sister and I’s greeting video. Which was only supposed to be seen by the five (gorgeous) boys of One Direction and lucky winners of the Bring Me to 1D Golden ticket. But One Direction’s management chose our video (out of hundreds from countries all over the world) to be used as an example…so now 11 million people on facebook and my 500 facebook friends who I exposed this to have seen it.

19, 000 views later we’ve received so many comments on the video saying, “wow this is awesome” and “you girls are so lucky!” and man, does it feel admittedly good.

This wasn’t a contest and we receive no prize (other than extreme happiness), and we never thought our greetings video was special to begin with.

So yeah, is it pathetic that I claim this one of the “awesome” moments in my life? …Nah!

Well have a look at our greetings video yourself, and if you’re a directioner, you should make one too!

We arrived at the store before it even opened, and there was already a line-up of a dozen or so people waiting. Seeing how most of those in the line were tweens and teens, my and my friend walked past muttering, “oh wow they have a one direction store?!” testing out our acting abilities, then went to Subway to grab a snack awaiting the store’s 10am opening.

We left our maturity at the doors, and walked into every directioner’s heaven. The live tour DVD was playing on a large flat screen at the back of the store, the current song “One Thing” blasted through large speakers so loud you had to sort of yell when talking. Poster’s so huge you can’t even purchase them in stores surrounded the walls, and red and white was the expected colour scheme.

They had One Direction themed everything–from posters, to t-shirts, to notebooks, calenders, keychains and even a 1D compact mirror were sold for might I add, kind of expensive prices (seeing how HMV and even my store Urban Planet has most items for at least $5-10 less than the 1D World store price).

But for those who had the money–or the parents with the money, or the parents who loved them enough, or the parents who wanted to avoid a screaming tantrum throwing child–it was a place for the ultimate One Direction shopping spree.

And for those like me, who at my age can only be seen owning so much One Direction merchandise without being thrown into a rehab centre and is also a broke college kid, it was still a trip worth making, just for the experience and the sight of it all. I did buy the $30 t-shirt with the boys outlined in blue and song lyrics, while my friend got the tour dvd special which came with a pack of 5 mini posters for $40.

The store only comes to a city once (as far as I know), and it’s going to be cool that in ten years I’ll be able to look back on my visit to the first North American 1D store in Toronto. At least I hope it’ll be cool.

If the 1D World Store comes to your city, and you like the band, then go ahead and drop on in!

My sister (left) and I (right) waiting for sound check to begin, not knowing what was in store for us that day!

My sister (left) and I (right) waiting for sound check to begin, not knowing what was in store for us that day!

Where to begin? Sound check of course. One of the biggest perks of our $250 VIP package was being able to attend sound check. For us regular VIP folk, unlike Ultimate VIP, we were told that seating for sound check would be based on first come first serve, so we went fairly early and arrived at the venue for 12:30pm as opposed to the meet time of 2:45pm. After waiting in a gated area in the middle of a mob full of other fans, they finally let us through and after receiving our awesome VIP laminate and tickets, were led to the Molson bridge to wait. While waiting, the tour guide raffled off some prizes which was very mediocre compared to watching Eleanor and Louis drive by in a taxi, Louis then walking backstage, and coming out onto the balcony, with Eleanor leaving the venue in the same taxi.

Then it was a race to finish as we all ran to our seats once they finally gave us the go to. We miraculously got the first row! There was nothing more exciting, nothing that got your heart pumping so fast that you wanted to pinch yourself to make sure what you were seeing was real when the five boys appeared on stage. Soooooooooo close. I honestly was in shock at the fact that they were standing right in front of me. Dressed casually with no hair (Zayn’s was flat) and no make up (Harry’s acne was visible) done, the boys were at their most comfortable and natural state.

When you thought it couldn’t get better than being front row during their private sound check…it did. I brought along two t-shirts to throw on stage for the boys. Both were red graphic T’s that said “I’m A Big Deal In Canada Eh!”.

(I actually had four t-shirts, the other two said “The Eh Team” but my sister blindly gave them to security when they searched us because they told her “anything for boys give to us and we will give it to them” but they obviously didn’t want fans throwing items at them. I was smart and said, “No I have nothing for the boys, these shirts are mine.” But she felt up the nicely wrapped t-shirts which were rolled and tied with a ribbon, and felt my cards/letters which I had to take out.)

Anyways, I managed to throw the first “I’m A Big Deal In Canada Eh!” shirt and it hit Zayn’s legs (who was on our side (the right) of the stage most of the time. He picked it up, read it, laughed and showed his fellow band members along with the audience!!! Then he gave it to Paul to give back to us (don’t know why, it was meant for him to keep) so Paul called out saying “Who’s is this?” Me and my sis obviously raised our hands but apparently so did girls behind us and he threw it to them. Zayn apparently saw this and got mad at Paul! Saying “Paul! No it was THEM who gave it to me!” pointing at me and my sister!! But Paul didn’t hear so he just let it be. (Note: my sister later confronted the girl who took the shirt and she surprisingly and kindly gave it back to us! So yes, I have in my possession the t-shirt that Zayn Malik touched, held and placed on his body)

The boys sang two songs and then it was time for questions. Boom! Things just got more surreal as I was chosen to be the first person to ask a question! It came out of nowhere. All I remember is everyone screaming and raising their hands to be picked to ask the boys a question. I kind of just stood there with a unsure look on my face and my hand half raised with not as much enthusiam as most around me. Yet our VIP host “Stix” came out of nowhere, patted me on the shoulder, and handed me the microphone. I kind of just stood there like “What the heck is happening?!” Fans were still talking and the band came to the edge of the stage to sit and answer questions. Then everyone sat down and I was left standing with the mic, so I pulled my (#1 fan) sister up beside me and whispered violently to her: THINK OF A QUESTION! WHAT SHOULD I SAY! She was just as flustered being put on the spot, so I just threw the microphone in her hands, and what she blurted out was “What is your next album going to be called and when is it going to come out?” Nice one right? LOL Google could have answered that. The boys were all like, “Uhhhhh we don’t have a name but it’s coming out at the end of the year.” The crowd then screamed and cheered, but they would have done so if one of the boys simply said, “eggs.”

Great opportunity we had there, didn’t really make the best use of it, but so grateful to have had it! When we asked the question the boys looked right at us, and talked directly to us!

Then while the boys were leaving the stage I threw my second and last red t-shirt in hopes of one of boys not only catching it but keeping it! And my wish was granted when the shirt hit Harry’s knees and he picked it up, looked at it, laughed and threw it over his shoulder taking it with him!

Harry and our red “I’m A Big Deal In Canada Eh!” shirt that he took with him.

Could it really get any better? The answer is yes!

We were left speechless and in awe after sound check. I would have been happy to go home right then and there. But the entire concert itself was still waiting for us! After getting our VIP swag bags (which was a 1D string bag, a poster, buttons and a tee), we grabbed some overpriced food (pizza for the sis, fries for me), paid $4.25 for water in a plastic cup (we wanted a bottle, but the band requested that all drinks be poured into cups, obviously they’re sick of bottles being thrown at them).

This is the exclusive merchandise we got with our VIP package.

We made some awesome friends along the way which helped to pass the hour or so we had to kill while stuck in the VIP waiting area. We weren’t allowed to leave until doors for the public opened at 6:30pm.

Once that time came we went through the pubic walkway and were greeted by an array of free stuff (glow sticks, Wonka candy, magazines etc.). Finally reaching the end after moving through the slow tide of people, we went to search out our seats. We had tickets for section 103, row E, seats 11 and 12. At first I was excited that we had the fifth row (if going alphabetically), then I was disappointed that we had section 103 which was one of the side and not 102 the middle.  But then I was excited again when someone told me row E for that side section is actually the first row! And when we actually went to our seats and saw them, I couldn’t help but be ecstatic because it was a perfect view!!! We were angled towards the middle of the stage with no one in front of us.

But of course it had to get better, right? Right.

So right in front of us was a platform and two security guards beside it. What’s so awesome about that? That’s where the boys jumped onto for fan interaction!!!! Yes Harry, Zayn, Liam, Louis and Niall were all centimeters away from me when I ran up to that platform and I was able to touch their hands! You couldn’t get closer to the boys than this, it was unreal! I could see every little detail of their faces and even made eye contact with the boys! It felt like my own private concert.

What else could happen to make this already seemingly perfect experience even better?

Some fan threw a Canada hat at Harry and he wore it for a bit of a song, then he laughed and threw it back into the audience and I happened to catch it!! (So yes in my possession is not only a shirt held by Zayn Malik, but a hat worn by Harry Styles! We checked, and no, there are no curly pieces of hair inside the hat).

Also, as a bonus we were fortunate enough to have the great Paul Higgins (directioners will immediately recognize this name, but for others he is the head of security and manager for the boy band) stand right in front of us, beside that glorious platform, during most of the show.

I wish this post could fully describe the experience, but it honestly can’t. Hopefully the memories and images in my head will be there for a long, long time.

Best. Day. Evaaaaaa
Fangirling done.

- @Naomi_ML

For a full gallery of photos from the concert visit experiencedmoments.com.