After almost three years, Harry Styles returned to the stage, and his Chicago show on Sept. 24 was incredible.

Standing in line outside the United Center, people of all ages were taking pictures and waiting for employees to check their vaccination cards. Slowly edging forward, I could hear many people complimenting each other’s outfits and forming relationships.

“Everyone was so nice,” sophomore Hazel Hayes, who attended the concert, says. “I was actually freaking out. … But I was so excited and I was just like, I can’t believe this is happening. It’s surreal.” 

After Jenny Lewis, a 45 year-old singer songwriter, got the audience ready with her amazing music and energy, Harry Styles rose up from underneath the stage to the beginning notes of his song “Golden.” The excitement of the crowd was so loud, I couldn’t even hear my own screams.

Dressed in his typical high waisted trousers and button up shirt, Style’s pants were white while his top was a sparkling black. These were paired with white suspenders and the occasional boa thrown at him by the fans.

The next 90 minutes were spectacular, but a blur.

“I’m still trying to process it. It was unreal,” sophomore and concert goer Natalie Lundgren, says. Lundgren still hadn’t processed the fact that she was seeing Harry Styles until the second he got on stage.

A universally favorite number was “Treat People With Kindness.” While the song itself sends a message, Styles danced around the stage with Black Lives Matter and Pride flags. 

“He’s done so much to help so many different people,” Hayes says. “He’s just an amazing person.”

Following right after this number, the beginning notes to a very familiar song came on, and Styles broke out into the One Direction hit “What Makes You Beautiful.” Being a 1D fan for almost 11 years, I just about died, along with the rest of the audience.

One of the other favorite numbers from the evening was “Fine Line.” It was the last song Styles played before heading off and returning for his encore. This song is already emotional as it is, but as the outro music played, Harry said farewell to each individual section, blowing them kisses and waving goodbye. 

All across different concerts and on Tik Tok, fans were wanting justice for “To Be So Lonely,” the one song off Fine Line that Styles didn’t sing. Although, on his second show in Chicago the next night, the widely missed song was finally sung. 

“I cried at Homecoming,” says Lundgren after hearing the news during the dance last Saturday night.

While people whose concerts had passed were upset, it was an exciting turn of events nonetheless.

In terms of COVID-19, individual attendees could’ve done better. 

“I think he and his team did the best that they could… but a lot of people had their masks down during it,” says Lundgren.

Although some masks were down, I felt pretty safe.

To enter the arena, people had to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result, and on top of that, wear a mask. Before he went on, Styles had a short message reminding people to keep their face coverings on and to thank us for being vaccinated. 

I feel extremely lucky to have been able to experience this show, especially after waiting a year and a half for the reschedule. It felt so special and will remain one of the best concerts of my life.

“The tour was supposed to be in 2020… and I was like, I’m never going to get to see this.” Hayes says. “But now that it happened, I’m just so grateful.”