John Green has done it again. After the success of TFIOS and last June's fantastic "Night Before Our Stars" event (which you can read about here,) I was beyond excited to not-only hear that Paper Towns was receiving a movie but also that it would also get its own special event, hence, "A Night on the Towns" was born!

   Being the huge Nerdfighter I am, I jumped on the chance to see the movie a few hours earlier than everyone else! Paper Towns is the story of Quentin and Margo Roth Speigelman, two Orlando teens, and the love, scandal, and mystery of their lives. As it's set in Orlando and something my best friend and I share, the book is incredibly special to me. I first read it my junior year of high school, but while rereading to refresh for the movie, the themes of leaving high school and the friends you have while you're there really hit home. It's a great read for anyone about to graduate; basically, it's wonderful.


   Thursday afternoon, my mom and I went out for a bit of shopping before the movie started. Unfortunately, we overshot a bit on our time and ended up at the theater around 4:30. Seems fine, right? It would be, but the movie didn't actually start until 8:30. Oops. We killed time playing cards, chatting about college and what I have left to prepare, and just spending the afternoon laughing and hanging out while I'm still at home. A few other people began to show up around 6, and soon the queue was filling up and it was almost time for the movie to begin!

   Also around 6, I tweeted a question into the Q&A. Hold that thought.


   The doors opened around 8, and my mom and I snagged seats in the very back of the theater smack dab in the middle of the row. My mom went out and grabbed some snacks, and we tucked in for some popcorn, sweets, and the film. The film absolutely blew my expectations; I had my reservations about some of the casting and some doubts about whether or not the film would actually be Orlando-esque, but I am in love with the way it turned out. It gave the same feelings I got when reading the book, and the chemistry and relationships between all the characters was spot-on to how I'd imagined them. It had you giggling, questioning, and reflecting on what high school and friendship really mean.

   After the film was over, we had about five minutes in between the film and the livestream, so everyone booked it to the restroom and back so as to not miss anything!

   Hosted by Tyler Oakley and Jessi Cruickshank, the livestream featured most of the cast and some of the crew of the film, as well as musical performances from Saint Motel and Nat and Alex Wolff. Some adorable dancing by Cara and Nat, John's belly button cameo, and wonderful banter provided great insight into the behind-the-scenes of the movie.


   Now, remember how I mentioned that I tweeted a question in? Well, about three questions or so in to the Q&A, I hear Tyler Oakley say "Our next question comes from @Secondbeckfast" and lets just say my heart absolutely stopped. That's right, Tyler Oakley read my twitter handle to a global audience. I told my mom, I told the girl next to me, I texted my friend who was also in the theater, and I was so excited I didn't even hear the answer to my question. All I know is I basically had a conversation with John Green, and that's probably one of the most amazing things in my life so far. Hopefully I can find the livestream online, because as of now I'm still not sure what the answer to my question was!

   Overall, the night was just a wonderful experience. From spending time with my mom, to watching the film, to having my question selected for the Q&A, the whole evening was absolutely splendid. I can't wait to see what else comes from John and these producers, because if they make an Abundance of Katherines or Looking for Alaska as good as TFIOS or Paper Towns, I will be one happy Nerdfighter. As I go off to college, having these movies and books will remind me of where I've come from, giving me a sense of home, while inspiring me to push myself to explore and learn all I can while I'm still young and to carry that with me as I grow up.


   To John and the whole crew, a million thank-you's for creating something so absolutely special to so many people and for making the Nerdfighter community proud.

Good Morning, everyone!
   So a few weeks ago, my best friend and I went to the Thursday night premiere of "The Fault in Our Stars," the movie based on the best-selling novel by author John Green. You could say we were just a wee bit excited.

My (very basic) TFIOS inspired manicure for the night.

   Assuming there would be a long line, we arrived around 5:30 (a mere three hours before the movie was set to begin.) Much to our surprise, we were only the second group of people in line, and it was about an hour before anyone else showed up! Despite our early arrival, we managed to stay entertained by playing cards, talking, and mentally preparing ourselves for the movie (which included comparing the amount of tissue packages we'd each brought with us.)

Me and the best friend, pre-movie selfies to pass the time!

  The doors opened, and we were able to go into the theater. Each of us at this showing received  The "Night Before Our Stars" started, prompted by a short video introduction by John Green himself, and as the movie began we were all immediately immersed in the world of Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters.
   The movie was fantastic, and sharing the experience with other Nerdfighters and TFIOS fans made it all the more special. We made a few new friends, and the post-movie live stream was a wonderful experience. It included musical performances, as well as a Q&A with the cast and the ever-so-wonderful lost cameo by John Green himself.
  The whole experience was great, and spending it with my best friend made it so much better. I can't wait until Paper Towns is out and ready to watch, because we'll be the first ones in line!