Ever since the group of English young men in tight pants known as One Direction set foot on the X Factor’s bright stage, it only took a matter of days for young teenage girls to become completely enamored by the members’ accents, singing abilities and overall attractive appearances.

Juniors Taylor Hawkins and Jody Willmott start out their day by checking their smartphones for any new tweets from their beloved boy band. Setting their phones to receive notifications anytime the members tweet, they’re always up to date on the latest One Direction news.

“You start following every account [because] you always want to know what they’re doing.” Willmott said. “I have a wall in my room that’s just posters of [One Direction], that was probably the tipping point when when I [thought], ‘This is taking over my life.’”

Hawkins and Willmott soon realized their obsession with the band unintentionally became all consuming.

“Once we started, we didn’t think we’d be so obsessed with them,” Hawkins said. “They’re a part of our daily lives. It gives us something to do, be excited about and look forward to.”

One of the most vital parts of being a fangirl is to pick a favorite out of all of the group members.

“My favorite band member is Liam Payne,” Hawkins said. “I feel like if we did meet in person, our personalities would match. There’s a special connection you have with [your favorite member], I found him the most attractive, and I feel like he’s the sweetest one.”

Both of the fans agree that if they met their favorite members, they would feel an immediate connection.

“[My favorite member is] Niall [Horan],” Willmott said. “I know if I met him in person we would really get along. When you see them, how they interact, you pick [a favorite] that you feel like you would get along [with].”

Meeting the band is a goal for the two fans. They often envision what it would be like to meet them in person.

“If I met the band, I want to say that I would be calm,” Willmott said. “I wouldn’t want to be the girl that would cry and faint, but I know I would do that. It would completely change my life. It’s like meeting your idol, meeting someone you’ve looked up to and has affected your life.”

Hawkins also wishes to come off to the band as cool and collected, but admits her feelings toward the members might be too overwhelming.

“We talk about [meeting One Direction] a lot, but if we met them, we would have to act normal, we couldn’t freak out at first because we want them to like us and think, ‘Oh they’re cool; they’re not like every other fan,’” Hawkins said. “After, I’d probably cry or freakout because I had just met the love of my life.”

Despite the negative image of intense obsession that comes with being a fangirl, One Direction gives the fans an outlet for their passion.

“I think it would be weird not having someone to look forward to, get excited about for a song coming out, [going] to [their new] movie or getting [their new] album,” Hawkins said.

The truth about fangirls is that their band obsessions simply make them happy. Everyone is a fangirl about something; it just depends on how much energy a person invests into the thing they’re passionate about.

“People make fun of me, but [One Direction] gives me something to look forward to and be happy about so I don’t really care,” Willmott said. “Other people have things that they’re interested in; this is just what I like.”