This past summer I spent countless hours trying to win Ed Sheeran tickets in Minnesota. I entered every contest on Twitter (sending out tweets like “don’t have me ‘Ed Tearin,’ send me to Ed Sheeran”) … I called into radio stations every hour when they had tickets … I basically jumped at any opportunity that presented itself. I wanted so badly to be at Ed Sheeran’s show.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. I never won, tickets were really expensive to purchase and I was preparing for my big move to NYC. It just wasn’t the time. I was super bummed. Ed Sheeran is my person. He’s one of my favorite musicians. I adore his stage presence, his charm and how he’s adorably cute in a geeky fun way. His talent is so organic. His style so raw. I seriously love seeing him in concert.

That’s why this morning still feels like a dream. Let’s fast forward from my summer concert wishes to last night. 1 a.m. It’s nearly October, I’m living and thriving in New York City and summer is way past over. I’m supposed to be at my internship in Times Square at 9 a.m., then back at school in the evening for class. Right before I fall asleep, I think to check my email… and surprise surprise – I won tickets to Ed Sheeran’s performance the next morning in Good Morning America’s studios. WHAT?! There is no way. I submitted the entry on a whim, figuring since it was such high demand it would go unnoticed. But I won and of course I freaked out.

Have I mentioned how much I love New York? Less than six hours later I was Ed Sheeran bound and one of the lucky few who got to be serenaded by his endless talent. The opportunity made up for every missed concert and time not seeing him. I’m still pinching myself.

It was unreal. I’m still crying. Still fangirling. It was such a small, intimate performance and so beautiful. Ed sang some of my favorite songs off his latest album Divide and there wasn’t a person in the room who wasn’t swooning. His talent is so captivating.

My roomie Davis and I sat front row to all the action and got to see the magic of GMA’s broadcast up close. It was the greatest. I’m so glad to have met such wonderful friends in NYC who love venturing out to different events and concerts. Plus we’re both studying journalism so it was so fun to see the news like this (and we even made it to our internships on time :). What a morning.

Being back in a broadcast newsroom also made me realize how much I love that type of environment. The intense pace of it all. The art of being live on air and delivering the news despite any issues that might arise. The journey of bringing a show to life is so exciting. I loved seeing GMA up close like that.

Photos on set with Robin and Michael from GMA:

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Video I captured during one of Ed’s songs:

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The entire morning was a dream come true. I am so unbelievably blessed by New York City and all its endless opportunities. The concert enthusiast in me is fully living. There’s always something going on here and I love it. It’s days like these that make the thought of ever leaving here hard, but oh so worth it and memorable. A huge thank you to GMA for treating us so well and giving us the best experience possible.