Bonnaroo Bound, Part 1: Six Steps to Properly Prepare for a Music Festival
Part 1 of a 3 part series.
Going to a music festival can be a little overwhelming, especially if it’s your first “camping” festival. Knowing what to take, how to go about it, and what to do once you get there are important to get right and key to enjoying the experience. After selling a kidney or shelling out a considerable amount of Daddy’s money to go, you are going to be determined to have a damn good time. Don’t screw it up for yourself and everyone else by making a rookie mistake. Here’s how you do it.
- Pick good people to go with. Camping festivals such as Bonnaroo can be really exhausting with “that annoying girl from work.” Get a good group of people together who are down for anything and responsible. You will probably still get fed up with someone/everyone in your group at some point, but choosing wisely will ensure that no permanent damage is done. Music festivals can be a great bonding experience, so bond with people who are worth it!
- Make a schedule of who you want to see, but don’t get attached to it. Be willing to skip that band you’ve seen twenty times to check out a nobody at a smaller stage. Window-shop bands to see who is worth seeing on tour at some other point during the year. You’re at a musical buffet; savor all that you can.
- Don’t get too ambitious and think you’re going to sneak a pound of shrooms into the festival. You’ll get arrested, and that pretty much sucks. A sober festival is better than no festival at all.
- Figure out what you can and cannot take, and plan accordingly. Glass is usually a no-no and a copious amount of sunscreen is an absolute necessity.
- Mentally prepare by getting over whatever is dragging you down. Entering a music festival is a lot like leaving the real world for a nice break. Ditch your mental baggage at the gate and plan on having nothing but positive thoughts about what you are experiencing. Events like Bonnaroo are magical; don’t miss out on all that because you’re hung up on petty crap that probably wont matter after the weekend is over.
- Bro. Don’t forget to take your tickets.
One of my favorite parts of any festival experience is getting ready for it. Excitement is building and adrenaline is pumping. It reminds you that life is about to get forty times better in a matter of hours. This is precisely why everyone needs to go to a music festival before they die. Put it on your bucket list, and check it off this summer.
