How to make the most of this summer’s music festivals

Summer is a unique time of year, for everything about it is fleeting. The relationships you form, the undertakings you pursue and even the body you work to maintain all tend to be distinct aspects of the season.

This is why we millennials revel in summer: It’s the time of year when we dig ourselves out of the daily rut of classes and responsibilities and move toward an environment that rewards impulsivity with new adventures and punishes caution with boredom. So it’s essential to take advantage of this short time by allowing summer to take you away from the norm and propel you into these new and fulfilling experiences.

One example of a unique summer exploit is music festivals, which successfully embody the summer attitude of removing all inhibitions. Crowds of people, with faces kissed by the sun and dirtied by sweat and paint, share only one concern — the music.

This carefree attitude explains the lack of hygiene, but it also exemplifies precisely why music festivals are such fantastic summer experiences. They provide a setting in which concerns are left outside of the festival area and are replaced with music. While festivals only last a couple of days, they leave participants feeling physically exhausted, yet ardently fulfilled. So even if you’re a casual music fan, shelling out the cash to attend one of these events will most likely end up being a worthwhile summer investment. 

In order to make this venture fulfilling, preparation and planning before the festival is in order. You can’t simply wing something as epic as this. While grocery lists and proper shoes become necessities, having good friends with you is the most essential. Naturally, having friends with you provides a bit more comfort, therefore making your awkward dancing seem less awkward — it’s discernibly easier to let loose with accepting friends by your side. 

But don’t be afraid to talk to strangers when at the festival. Most festivalgoers are as friendly as they are interesting — perhaps because the good majority of them are under the influence of something — but never mind that. The crowd is part of the experience, and you will most likely find yourself feeding on the energy of those around you. After all, you don’t want to simply stand there when everyone else is jumping up and down — that’s not proper festival etiquette. 

In order to have a good time, you should simply follow the crowd and disregard standard social conventions while there. Embrace the carefree attitude of your fellow festivalgoers and acknowledge the limited time you have to fully absorb the experience. 

This holds true for the tailgating aspect of the festival as well. That is, if your festival of choice has tailgating. 

If your festival does, it’s a plus because tailgating depends on those around you. While tailgating before the concerts, it’s common for festivalgoers to graciously share grills, burgers and, of course, beverages, for the sake of a good time. Thus, an atmosphere of absolute summer perfection emerges, in which awesome people, great food and relaxation become the main attractions. 

By the time you reach the actual concerts and you’ve had your fill of hot dogs and beer, you should be ready for some music. Normally, there are all types of bands to choose from, and there is no better way to experience a new band than to do so live. Hence, when you’re waiting for the bands that you already knowingly love, take advantage of this opportunity to experience some new music, which will most likely result in the expansion of your iTunes library after the festival.  

At first, this melodious diversity might cause sensory overload. Throughout the day, electronic beats and heavy guitar riffs bombard you, lightshows entertain you, and the smells of barbeque and weed litter the air. Consequently, there’s a lot to take in.Try not to worry about experiencing everything. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s really best to just be spontaneous. It’s important to remember during a concert that there’s really no time like the present. Enjoy what each concert has to offer, and don’t worry about the daily itinerary. Leave all the work to the bands, who will keep the energy flowing all day. Don’t fret, just enjoy the seemingly endless party.

After all of this nonstop music and dancing, you’ll discover muscles you didn’t know could get sore, but also, memories that you never thought you’d be able to make. When that realization hits you — that you just saw all of these incredible bands in such a short amount of time — it should become apparent how rewarding music festivals can be. And as long as you embrace the proper festival attitude, spending the money on festival tickets should be far from regretful.