In honor of Hangout Fest approaching in t-minus one week, I felt it was necessary to write an article about festival season in general. Music festivals are one of the best parts of summer. And they’re perfect because it doesn’t matter what kind of music you like; there will most likely be some artist you’re a fan of at the festival. There’s Coachella, Lollapalooza, Gov. Ball, Warped Tour, Bonnaroo…The options are endless. Since Hangout Festival is the closest to me and has a beautiful lineup, and is not as expensive as some of the other options, Gulf Shores will be graced with my presence this upcoming weekend. Safe to say, I’m hella excited, and here’s why:

1. You can wear literally whatever you want.

And when I say this, I do actually mean it. Especially at Hangout Fest. Since it’s on the beach, many people choose not to wear much. Sometimes they shouldn’t do that, but no one can stop them. Even though it’s a liberating idea, people will usually see a lot more of each other than hoped. At the same time, though, the limit on outfit creativity does not exist. In my humble opinion, Coachella is known for being the most notably stylish festival, littered with people in kimonos and fringe and cutoff shorts and floppy sunhats. I have to say one of the best parts of music festivals, other than the music, would have to be figuring out what I’m going to wear, and then judging everyone else for what they wear. I may not be wearing Coachella-worthy attire, but I’ll at least have my fanny pack, which is no doubt the best addition to any outfit.

2. You never know who you’re going to see.

Obviously, when it comes to the performers, you know who you’re going to see. But so many people go to music festivals, though. Festivals like Coachella or Lollapalooza will probably have more celebrities than the smaller festivals, but that doesn’t mean you won’t possibly run into someone famous. There’s even a chance that you could see famous people and not even know it. When Amber Rose was feet away from me at Hangout Fest two years ago, I did know it, and I could hardly contain my excitement. But after going on Instagram and Twitter and seeing famous people talk about being there, it made me wish that I knew what every famous person looked like. This year, you won’t only be able to see me, but there’s so much potential to see celebrities at festivals like these. And just that thrill of possibility is enough to make me even more excited.

3. So. Many. Pictures.

I know this sounds as basic as hell, but did you even really go to a music festival if you didn’t put at least one picture on social media? Half of the fun of going to a music festival is letting everyone know that you went to a music festival. Plus, concert pictures are one of the best kinds of pictures, especially if your outfit is on point. Then, everyone won’t just know that you went to a music festival, but they’ll also know that you looked great doing so.

4. The atmosphere.

One of the reasons I love music festivals so much, Hangout especially, is because the atmosphere is so relaxed. Mainly, it’s because Hangout’s on a beach, but there’s so much more to it than that. Even though you may have to fight your way to the very front or keep telling people that one of your little siblings is up close to the stage (even if that’s not true), it’s only chaos if you want it to be. Usually, I like to be as close as I can for any concert that I go to, but at festivals you don’t have to do that. You can just sit in the back and listen to the music from afar and in peace, away from the crowd. Having the option to do either of those is what makes festivals so wonderful.

5. THE MUSIC!!!!

Saving the best for last, I’d have to say that the best part of music festivals is, obviously, the music. With music festivals, you can see so many of your favorite bands and musicians in one place. Even though the tickets may be a little more expensive than just one concert, overall it’s a deal. You can get as close as you want to any stage, and music is playing at all times of the day. If your favorite bands aren’t playing, there’s no doubt that if you wander around enough you’ll find another band that suits your fancy. I cried at least twenty billion times at the last music festival I went to, because everywhere I turned someone I loved would be on stage. And this year at Hangout I’ll probably do the same. Panic! at the Disco, Cage the Elephant, Walk the Moon, The Weeknd, Haim, Florence + the Machine, Ellie Goulding, Calvin Harris, Lenny Kravitz…It’s definitely going to be a festival to remember.

And if you aren’t going to Hangout or any other music festival this summer, my heart is full of pity for you. Actually, that was a lie. I’m too excited for this upcoming weekend to be sad about anything right now.