1. You’re exhausted.
No, not studying for two days straight or being an idiot and drinking all weekend “exhausted.” Physically and mentally exhausted — so drained that anything besides sleeping is genuinely beyond your capability. You just spent a weekend in the beautiful, 90+ degree, Coachella valley for three days. Impeccable music, legendary food and one of a kind memories have just become your whole life, and I solely guarantee you won't be able to find the words to explain it. Oh, and then there’s the part about baking in the sun for hours each day.
2.The world is loud.
Festivals, they sneak up on you. Music, talking, people coughing and even people screaming isn't just annoyingly loud because you feel like crap, you also can’t hear a damn thing. So go ahead, tell people, "I'm sorry I can't hear you," or "Speak up." You've got to find a way to keep up even after a weekend away.
It’ll get better, but it takes a few days of no music at all or we're bringing back John Mayer and Jack Johnson until our ears have restored.
3. You’re broke.
Those frozen lemonades, the watermelon, a Ferris Wheel ride, the ticket itself... No matter how you do Coachella, though there are cheaper options and more expensive ones, is it never a “cheap weekend.” Except all you lucky brats who get to go for free, we act like we don't care, but we notice as we watch our money continuously slip away all weekend.
4. You have to go back to “real life."
The quotations are to acknowledge that Coachella is another world, and it’s a whole lot better than the one we live in.
What is homework? What is school? “No, you can’t call in sick, you’ve been gone all weekend.”
It'll be okay — you'll catch up on sleep, ask people to be quiet and reminisce for hours, because you know that you have at least 20 videos to replay over and over.
5. And begins a new waiting game.
One year. One year until you get to frolic and just “be” with some of the most genuine people you have chosen to surround your life with.
Seventy-two hours, you wouldn't know, but it’ll change your life. Coachella does this crazy thing where it brings thousands of people from all over the world to experience and share one special love: music.
6. All you’ve got is memories.
But, when you’ve rested up, you’ll be ready to tell stories for hours.
Just know you gave it your best and you're happy with everything you did. If it's meant to be, you'll be seeing that rainbow dessert soon.
Congrats on conquering, Coacheller friends.
(Also, take off your bracelet. After five years I know that it's hard, but it's also nasty after a while. It's cloth, give it a snip after a month or so.)
