Social media feeds are waking up and greeting spring/summer with flashy light shows, beautiful people decked out in glitter and bright colors deemed socially unacceptable for day-to-day life and bass drops that make your heart flutter even from the skimpy phone speaker.

My heart aches for all of the DJ sets I have been forced to watch through my television screen and the countless countries I can’t afford to rage my days and nights away. The bucket list of festivals continues to grow as the scene becomes more and more popular.

However, even if I can’t physically join my fellow festival goers, I am always there in spirit, remembering just how great the festival experience is. Sometimes other people don’t totally understand my taste in music and the fact that my wardrobe is speckled with tie-dye cat shirts, elaborate bralettes, sheer shirts and extensive glitter and flower crown head band collection.

I don’t need anyone to understand my taste of excitement, but I hope this list at least opens your mind to the allure of multi-day dance marathons in sweltering heat, camping too close to hundreds of thousands of other humans and questionable shower facilities.

And, it has nothing to do with the excessive drug and alcohol use (and abuse) you hear the most about.

Festivals offer the freedom to forget about the monotonous routine of “real life.”

If you have ever gone to any kind of musical spectacle, you know just how exciting it is to be around people who enjoy the same music as you. The music and the crowd provide a delightful cocktail of good energy and pure happiness. Festivals provide that feeling on a much larger scale.

You get to experience multiple countries, all in one place.

Any time you go to a large-scale festival you are going to meet people from all over the world. I love that I have camped next to a group from Michigan, people from Mexico, others from Belgium and proud Australians. At a festival, no matter where in the world you are, you will find someone from an entirely different part of the world and I love that.

Acceptance and unity are an unspoken rule

With all of the disrespect, hatred and bad news we have grown accustomed to, going to a festival can be an immense sigh of relief to your soul. I tend to just view other people as human beings who deserve respect. I don’t judge many people throughout my daily life, but festival attendees (and even many employees, crew and law enforcement officers) are too happy and excited to be rude and judgmental, at all. I mean, everyone is usually dressed in fun outfits (or in barely any clothing at all) and jumping around the best they can in a massive crowd. There are almost no social rules in place to make people feel one way or the other about anyone else. We all share the same desire to listen to good music, enjoy time with friends, both familiar and new, and ignore the responsibilities waiting for us at home.

The music

Obviously, the main attraction that draws thousands of strangers together is the promise of insanely awesome line-ups back-to-back, at multiple stages that usually force you to decide between your favorite artists (which can make you feel as guilty as a parent who confessed which child is the favorite).

Not only do you get to see your favorite DJs and bands throughout multiple days, but you also get the chance to listen to so many other artists that you may have never knew existed. When I went to TomorrowWorld 2014 (RIP TW), I discovered my love for Tropical House music. Nothing can ruin your mood if you’re listening to Kygo or Thomas Jack. Nothing.

The kindness and generosity of strangers

I have had the pleasure to witness so many acts of kindness just at music festivals. Anything as simple as sharing food and light sticks can feel like a major win for humanity, but seeing multiple people show genuine concern for another person by offering water, support and even life-saving medical attention really gives you hope that there are good people in this world. If you see your fellow ravers looking like they need some help, even just giving up an extra bottle of water could make a huge difference.

The food selection

Since festivals are the closest you can get to traveling the world in three days, then the food is bound to be interesting. At first, I thought festival food would be the typical, overpriced, disappointment you may find at any stadium or concert venue. I am so happy that I was proven completely wrong for thinking such a thing. There are so many choices for refreshments that you may actually gain weight, despite the hours of walking and dancing one endures for the weekend.

Attendees have the choice to indulge in multi-cultural foods for every kind of craving. I even found many delicious, vegetarian options so that I could continue with my (at the time) new diet venture of going meat-free. Also, the prices are actually surprisingly decent, but don’t expect to get a cup of coffee right away unless you’re still awake at 6 A.M. or can stomach old coffee at 3 P.M.

The memories, the experiences and the surprising sense of accomplishment

Not to get super sappy, but there really aren’t many better feelings than reliving the greatest three to five days of your life. Many people have expressed their discomfort with the idea of being in crowds of people during the hottest months of the year, at outdoor venues with no certainty for clear skies (i.e. the mud pit that was DreamVille at TomorrowWorld 2015). However, you will not get to meet so many interesting people in one place as you will at a festival. You have the opportunity to be whoever you want to be and not one person will judge you for that. At a festival you make the best connections with strangers-turned-friends and make long-lasting memories with the friends you go with.

The festival world is unlike any other and offers countless opportunities to completely let go of whatever negativity may be bringing you down and simply live in the moment. You can become a resourceful person, with more physical strength than you ever imagined you had in you. Walking the treacherous miles from your car to your camp or to the festival entrances is a test of power and resilience. Dancing endlessly until dawn for three days can truly build your stamina, lung capacity and muscle tone. You feel exhausted mentally and physically, with every part of your body screaming in pain, even a week after you get home.

But, the wild memories and ultimate feeling of happiness and freedom are so worth the pain and sunburns, brutal hangovers and sprained ankles (in my defense, I sprained my ankle the week before a festival and I just happened to make it worse the five days I spent dancing).