Every country lover that was not at Country Thunder last weekend should go crawl in a hole. 

Not only did you miss an opportunity to see all your favorite artists, but you also missed the opportunity to call this the best weekend of your summer, better yet year. Having never been to Country Thunder, I walked into last weekend blind. I packed accordingly after hearing stories and advice from others, yet there’s still so much I wish I knew. So here’s some consolidated advice for all you dummies.

1.    DON’T. MISS. THE. CONCERTS. Don’t be that idiot who comes to Country Thunder and doesn’t make it to one concert. Better yet, challenge yourself and try to make it to Electric Thunder. 

2.     Don’t get fancy with your food. Have someone bring a grill and load up on burgers and hot dogs. Besides that, maybe some chips, popcorn, granola bars, and Pop Tarts. The simpler, the better. This weekend will be very unhealthy so just accept it and don’t count the calories. 

3.     Spend the money, and rent your own campsite port-a-potty. It is more convenient than walking all the way to the public ones. However, keep it clean, otherwise it can get nasty. Don’t forget to bring your own toilet paper! 

4.     Bring comfortable, closed toe shoes. Your feet will get destroyed. 

5.     Dress as country as you can because this is the one time it is acceptable. Even better, people will compliment you on your outfits. And don’t forget some other necessities like a bathing suit to lay out in and a rain jacket for if it rains! 

6.     For those of you who are drinkers, prepare your liver. You can crack open a beer at 10 a.m., start drinking games by noon, be drunk by 2 p.m.

7.     Keep your phone fully charged. Chances are you will get lost at least once. 

8.     Use a distinct canopy at your campsite or mark it somehow with a flag. This makes life so much easier when you are wandering back “home.” 

9.     Speaking of campsites… Don’t be in General, it is far and none of your friends will visit you. Miller and Encore are the best locations. 

10. If you are underage, don’t attract attention to yourself and don’t walk around with drinks. Also, there is a rumor that there are more cops in Preferred and General 1 & 2 compared to Miller and Encore. Save yourself the drinking ticket. 

11. You don’t need an air mattress to put in your tent. All you need is a sleeping bag and some blankets if it’s a cold weekend. Chances are if you're a drinker, you'll be drunk enough every night to not notice how uncomfortable it is. 

12. If you can find a place to shower, do it. Everyone likes a nice hot shower to freshen themselves up. Also, take advantage of the Garnier reps there. 

13. SUNGLASSES AND HATS.  You are in the sun all day, every day. Don’t forget that sunscreen too. 

14. Bring a couple tables and lawn chairs. You aren’t going to want to stand all day, but you will want one table designated for games and the other to place things on. 

15. If you’re into drinking… BOOZE. What’s Country Thunder without some good ole beer and whiskey? 

16. And remember, "Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear. Beer before liquor... you’ll be okay." 

17. On the other hand, water. Bring lots and lots of water because you will be so dehydrated. 

18. Bring Advil and Tums. Nothing is worse than being the hungover friend, while everyone else is ready to rage. 

19. Wander around and meet new people. You’ll never see these fools again so say and do what you want. 

20. PICTURES. Take lots of pictures and videos. How else will you reminisce or figure out what you did the next morning?   

I wish all you newbs good luck next summer at your first Country Thunder. You won’t ever regret going and will make it a yearly tradition.