Festival season is upon us and many a college student will be attending at least one this summer. Most music festivals are held in huge, open campgrounds like the Gorge Amphitheater in eastern Washington, or Indio, a small town near Palm Springs, Calif. All of these locations, combined with high summer temperatures, make for some tough living conditions.
As someone who has been to her fair share of music festivals, I can tell you exactly what to do and what not do when attending one of these amazing weekends with some of your best friends, and I'm here to share my wisdom.
DO bring lots of water.
Hydration is key at these events. Even if you will not be partaking in any partying and will just be enjoying the music, you will be in the sun the majority of the day. This is extremely draining, and to remain energetic for days on end, you must drink your water. I highly recommend packing a coconut water or two to reload on electrolytes every morning.
DON'T drink beer for breakfast.
When I went to Watershed, a country festival held every August at the Gorge, we brought tons of water, but we pretty much just packed alcohol instead of food. This was not intentional, but because we only brought perishable food, we couldn't eat it after day two of the weekend. Always start your day with some kind of nutritionally sound meal. Avocados and bread are a must!
DO take care of your friends.
You probably spent a few hundred dollars to attend the festival, but so did
your friends. Make sure that not only you are being safe, but so are they. Make sure they're drinking their water and eating their avocados, and don't lose them. On
the first day of Watershed last year, one of my friends had a defective
wristband and got separated from our group. Long story short, it was a minor disaster, but it could have been a lot worse. Safety first, people!
DON'T forget your sunscreen.
From the moment you wake up until the sun sets, you'll be outside and in the heat. Sun protection is key; once you're in the throws of an awful sunburn, the quality of your weekend will decrease drastically. As a side note to this "don't," do remember to bring a canopy or tarp to set up over your campsite. The shade will come in handy way more than you might think.
DO go to every show you want to see.
Music festivals are just that: music festivals. Go see that band you've only heard once because maybe they'll be your new favorite. Seeing the headliners -- even if you don't like their music that much -- is always a good idea because their shows will be the biggest of the night. That's not to say that headliners are always better than smaller artists, though. Basically, go see everything you can, because you're only there for one weekend and you might as well make the most of it.
A few more tips:
Take a million photos, check the weather before you go, ball out on food on the last day, and don't bring too many ferrets.
Oh, and have fun!
