We’re well into the music festival season at this point of the year, and until recently I didn’t even know about all the music festivals that happened at this time. There are the most popular festivals, like Coachella and EDC, but there are also many similar festivals that happen all over the country. I’m always reminded of my first experience going to a three-day music festival during this time. I had always gone to concerts in the past but this experience was something completely different. My first music festival was BottleRock in Napa, California and I loved it so much that I go to all kinds of festivals now. In fact, I just went to BottleRock again this year. I feel that going to a music festival at my age is something that everyone needs to experience.

Music festivals are definitely for the music lovers. Concerts provide a great experience to see at least one or two bands that you would really like, but a music festival often has over 50 bands throughout a three-day weekend. At my first festival, I saw so many bands that I thought that I would never see because their tours would never bring them to the city where I lived. The greatest moment for me at my first festival was seeing one of my favorite bands, Passion Pit, perform. Passion Pit was one of the last bands to play during one of the nights, so I was already exhausted from being in the sun the entire day, but when they came on stage I was renewed with energy. I had rolled my ankle previously in the day, but when the songs started playing I was jumping in the air with the rest of the crowd. It is such a great feeling to be surrounded by people who all want to hear the same band as you, and then once that band is over, all rush to the next stage to get as close as you can to watch the performance of another band.

Festivals also provide a sense of community that I haven’t really experienced anywhere else. My experiences so far are that everyone is usually so nice to one another at these festivals. People will share water, sunscreen and even food with anyone. At my first festival, a random guy handed me a beer that he had just bought because he said I looked like I needed it more than him. Going to these festivals has made me more community-minded. I feel as though I try to emulate that same sense of community in my normal life. It is difficult to experience this type of kindness in the world, so I feel that it’s important to go a festival, experience the community, and bring that mindset with you to your normal life.

Although festivals are great experiences that I feel everyone should have, you also have to be prepared for what to expect. These festivals are so draining because most of time you’re out in the sun for the entire day, so it’s important to stay hydrated and eat food throughout the day. I’ve seen many people pass out because they drank too much and weren’t drinking enough water. Besides that, the exhaustion you feel from all the standing and walking to see your favorite bands is definitely a good feeling. At the end of the night when you’re hobbling to your car, the pain you feel from a tired body will remind you of the phenomenal day that you just experienced.