This year I had the opportunity to attend Rock on the Range, a rock festival held at MAPFRE stadium in Columbus, Ohio. Rock on the Range is the most popular and best rock festival in the United States, bringing together 50+ bands, comedians, and vendors for three full days of music, beer, and food.

I had the time of my life at ROTR seeing some of my favorite bands (I Prevail, Avenged Sevenfold, Three Days Grace, Alice in Chains, From Ashes to New, etc.) but I also learned a lot. This was the first festival I had ever attended and so this was all new water to me, but nonetheless, it was a great time. Please, learn from my mistakes.

1. Know who you want to see before you get there

The first day, I spent 2 hours sitting in uncomfortable seats getting rained on with my boyfriend because we didn't plan out who we wanted to see and when. We didn't leave our seats either because we were afraid to leave stuff there and then lose them when we came back. We finally got smart on the last day and didn't come until around 1 o'clock when bands actually started playing.

2. Try not to pay with a credit/debit card at all, cash is best

Life was so much easier when I was able to pay with cash for merch, food, and drinks. The line went quicker, there was often lanes for cash only that had little to no wait, and it was so much easier to manage my money and budget it. I took out $100 at the beginning, spent $30 on a t-shirt, and the rest went to water and soft pretzels with no salt and cheese.

I ran out of cash on the last day when I had to buy my last water bottle. Speaking of water...

3. Stay hydrated

Even though water bottles were $5.50 a piece at the stadium, and there was a strict "No outside food and beverage" policy, hydration was the most important thing to me that entire weekend. My boyfriend and I were downing water like it was our job.

Dehydration is no joke, just ask all the people around us that passed out and/or puked because their idea of staying hydrated was drinking 24oz cans of beer like it was the only thing left on Earth.

4. Dress smart

Dressing smart is one of the most important things about going to any type of event that is outside for a long period of time. I got a pretty nice sunburn after the first day on the tops of my thighs and my chest, and so I suffered through an eighty-degree day with pants and a t-shirt on so that the burn wouldn't get worse.

Keeping colors on the lighter end of the spectrum and wearing low weight clothing is your best option for being out this summer. You want that perfect balance of protection from the sun and protection from the heat. Hats should be your best friend.

5. SUNSCREEN

Warning: if you are squeamish about the human body, skip this next part.

Here are a few pictures of the sunburn that I managed to get over the course of five hours on Sunday, even with the regular application of sunscreen once every thirty minutes.

I have a nice third-degree sunburn on my left shoulder that is just now starting to peel a week later. Wear sunscreen.

6. Have a backup plan

We went through rain showers on Friday, severe weather alerts that ended in multiple hours of waiting outside the stadium on Saturday, and mind-melting heat on Sunday. Ohio's weather changes quicker than the sets on stage, so having an idea of what it is at least supposed to be like that day is one of the best ways to stay on top of it.

8. Expect the best, prepare for the worst

Hope for clear skies and sun and rainbows with pots of gold at the end of them, but be prepared for literal death. You'll thank yourself later when something goes wrong but you're prepared for it.

9. Bring your best singing voice ... and ear plugs

You will spend all three days singing at the top of your lungs while the music is blasting so loud that you can feel it in your organs. If you have any family history of hearing problems, or if you just want to be safe, earplugs are a great thing to have on hand.

10. Have fun

You should leave the festival wanting to return the very next day. It's all about how fun you make it for yourself, and if you're not having the time of your life, try harder.

Sit back and enjoy the music.