“C’mon, it’s not even that illegal!” my friend Maggie says to me with excitement in her eyes. It’s hard to hear anyone when you’re walking through Chicago during rush hour. Lucky for me, Maggie has a bellowing and commanding voice. I look at her with a concerned expression, unsure of what to say. I go through the options in my head. Pro: We probably wouldn’t get caught, considering Maggie has done this before, and it would be such a blast if we pulled it off. Con: I could very likely crack under pressure and my conscious would be clouded with guilt. My anxiety reigns high, thinking of the possible consequences.

“Well, what are you thinking?” Maggie asks, making me realize I’ve yet to give her a response. Her piercing green eyes are staring in my soul.

“I just really feel like I need to think it over more, consider my options and weigh the consequences,” I say trying to give an excuse.

“We don’t have time, Dane. It starts tomorrow. C’mon please! What’s the worst that could happen, honestly?” She says.

She’s right. What IS the worst that could happen? It’s summer vacation and I’m spending everyday in Chicago with great friends. I’m young and I’m free. When you’re a teenager, you have to do something spontaneous, exciting, and somewhat illegal, it’s basically a right of passage.

“OK,” I say with certainty, “Let's sneak into Lollapalooza.”

The next morning, after our writing class, I meet Maggie between Michigan Avenue and State Street. On my way, I notice many rowdy teenagers with strange face paint, little clothing, and obnoxious voices. I assume all these kids are going to Lolla. For some reason, when you attend a music festival that costs hundreds of dollars, you act more annoying than you would normally and your thirst for attention is at its peak. Sounds like a modern day curse. “Why would I even want to be like them?” I think to myself, regretting my decision of agreeing to this madness. I see Maggie at the corner of the street staring at her phone. She's wearing her ash grey hair in a messy bun with a white bralette and metallic gold shorts. Her elegant pale complexion blinds my eyes in the scorching sun and her glittery gold nails aren’t helping. But at least Maggie looks cool, unlike all these other fools.

“Ready to go?” Maggie says excitedly. My hands have already started sweating.

“Yeah, I think so” I say nervously.

We walk down Michigan Avenue and get in the side entrance line. The line is all the way down the sidewalk and is packed to the brim. I’m forced to be in the middle of a group of girls, all already reeking of cannabis. Maggie and I look at each other and roll our eyes. As we wait in line, we see other kids trying to get in the fest with alternative means. A pair of guys wrapped purple skittle wrappers around their wrists to make it look like the official wristband. During the duration of our wait in line, multiple people, mostly of athletic nature, decided to jump the nine-foot-tall fence and run. Similar to our plan but with less climbing and jumping. About an hour later, we reach the front of the line. Maggie looks at me with reassurance and nods her head. I nod back.

“Hey guys, flash your wrists real quick?” says the usher nonchalantly. He’s not even scanning the bar code that's supposed to be on the actual wristband. I wouldn’t be surprised if the skittle wrapper guys got in.

We stay quiet for as long as we can. The usher just shakes his head with wide eyes, unsure of our next move. My forehead starts sweating and I can feel my heart in my stomach. I can see the crowd of people ahead of us and almost feel faint. “Is this even worth it?” I think to myself with my head already out of the game. All of a sudden, Maggie starts bolting and I immediately run after her.

“YO, WHAT THE?!” I hear the usher scream behind us.

Maggie and I run with lightning speed into the vast crowd of ravers and their flashing lights. I don’t look back but I can tell he was running after us. So many thoughts were running with me. Regret and confusion came first, then fear and exhaustion. Then finally, relief and excitement after we ducked in a roaring crowd that was watching a random EDM artist. Maggie looks back and tells me that we’re in the clear and I hug her tightly with awe. I can’t believe I pulled that off! The rest of the night was spent screaming and raging with my friend and other crazy kids.

Sneaking into Lolla was an experience that I never actually thought I'd pull off. Four years ago, sneaking into an event that costed hundreds of dollars with thousands of people wouldn't have even crossed my mind. It made me feel a type of rush I never felt before, like a good kid gone bad. After this, I feel as though anything else I would be scared of can't even compare to this event. It gave me a new sense of confidence and bravery that I probably wouldn't have developed at this age otherwise. I know how to make my life more exciting and I've learned not to take things too seriously, ultimately making me a more carefree and laid back person. I, in no way, believe that this event makes me cooler or smarter than everybody else; there were hundreds of people who were doing the same thing at Lolla and not for the first time, like me. My self-confidence has improved and my view of the world has changed, which is an important thing to recognize when you’re a growing teenager. Moving forward, life will seem easier and I'll be less afraid and less anxious in my everyday life.