In high school, my friends and I would go to the typical New Orleans music festivals, like Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 22 - May 2, 2016), Bayou Country Super Fest in Baton Rouge (May 27 - May 29, 2016), Voodoo Music + Arts Experience (October 28 - October 30, 2016), and BUKU Music + Art Project (March 11 - March 12, 2016). These are all great and really fun to go to, but what about the bigger and better known music festivals, like Bonnaroo (June 9 - June 12, 2016) and Lollapalooza (July 28 - 31, 2016)? I had the amazing opportunity to attend Bonnaroo last year and I can confidently say that it was the most eye opening and life changing experience.

Some people don’t understand the excitement of music festivals. So why am I so obsessed with them? First of all, the line-ups are usually amazing, with acts like the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Ellie Goulding. But even if you don’t see a familiar name on the line-up, it’s a perfect opportunity to branch out and learn about some new artists, genres, and music. Music literally has the power to bring together thousands of people and unite them. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?

It’s not only the line-up though. It’s also the experience itself. How often can you say that you’ve been in the same place as 80,000 other people from all over the world? If you’re like me and aren’t a fan of big crowds, take this as an opportunity to break out of your shell. Being around this many people at once really made me step out of my comfort zone and it was so worth it! The people I met at various festivals are some of the best friends I've met.

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. Attending music festivals out of state allows me to go on road trips with my friends. When we went to Bonnaroo, we were in the car for about 6 hours to Manchester, Tennessee. With good company, though, the ride goes fast and we were partying at Bonnaroo before we knew it. Besides New Orleans and Tennessee, you can find music festivals almost anywhere! There’s Coachella in California, Hangout in Alabama, Merlefest in North Carolina, and many more. See a list of upcoming music festivals around the United States.

All in all, my experience at Bonnaroo and other festivals has been life changing. I've heard some great music, met some amazing people, and done some exciting traveling. It's all really bittersweet to look back on and reminisce about. I can't wait to attend Bonnaroo again this year.