I remember how excited  the first time I bought tickets to a music festival. It was when I found out about a festival called ‘ Warped Tour’, that was inclusive to the type of music that I like (metalcore, pop punk, and post hardcore). I was around 13 and had never heard of this tour that had been around since 1995. I was so excited to be given the opportunity to see one of my favorite bands live. Instead of being logical and researching what I should do before a music festival, I was daydreaming about meeting my favorite band. Here are a few tips that I wish I had known before going to my first music festival:

1. Wear closed-toed shoes – Fortunately, I usually only wear closed-toed shoes. Most people at the show will be in a rush to get passes to meet their favorite bands, get band march, or rush to a certain stage. They do not care about your feet, and they will not attempt to get past you without stepping on you, trust me. If you think people at school stepping on your feet and apologizing within 2 seconds is bad, you’re not going to be happy if you decide to wear anything that is open-toed.
2. Arrive early – Like I said before, at music festivals a lot of people are in a rush. Some people will trample others in line in order to get where they “need” to be. If you decide to come later, you will probably lose your chance to meet your favorite band. If you are late, you may also miss performances that you want to see because you probably will not know the schedule/ time frame until you get inside of the venue. If you are a ball of anxiety like me, you will fear missing anyone/anything important.
3. Don’t try to fight people –Nobody like being pushed or shoved at a concert. If you intentionally try to start a fight, the only thing you are actually going to start is trouble. If you fight at a concert, it is possible for you to get kicked out, or hurt. I can imagine that being kicked out of a concert is like losing something valuable that you paid for. It’s a loss. People go to concerts to enjoy the music and the atmosphere, not to deal with immature people who want attention. Instead of pushing someone you can either ask them to give you a little space, which usually works.
4. Take someone with you  – You should not go to music festivals alone because it could be dangerous. People may also try to take your spot in line or in a crowd if they see that you are alone. Being alone at a concert is also not as fun as going with a friend. One of the best things about going to shows is being able to share the experience with someone.
5. Stay hydrated –It is very easy to become dehydrated at shows, especially in Florida. If you get dehydrated, you become more prone to passing out. Not only can you get injured while being passed out, but you also will miss parts of the show. If the band members who are on stage for 30 minutes are chugging water, then you definitely should be drinking because you will probably be outside all day.