Identity Magazine is all about achieving within your life and career–especially when it comes to having fun. If you’re heading to a festival, you’ll want to read these top tips for the best festival experience.
[Tweet “Check this list–and check it twice–or your festival fun will pay the price.”]8 Music Festival Must-Haves
Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a first-time festival goer, it never hurts to read through a checklist of essential, must-have items to pack for your music festival.
Which one you’re attending makes no difference; Lalapalooza, Coachella and Stagecoach fans alike should all be bringing these items along (or risk being majorly bummed)
Sunscreen
It’s hot out there. Forgetting to bring SPF can earn you a major sunburn which might be severe enough to ruin your weekend (and create enough permanent damage to last you a lifetime).
Most festivals don’t allow aerosol sprays inside, so opt for the creamy kind. Pro tip: when you’re packing your lip balm, make sure it includes a minimum of SPF 15 to prevent your lips from getting chapped.
Cover-Ups
Shade can be hard to come by, so be sure to bring a hat to provide yourself some relief from those intense desert rays.
Sunglasses are also imperative to shield out the sun; bring a pair that offers actual protection–those translucent, colorful shades that are currently in trend won’t do anything for you.
You’ll also want something to cover your nose and mouth to protect your respiratory system from the copious amount of dust. Bring a scarf or bandana or risk coughing up black for a week after.
Phone Charger
Whatever type of phone you have or whatever prowess you think it has does not matter–it will die at the music festival. And pics or it didn’t happen, right? But in all seriousness, you’re going to want your phone, if not for social media then for practical reasons such as contacting your friends amongst 100,000 people.
You might be able to find a charging station throughout the festival, but you should just bring your own portable power bank instead. It’s always smart to have an established meeting spot if anyone gets lost–just in case.
Comfortable Shoes
Your Fitbit will be happy as you log steps across the campgrounds; your feet will be happy if you were smart enough to pack comfortable shoes. Do not sacrifice comfortability in the name of fashion when it comes to your foot ware.
Bring practical shoes that provide support; otherwise you could be mad at yourself by day one. Pro tip: if you’re buying a new pair of comfortable shoes, be sure to break them in beforehand or watch out for painful blisters to follow.
Accessories
If you’re all about the fashion component of music festivals, that’s fine, but we recommend making accessories your top priority. They’re far cheaper to buy than purchasing entire ensembles, and they offer far more creative possibilities.
Wearing something that’s cute and trendy won’t be “cool” if it lacks sun protection, comfortability, or support. Instead, stand out within a sea of bohemia using bangles, earrings and watches for women.
Nighttime Wear
Desert climates are prone to severe temperature changes; it can reach near the triple digits during the day and dip into the 60’s at night. Bring a jacket or appropriate nighttime wear to prevent getting chilly at night.
If you’re camping this year instead staying of staying in off-site accommodations, keep this in mind and be sure to bring enough warmth to sustain you through the night (you’re going to need that sleep!).
Hydration
With all that dancing and walking, it’s imperative to stay hydrated–and easy to forget about drinking water.
We recommend bringing a Camelbak to keep on your person for easy hydration; sip it throughout the day and refill it as needed.
Remember that everything is much more expensive once you’re inside the gate. Even if you don’t bring a hydration pack, be sure to hang on to any water bottle you buy and continue to repurpose it at the refill stations.
Backpack
Camelbaks are convenient because they also offer storage space, which you’re definitely going to need (to store all these items in, for example). Unless you have someone to carry everything for you, you’ll want a backpack or purse to have your belongings on hand.
If you want to feel free and unencumbered, rent a locker instead. Be careful, though; these will fill up fast.
Spring and summer are nearly synonymous with festival season. Don’t spend a fortune this year and show up empty handed. Check this list–and check it twice–to make sure you have the most fun possible!
Identity Magazine is all about guiding women to discover their powers of Self-Acceptance, Appreciation, and Personal Achievement. We ask that every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the current article they have written. In that way, and as a team, we hope to encourage and motivate each other, thus inspiring you to Get All A’s.
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
I have accepted that it is impossible to please everyone. I struggled for years to fit in with what I thought were the “cool kids,” but in the end I was unhappy because I felt I could never be my true self.
I now accept that to be my true self, as an individual, means that not everyone will like me, and that I can’t please everyone. But I now understand that being myself brings to me the most fulfilling relationships.
2. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
I have learned to appreciate my family more, flaws and all. When I was young, my parents had a very busy life, and struggled to just make ends meet in our family. As a result, I became resentful that they never spent enough time with my siblings and I.
Now I appreciate them more, because they worked so hard for our family, and I am grateful now that I can have a stronger relationship with them as an adult and have a truly fulfilling relationship with them.
3. What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
The most rewarding thing I have ever done was when I decided to study abroad in Barcelona for a semester. I really felt like I broke out of my shell. Being in an unfamiliar place where you can’t speak the language is difficult, but I gained so much confidence in myself that I can achieve my dreams in life. I still have a passion for travel. I would love to become a travel writer one day and circle the globe!
4. Of course, we all have imperfections, or so we think. In truth, we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? Likewise, what imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
Sometimes, I get self-conscious that I’m too weird for people. For example, I love to spend the day inside reading books instead of partying all the time. Despite staying home, I’m actually love being with people. So a lot of extroverts don’t understand that I enjoy time alone too.
Not everyone gets that that is just me! I also have what I guess is a strange sense of humor. Some people call it an intelligent or witty sense of humor, and so sometimes my jokes fall totally flat. But this is all okay, because like I’ve said, that’s just what makes me, me!
5. “I Love My…” is an outlet for you to appreciate and express all the positive traits that make you…well…YOU! In fact, sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (We assure you!) Therefore, Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I truly love my ability to connect with people through writing. To me, it’s one of the most magical things out there. It’s pretty crazy that you can create a made-up character or story and someone, somewhere, will feel like they are understood. It’s an incredible feeling.
That’s why I enjoy reading. Even if I just write personally for myself, I feel empowered that I can indulge in my imagination. Finally, I love my ability to have deep conversations with people. When people open up, I feel like our souls just meet in a space of harmony.
When we expose our humanity to each other, I think it’s just a very beautiful thing. Also, I can’t forget, I love my cat, Pancakes! There is simply no better pet out there.
Photo by Andre Benz on Unsplash
Photo by Marcus Wallis on Unsplash
