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Here’s Why Going To A Music Festival Solo Is A Life-Altering Experience (And How You Can Do It, Too)

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Here's Why Going To A Music Festival Solo Is A Life-Altering Experience (And How You Can Do It, Too)

Tips And Tricks For Enjoying A Music Festival Alone

If you’re wondering about going to a music festival solo, I’m here to talk you into it. My name’s Pernell, and I love going to festivals with friends — it’s like being in a movie with your favorite people and a built-in soundtrack. Since I have anxiety and am a people pleaser (not a judgment, just a fact), I’ve been eager to finally try a three-day festival completely alone at my own pace and in my own style to decide if it’s right for me. That’s how I ended up at EDC Las Vegas, the world’s largest rave, with me, myself, and 500,000 other people.

I’ll be honest: Attending and camping a music festival of EDC’s magnitude on my own inspired some lonely moments. But the freedom that came with being alone also led me to discover side quests, new friends, and great music. So if you’re solo-fest curious, here’s why you should full-send that thought, along with my tips on how to survive it:

1. Being a party of one means you can see whoever you want, whenever you want, however long you’d like!

2. Flying solo makes it more manageable to meet new people, make festival friends, and build better bonds.

3. You can choose to be as close to or as far away from the stage as you wish when you’re on your own. And it’s a lot easier to get make your way through a crowd if it’s just you.

4. Going alone gives you the freedom to roam. And don’t just limit yourself to the stages. Check out the rides, pop-up shops, and food spots you normally wouldn’t be able to.

Those are the main reasons why I’d recommend trying out a festival solo if you don’t have anyone to go with, or just want to try it out. Now, here are my tips on how to meet others and make the most of being alone:

5. Consider bringing a totem! It makes for an easy conversation starter — I met so many people over the festival weekend because of this sign, and it also helped them find me again.

And if you’re not really a totem person, or they’re not allowed, wear statement shirts — go for meaningful or niche-funny, that way you know people are coming up to you because they’re having a positive connection to what you’re wearing.

6. Join online communities through Facebook groups and Reddit ASAP. There are probably even groups dedicated to people attending solo. You can “meet” people through these communities ahead of time, learn really valuable tips from festival veterans, be inspired by people’s outfits, or even find roommates.

7. If the festival you’re going to offers a camping component, I highly suggest it. There will for sure be fun activities to participate in and you’re more likely to meet folks who are excited to socialize before the festival doors open.

Also, not having to worry about a commute or catching a shuttle back to a hotel was clutch. When it was time to go, I just had to walk back to my campsite. This allowed me to take breaks and naps in my own bed during the festival. I felt way safer letting loose and partying on my own because of it.

8. No matter where you’re staying, decorate your space. Make it inviting on the outside to others and inviting for you on the inside. Having a cozy and comforting spot to recharge in helped me feel ready to take on each day, which was really important whenever I felt overwhelmed or lonely.

9. Introduce yourself to surrounding neighbors sooner than later. I like to do this for safety reasons, and to meet new people. It’ll also make it easier for you to be able to ask them for anything if you need to throughout the weekend.

10. Carry a phone charger and other essentials like hand sanitizer, wipes, and gum. For yourself, and for others.

11. Take more breaks — nobody’s waiting on you. And embrace the overwhelming moments with grace.

12. Seek out other solo folks when you’re feeling hard on yourself for feeling lonely. Stick with each other for a bit if y’all vibe with each other. And if you don’t, you can just walk away!

13. Do what you can to help other people have a good time. It’ll pull your focus away from dwelling on your own experience. And when you do start to dwell, look around the crowd for some inspiration.

14. Ask a close friend or loved one to check-in and message you every morning and/or night.

15. Write down a few reasonable hopes and dreams ahead of the weekend, and look at them each morning. I didn’t until day three, and my mindset changed when I did. I was sad I wasn’t having a life-changing experience like I’ve had at past festivals, until I understood that I did have most of the moments I wanted to.

16. And finally: Try everything twice.

In conclusion, if you feel scared of going to a large music festival on your own, that probably means you should do it. When we do the things we’re afraid of, it usually turns out that most of what we were afraid of is just in our head. Going alone to a massive music festival gave me a chance to discover and explore what I truly need to have a good (and safe) time on my own. And now, I feel motivated to try out other festivals — maybe smaller ones — on my own.

What are some tips I missed? If you’ve had a solo experience at a festival before, how’d it go and what did you wish you did differently? Drop your wisdom in the comments.

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