Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture > Entertainment

Why I’m Okay with Going to Music Festivals by Myself

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter.

I grew up listening to a genre of music that most people were either afraid of or looked down upon. Nothing made me happier than going to a live show with a thousand other people who also were not afraid to support a genre that most people still do not understand the power of.

 

 

That’s why when I turned 18 I had no problem with buying a pass to Firefly music festival without knowing a single person going.

 

 

Back where I’m from everyone either worshiped pop superstars, big-name country singers, or up-and-coming rappers. And there was nothing wrong with that but I just never really fit in with what the people my age were listening to.

 

 

Nine out of ten times I ended up going to a concert by myself when I was in high school. I had the same routine every time; get there around 8 a.m., lay out my chair and blanket, take a nap, and eventually put on makeup and go to the show. My favorite part about the day though? I would make so many new friends that I still talk to this day. In less than seven or eight hours I would learn almost everything about my new concert friends, and we’d even start planning which shows we should go together to next. I know the same thing is going to happen to me once I get to Dover this summer.

 

 

 

 

A lot of people (including my parents) have asked me if I feel like I’ll be safe by myself for that weekend. In the past few years, there have been quite a few tragic events that have led to people questioning how safe concerts and festivals really are. But something I strongly believe in is that you can’t let the bad guys win. If I were to not go to Firefly or any of the other festivals I have tickets for this summer because I was scared of a theoretical situation than I would be letting the bad guys win.

 

 

I know I’m going to meet so many amazing people through the festival environment just like I have at the smaller shows I go to regularly. I mean, I’ve already found my camping group thanks to good ole’ Twitter. And I know that, as long as I just stay aware of my surroundings, I’ll be safe and come out of the weekend with the only injuries to be those that I got in the pit.

Hi ladies and gents, my name is Mel, Melanie if you're feelin' fancy. I'm a senior studying advertising, political science and fashion at West Virginia University. In addition to my studies, I am the Campus Correspondent for the WVU HC Chapter! You can hear me on the radio at U92 FM reporting the news and hosting morning shows. If I'm not there, I'm most likely at the local Panera eating my body weight in broccoli cheddar soup or writing about the daily, awkward encounters I experience. I represenative of the college of media as an ambassador and the prez of the magazine club. Oversized sweatshirts and jean on jean are my aesthetics. Lover, not a fighter unless you tell me Joe Jonas wasn't the best Jonas. Laters, baby.