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How to prepare for your first music festival
If you’re a college student, attending a summer music festival is a right of passage. Packing up the car with the tent, some goodies, and your best college friends and jamming all the way to ‘roo, Electric Forest, or Hangout is a surefire way to make your summer, and Insta gallery, stand out. If you’ve never been to a summer camping fest before and you’re freaking out about what to pack and how to prepare, then you’ve come to the right place. Summer fests are the greatest, but they can be a disaster if you don’t prepare accordingly. Therefore, we at Barefoot Campus have put together a comprehensive list of what you should be packing before setting up camp at a fest this summer.
Sun Prep
From Wayhome up in the grassy Ontario to Black Rock City in the Nevada desert (in case Burning Man is your first fest. In that case… go you), the sun is going to shine and it isn’t going to be merciful. Therefore, regardless of how your skin reacts to the sun, you’re going to need to pack some sunburn prevention and treatment essentials. Here are a few:
- Sunscreen: Surprise! Sunscreen is at the top of the list! Pack that stuff before you pack anything else. Oh, and SPF 10 with tanning oil isn’t going to cut it. It better be 30+.
- A hat: Trust us, those Insta famous festie ladies aren’t the norm and nobody has nice hair at a festival. So if you’re worried about hat hair, then maybe you’re going to a festival for the wrong reasons. A trusty hat can protect your face and eyes from the relentless UV rays. Need a cap? Barefoot Campus has plenty of hats, including some custom college gear!
- Moisturizer: The combination of probably not drinking enough water and hours in the sunshine isn’t going to take pity on your skin. So, make sure to pack plenty of moisturizer to keep your skin from flaking off. Ew.
Clothing
Here comes the fun stuff! We all know that festivals are the platform where conventions are cast aside and outfits go unhinged. Therefore, we can’t suggest too much because your style is based off of yourself and your own comfort zone, but here’s what we do recommend packing:
- Clothes that Rep: Most music fests are packed with hundreds of thousands of people. No matter where you go in the country, you’re bound to be among people of your kind. We suggest repping your school with campus clothes and college attire that shows where you’re from. Need some gear? Barefoot Campus could help you out with our selection of attire!
- All you can pack: While a fest may be only three days, we recommend packing for at least five days. Between mud, spills, and storms, you can never be too prepared clothes wise.
- Your COMFIEST shoes: Yeah, we agree those sandals are cute, but, guess what aren’t…blisters. Sure, those Sketchers aren’t featured in Vogue, but after three days of raving, your feet aren’t going to be thinking fashion.
Food
While the vendors at fests might be top notch, they’re not always sustainable money wise. Therefore, it’s best to pack ahead. Here are three food suggestions that will withstand a cooler that isn’t going to be all that cool.
- Lara Bars: little bars of yummy that are packed with protein and sustenance. Perfect for a little snack, these bars will power you like the dancing fiend you are.
- Chips: trust us, you’re going to get hungry. Pack a bag of chips…actually, pack five, family sized bags of chips. It’ll be worth it.
- Pedialyte: sober, or not so much, three or more days in the summer heat is going to drain you. Pedialyte is chock full of electrolytes to keep your hydration in check!
Warmth
Yeah, it’s summer, but hot summer days are succeeded by chilly summer nights. You might feel that a sheet and a pillow will work, but that’s not always the case. Especially if you’re festing in a desert-like environment, a 90 degree day can plummet to a 40 degree night in a matter of hours. Here’s what to pack:
- A sleeping bag: grab that Batman sleeping bag you got for your 10th birthday. They’re portable and designed to keep you warm from the chills of the outdoors.
- A North-Face type jacket: it doesn’t have to be the brand, but you get the picture. Stay warm, friends!
- Fresh socks: We’ll say this once… you can never pack enough socks. Pack them. Please.
Thanks for reading today’s blog and we hope our advice helped you out! Be sure to check out some of our awesome college attire to bring along on your music festival journey! You’ll be surprised at how many shoutouts you’ll get!