how to survive
After experiencing the craziness that is Tomorrowland this past Summer, I learned one thing... this is NOT something that you can just go to willy nilly, you NEED to plan, and plan WELL for thisfestival. Take these 3 days not just as any normal show, how could you really, as this is TOMORROWLAND!
Anyways, even veterans of this festival that I met told me that each year they discover new and improved ways to take on this festival. Therefore, I didnt feel so bad when I, along with all of my belongings, were swimming in rainwater on the final day of the event.
Now that I have experienced the complexity of this festival, I came up with a few tips to consider for next year when I go back and hopefully, you will be there alongside me.
Now, this is something that I definitely attempted to take advantage of for a couple days prior to the big event.
Additionally, once you are entering the days of the festival itself, it is once again VITAL that you make time for sleep once the festival ends each day. There is a REASON why the festival begins at noon, and ends at midnight or shortly thereafter each day and that is that both the staff, and yourself, need rest to prepare for the even greater day that tomorrow will bring. I tend to be OKAY with 4 to 5 hours sleep at home... but that sure did NOT fly in the realm of Tomorrowland.
After experiencing the craziness that is Tomorrowland this past Summer, I learned one thing... this is NOT something that you can just go to willy nilly, you NEED to plan, and plan WELL for thisfestival. Take these 3 days not just as any normal show, how could you really, as this is TOMORROWLAND!
Anyways, even veterans of this festival that I met told me that each year they discover new and improved ways to take on this festival. Therefore, I didnt feel so bad when I, along with all of my belongings, were swimming in rainwater on the final day of the event.
Now that I have experienced the complexity of this festival, I came up with a few tips to consider for next year when I go back and hopefully, you will be there alongside me.
Now, this is something that I definitely attempted to take advantage of for a couple days prior to the big event.
Additionally, once you are entering the days of the festival itself, it is once again VITAL that you make time for sleep once the festival ends each day. There is a REASON why the festival begins at noon, and ends at midnight or shortly thereafter each day and that is that both the staff, and yourself, need rest to prepare for the even greater day that tomorrow will bring. I tend to be OKAY with 4 to 5 hours sleep at home... but that sure did NOT fly in the realm of Tomorrowland.
The next two items may sound silly to those of you that havent personally endured the festival, but for those of you that have, you understand WHY these items need to be brought up.
First, water is THE most important nutrient required in order for our body to be able to maintain proper function. Therefore, you need to make sure to drink A LOT of it while venturing around the festival.
Now, I found it hard to come up with a negative about the festival itself, but when it came down to it, the purchasing of water was the only one I could come up with. It was not regarding the availability of water, as the festival made sure to have multiple Refresh Points and Drink stands... the issue was that the water bottles that were sold were teeny tiny!
One of our team members came with the most ingenious of inventions for this very purpose a CamelBak Hydration Pack. I cant even begin to describe how much time and energy this backpack saved us! Its great to have as a group, because (1) you all have instant access to water and (2) you can alternate between wearing the backpack and taking turns filling the pack
If you are thirsty, that means you have gone too far! Stop, hydrate, and keep on doing so for the remainder of the day! Thirst is a sign of dehydration.
The next two items may sound silly to those of you that havent personally endured the festival, but for those of you that have, you understand WHY these items need to be brought up.
First, water is THE most important nutrient required in order for our body to be able to maintain proper function. Therefore, you need to make sure to drink A LOT of it while venturing around the festival.
Now, I found it hard to come up with a negative about the festival itself, but when it came down to it, the purchasing of water was the only one I could come up with. It was not regarding the availability of water, as the festival made sure to have multiple Refresh Points and Drink stands... the issue was that the water bottles that were sold were teeny tiny!
One of our team members came with the most ingenious of inventions for this very purpose a CamelBak Hydration Pack. I cant even begin to describe how much time and energy this backpack saved us! Its great to have as a group, because (1) you all have instant access to water and (2) you can alternate between wearing the backpack and taking turns filling the pack
If you are thirsty, that means you have gone too far! Stop, hydrate, and keep on doing so for the remainder of the day! Thirst is a sign of dehydration.
Eat LOTS of food (carbs carbs carbs!) first thing in the morning before the festival began - Breakfast is KEY! That way, you can survive a while of dancing around at the festival without having to make a pit stop. However, the time will come that your body will need some refueling. Find something with some carbohydrates in it to give yourself some energy! The festival is FULL of options to satisfy even the pickiest of appetites! With anything from Belgian Fries/Burgers to Vegetarian/Gluten Free Options, you will be sure to find something that appetizes you!
You have access to water, food, and PORT A POTTIES THAT FLUSH! (I was a bit ecstatic about the last part, as I had never encountered such beauty before in my life at an outdoor event.) However, my stance remains that it is in your best interest to prepare for the WORST. I.e., prepare for storms, floods, and noisy neighbors with an unfortunate taste for German Happy Hardcore at 6am. Bring tarps, earplugs, garbage bags for your items to stay dry in, and PROPER SLEEPING NECESSITIES. It may be annoying having to haul these items around prior to the festival, but TAKE IT FROM ME! The annoyance of carrying them around is nowhere near the amplitude of that of not being able to have a proper sleep due to external circumstances. Plan for the WORST, and nothing can get in your way!
Eat LOTS of food (carbs carbs carbs!) first thing in the morning before the festival began - Breakfast is KEY! That way, you can survive a while of dancing around at the festival without having to make a pit stop. However, the time will come that your body will need some refueling. Find something with some carbohydrates in it to give yourself some energy! The festival is FULL of options to satisfy even the pickiest of appetites! With anything from Belgian Fries/Burgers to Vegetarian/Gluten Free Options, you will be sure to find something that appetizes you!
You have access to water, food, and PORT A POTTIES THAT FLUSH! (I was a bit ecstatic about the last part, as I had never encountered such beauty before in my life at an outdoor event.) However, my stance remains that it is in your best interest to prepare for the WORST. I.e., prepare for storms, floods, and noisy neighbors with an unfortunate taste for German Happy Hardcore at 6am. Bring tarps, earplugs, garbage bags for your items to stay dry in, and PROPER SLEEPING NECESSITIES. It may be annoying having to haul these items around prior to the festival, but TAKE IT FROM ME! The annoyance of carrying them around is nowhere near the amplitude of that of not being able to have a proper sleep due to external circumstances. Plan for the WORST, and nothing can get in your way!
Girls - this means you. Leave your hair styling devices at home. Not only do these items take up massive amounts of room in your luggage, they are utterly USELESS at this festival. This not only applies to those in Dreamville, but also for those in hotels. You are GOING to get wet, you are GOING to get muddy, and you are GOING to get sweaty. Deal with it. If you cant IMAGINE your life without these necessities for these 3 days, then this festival is not for you. Ladies, meet your new best friends: Dry Shampoo and Baby Wipes. The average wait for showers at the festival is one hour, variance depending on the time of day in which to decide to attempt showering.
Not only is it important to WEAR clothes, but it is vital to wear the PROPER clothes. Even if you ENJOY walking around barefoot in stinky clothes, it would be nice to have at least had the OPTION of shoes and clean clothing. Dont bring your favourite items of clothing to this festival. Just as I mentioned in the previous maintenance item, you are going to get wet, muddy and sweaty. Therefore, while you are packing, consider how heartbroken you would be if that item of clothing were to be ripped/lost/or covered in sweat (which, unfortunately, might not even be yours...) If you cant imagine those things happening to that item, leave it at home.
Girls - this means you. Leave your hair styling devices at home. Not only do these items take up massive amounts of room in your luggage, they are utterly USELESS at this festival. This not only applies to those in Dreamville, but also for those in hotels. You are GOING to get wet, you are GOING to get muddy, and you are GOING to get sweaty. Deal with it. If you cant IMAGINE your life without these necessities for these 3 days, then this festival is not for you. Ladies, meet your new best friends: Dry Shampoo and Baby Wipes. The average wait for showers at the festival is one hour, variance depending on the time of day in which to decide to attempt showering.
Not only is it important to WEAR clothes, but it is vital to wear the PROPER clothes. Even if you ENJOY walking around barefoot in stinky clothes, it would be nice to have at least had the OPTION of shoes and clean clothing. Dont bring your favourite items of clothing to this festival. Just as I mentioned in the previous maintenance item, you are going to get wet, muddy and sweaty. Therefore, while you are packing, consider how heartbroken you would be if that item of clothing were to be ripped/lost/or covered in sweat (which, unfortunately, might not even be yours...) If you cant imagine those things happening to that item, leave it at home.
This one goes out to all my beautiful Wallflowers. If you are the type who loves the music, but does not love PDS (public displays of silliness), it is time to leave your inhibitions at the door. No one there expects you to be a professional dancer; however, everyone there does expect you to have an amazing time. Your experience at this festival will enhance tenfold once you stop worrying about what other people are thinking about.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this festival is the VARIETY of music that is available to be enjoyed. Not everyone enjoys Deep House, and not everyone enjoys Hardstyle, but there are groups that LOVE each, and stages that fulfilled each and everyones personal preference.
If you are worried about being alone at the stage, heres the reality of Tomorrowland - you are NEVER alone. Once you get there, you are sure to meet people to share that set with. Or, just groove to the incredible music on your own, and enjoy some solo “you” time before you rendezvous back to the group. Theres nothing worse than missing an artist you love in order to abide by others interests. Just go for it, trust me you wont regret it.
This one goes out to all my beautiful Wallflowers. If you are the type who loves the music, but does not love PDS (public displays of silliness), it is time to leave your inhibitions at the door. No one there expects you to be a professional dancer; however, everyone there does expect you to have an amazing time. Your experience at this festival will enhance tenfold once you stop worrying about what other people are thinking about.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this festival is the VARIETY of music that is available to be enjoyed. Not everyone enjoys Deep House, and not everyone enjoys Hardstyle, but there are groups that LOVE each, and stages that fulfilled each and everyones personal preference.
If you are worried about being alone at the stage, heres the reality of Tomorrowland - you are NEVER alone. Once you get there, you are sure to meet people to share that set with. Or, just groove to the incredible music on your own, and enjoy some solo “you” time before you rendezvous back to the group. Theres nothing worse than missing an artist you love in order to abide by others interests. Just go for it, trust me you wont regret it.
Ah finally - love. From the moment you step foot onto the grounds of Tomorrowland, you are embraced by the love that this festival eludes from its artists, its makers, and from its festivalgoers (that’s YOU!) I cannot stress enough how much time and effort was put into making Tomorrowland the incredible festival that it is… It is unlike any other festival that I have attended, because it was truly made with love… It’s kind of like your mother’s sandwiches... you can sit there and place each and every item in the exact same fashion as your mother, but it will never taste as good.
Each and every individual at Tomorrowland came with the same purpose – to enjoy themselves, and the incredible festival around them. However, everyone is going to express themselves a little differently. Perhaps they dance around in particular fashion that you may find humorous, or they wear items of clothing that you yourself would never don…. Find it in yourself to replace any feelings of negativity towards those individuals with feelings of love - for they have found love in themselves, not matter what shape or form, so it is only fair for you to do the same. You both share the same passion for music and for the festival itself - focus on that, and you will leave the festival with a newfound outlook on love and life itself.
Yes, bring it on!
Not Sure.
Keep them tame.
Bigger is better!
Up for a party!
No, as long as I can dance alot!
Yes!
Keep it classy.
Bring it!
Prefer Tame.
24 hour party!
I need a roof and rest.
No!
Yes, Im poor.
Big!
Small.
