Festival tips - how to survive if you’re not a ‘festival person’

Festival season has come round again and all your friends are buying tickets to all of the major UK music festivals. In theory, a festival is the perfect place to watch your favourite band in the sun with your friends and cider in hand but this romantic vision is rarely a reality when it comes to British festivals. 

So you may be wondering- what is a festival person and how do they differ so greatly from the rest of us? A festival person is someone who isn’t fazed by any of the festival trials that the result of us find a battle. Instead they embrace it all, the good, the bad and the ugly - and festivals can certainly get ugly. Absolutely nothing will bring them down, not the rain, the tent collapsing or the fact they are knee deep in mud. Festival people are above it all, completely high on the festival spirit. And then there’s the rest of us, the non-festival people. Every summer we somehow find ourselves at multiple festivals even though we vowed we’d never go again. For non-festival people, the fun of seeing your favourite acts sadly isn’t outweighed by the overall ordeal that is the festival experience. Unlike festival people, we care about sleeping on the ground, not showering and getting no sleep for five consecutive nights. But if you have inevitably been persuaded by your friends to buy festival tickets this summer and are starting to have regrets, here are a few tips on how to make your festival experience that bit more bearable- or maybe even a little fun.

Funky Clothes 

You've woken up hungover from a big night of partying and are wondering how you can possibly find the energy for another day of festival madness. One of the things festivals are celebrated for is the eclectic fashion that they encourage and dressing crazily is both fun and liberating. So I encourage all you non festival people to invest in some wavy garms to get you in the festival mood - looking good maybe not completely rid you of your hangover but it certainly brighten your mood. What's more, festival fashion doesn't have to break the bank, why not check out Discount Promo Codes for up to date offers and money saving vouchers on clothing sites such as Missguided and Pretty Little Thing who sell the funkiest festival clothes. Watch Sophie Hannah's video for festival clothing and packing tips.

Inflatable Mattress 

Pack that blow up bed, many question whether it’s worth it for just a couple of nights but it so is. One of the biggest challenges for any non-festival person is camping and the resulting lack of sleep. Trying to get a decent night's sleep lying on the hard ground in the freezing cold is pretty much impossible. Imagine how amazing it would be to lay relax on luxurious, comfy blow up bed after a long day of music. If you don’t bring one, you’ll wish you had. 

Tent Talk

There is much discussion on what tent is the best to bring to and I can safely say a tent you can stand up in is a much appreciated luxury. For festival lovers, any tent will do, but for those who are a bit more particular, the taller the better - no more crawling around or struggling to put your clothes on. You can also find small tents that you can stand up in, so this item doesn't need to break your back when carried to the festival and back. Also don't forget to pack that heat reflective tent cover - essential to keep your tent warm at night and cool during the day. 

Tasty Snacks 

Ok so this seems a little obvious, but never underestimate the power of a good chocolate bar to pick you up (temporarily, of course but still). It is tempting to ditch food  in order to save on weight on an already heavy backpack but trust me, you will regret it. Packing tasty snacks to have on the go can be a real lifesaver when your energy levels inevitably dip. Of course indulge in the festival food stalls from time to time but be warned doing so is neither quick nor cheap. Visit  ideas on the best festival snacks visit studenthut.

Toilet and shower passes 

The last and possibly the most extravagant tip, is to invest in private shower and toilet passes. For festival people, the less than sanitary toilet situation and lack of showers are just a small price to pay for a weekend of amazing music. However, non-festival people find it harder to see past this major inconvenience.. Shower and toilet pass prices vary between festivals but if you have some spare cash and are looking to optimise your enjoyment of a festival significantly, I suggest you spend the money. Imagine waking up hungover in a sweaty tent and being able to take a nice shower to freshen up - dreamy. 

You may never fully become a festival person and that is okay, but follow these tips and you’re sure to much better equipped to keep up with your festival-loving friends and have the best time possible under the somewhat challenging circumstances. For more festival tips check out our other festival eforums.