Lonesome wonderer

[JaiCrispy37]

Hi,

I'm looking to get a ticket in the resale and, if I get one, I'll becoming to Glastonbury on my own. Has anyone ever done this before? I bet there's some advantages on doing it but what's it like after a few days? I can handle being on my own for a while but would I go crazy from the lack of human interaction??  I can be somewhat of an introvert at times and my small talk game is weak!

[BambooShanks]

In all honesty if I was in your position, I'd look into volunteering with Oxfam (or elsewhere), you've got a better chance of getting in, you get your ticket money back and you'll be volunteering with a lot of like minded people in the same boat.

If that isn't to your liking, you have no need to worry.  There's a large group of solo campers here (with a their own thread and everything) who usually organise to camp in the same area, the efests meet at glastonbury and just the mere fact that you'll be in one of the best places in the world, full of lovely people.

Yes, it can get tough being on your own at times (as a fellow introvert, I also struggle with small talk) but it is also very freeing not being beholden to anyone else, being able to do exactly what you want to do and not have to compromise your festival in any way.

The good news is that we're a good bunch here, so say hello in the solo campers thread!

 

 

 

[Crazyfool01]

believe it or not ... im a bit like that ... and its part of the reason for my fancy dress ... I struggle making conversation but if you do something similar people will more than likely make conversation with you and without you having to try ... now im not suggesting anything elaborate like a stupid hat ... it could be something as simple as a loud shirt ... or dancing with a toilet brush / toothbrush as a prop ... Glastonbury is a great place to meet people that you wouldn't come across in your normal day to day life ... if you are passing john peel give me a pm and ill quite happily say hello and share a cider with you ... tickets depending  

[Mark E. Spliff]

5 hours ago, JaiCrispy37 said:

...I'm looking to get a ticket in the resale and, if I get one, I'll becoming to Glastonbury on my own. Has anyone ever done this before?...

Whenever anyone asks this question, the majority of replies will be along the line of: 'yes, do it - you will definitely have a great time.'  Personally, I think that's reckless advice.  The truth is that you won't magically morph into a different person just because you're at Glastonbury.  You can get lonely in the middle of a party, and it's entirely possible to find where you're camped you're surrounded by arseholes.  If you know you're the sort of person that wouldn't let that get them down, then go for it.  Personally, I wouldn't want to take that risk.

KinkyInuit's advice is good.  Working a festival is a great solution if you're going solo.  Last year, I worked one of the other big UK festivals for the first time, which involved me arriving a couple of days before my mates.  I find that in a workers' campsite you're far more likely to bump into groups of people who're not sure or are nervous about the work they're going to be doing and that's an easy environment for breaking the ice with people you don't know.  Within minutes of starting to put my tent up, I'd been approached by loads of people asking where things were etc. and ended up with a big group of people who we hung around with throughout the festival, and that was before I'd even met any of my fellow volunteers.

The other option is to try and make contact with like-minded people through forums, although it always seems to be a damp squib when people try to do it on here.  All the 'solo camper' threads seem to fizzle out because no individual takes responsibility for organising something.

[JaiCrispy37]

Thanks for the advise everyone. I have thought about volunteering but I wouldn't want to miss out on certain acts because I had to work, then being too tired to party after working for 8 hours! I'm sure I could do it after the first shift but I'd be hanging after that!! Think I'll try for the ticket then just let fate decide. Last year I went with a friend who was hungover and stayed in bed nearly all day on the Sunday and that was the best time I had over the whole festival. Doing what I wanted , seeing the smaller bands and falling asleep in the sun watching BabyMetal.

It'll give me a chance to practice my small talk I suppose

[Hotchilidog]

I went on my own in 2017. I got coach tickets and my friends all missed out on the general sale :(.

I had a great time and would definitely recommend it. I went to the e-fests meet up on the Wednesday evening spent a very pleasant few hours in the company of some very delightful people. 

As for the rest of the festival I had a succession of what I called "five-minute-friends" just people you randomly end up chatting to whilst taking time out at bar table, or at a show. People are very friendly and seem happy to chat, so you never really feel that isolated.

I found the freedom to make my own itinerary very liberating, and whilst I would have definitely preferred that my friends had tickets I still had a very good time indeed.

There are a number of Camp Solos/Loners that you can seek out on e-fests or other Glasto forums if you would like to camp with other solo attendees.

All in all, I would thoroughly recommend going solo if that was the only option. Good luck in the resale or with volunteering!

[ian the worm]

9 hours ago, Hotchilidog said:

I had a succession of what I called "five-minute-friends" just people you randomly end up chatting to whilst taking time out at bar table, or at a show.

This happens LOADS. It’s great to put a finally name to it. I’ve now known one five-minute-friend” for 6 years after wet met in a queue line. 

[jfaragher]

I go alone, but as a volunteer, and I will also have some friends there who I usually catch up with at some point.

Pros:

You get to do what you want, when you want. No waiting for people to get a drink, go to the toilet. Not feeling something? Fuck it off, without having to negotiate / arrange meeting up later. Want to do nothing? DO NOTHING - no-one will be hassling you to move on.

You'll make loads of new friends. Most of them will be 5-minute / festival friends - sit down for a pint, and chat to whoever, find that connection at 4am at Genosys type of thing - but still, you'll meet some great people (and some w*nkers, but...)

Despite being surrounded by people, you'll get to spend some quality time with yourself. Glastonbury is a great place to party, and also to spend a bit of time in 'quiet' contemplation.

Cons:

You'll probably feel a bit lonely and / or sad at some point. I do, especially later in the weekend when I'm a bit tired / hungover. It's OK, and will pass, but you might need to make an effort to go and do something - what works for me is to go get some food and watch something interesting, some circus or comedy or similar, that doesn't require me to feel OK to enjoy or be particularly focused.

You might need to go a bit less hard. Getting really sloppy on your own is different to in a group, and comes with some additional risks. Also, new friends might not be so reliable as your long-term ones in making sure you're OK...

You won't have people to drag you to the thing that you never would have gone to but turns out to be a highlight of the weekend. This is where the festival friends come in handy - ask if you can tag along to whatever they're doing for a bit, see where it takes you.

[JaiCrispy37]

Thanks everyone, I will definitely be trying for the resale and I've applied to volunteer for Wateraid too. Fingers crossed I'll get there somehow!