Bonnaroo is over and I’m still recovering. Three days of walking around until my legs felt like they were going to fall off. Three days of heat exhaustion and filth. Three days of oversold-ticket sized crowds and three days of little to no sleep. As I drove out of my top-notch campground spot, though, I already missed it and wanted to go back. My first time at Bonnaroo was seriously awesome.

The weekend consisted of dancing my butt off, hanging out with old friends, making new ones (most of whom were crazy-cool Canadian guys), and eating the best festival food I’ve ever eaten. I was filled with the sense that we were all a part of something bigger and experiencing the supportive force that drives the music industry to be what it is today. It was certainly something to feel passionate about, but it didn’t take away from the overall carefree spirit that embodies Bonnaroo. Not to mention, the people watching opportunities were great too. It was the epitome of hipster-meets-hippie heaven.

I really applaud Bonnaroo for deliberately fucking with peoples’ heads. They named the stages/tents Which Stage, What Stage, This Tent, That Tent, and The Other Tent (there was also The On Tap Lounge and The Sonic Stage ). All weekend, people were forced to be extra careful about saying which stage they were going to (see — prime example right there!). Luckily I had a map on hand, as I’m already terrible with navigating. Unfortunately, though, the large crowds, exhaustion and inebriation heightened that shortcoming of mine.

The art wasn’t at the Coachella level, but the architectural structures & activities totally made up for it. There was an Adult Swimp-themed carnival, a ferris wheel, the infamous mushroom fountain, a couple other water features, and a really badass adobe-esque Post Office complete with mosaic tile work and a huge branch chandelier. There were a few other structures that served as eating/resting areas, which were covered with beautiful branch entwined pergolas and Christmas lights. (Excuse me for my geekiness — I’m an interior design major!)

Okay, now to the really important stuff — the music. To begin with, I have to reprimand whoever did the scheduling. I know at pretty much all festivals, really good bands are bound to be scheduled during the same time slots, but this festival took the cake. Never have I felt so frustrated over having to prioritize bands, and if I went to one early and then left for another, it was almost pointless because, by that time, the crowd was so huge that I could barely see or hear anything. Granted, this also means that the lineup was packed with stellar bands that I was excited to see.

I’m the type of person that needs to be close — REALLY close — to truly get the full enjoyment of a live show. I want to feel the vibrations coming from the speakers. I want ringing ears. I want to feel the pressure of having thousands of people pushing against my back. Sadly, that didn’t happen as much as I’d hoped for — especially with the big acts. But the ones that I got up close for were pretty amazing and I’m extremely grateful for those moments that made my Bonnaroo experience so worthwhile. I’m sad that it ended so quickly, but I’m already making a mental list of ways to amp up my experience next year.