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How to Make the Most out of Your Concert Experience

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Montclair chapter.

As an avid concert goer, I’ve had many chances to master the tips for making the most out of your concert experience. From buying the best value ticket to styling your perfect look for the night and packing your concert bag to enjoying yourself at the venue to the max, I know all the tricks. Keep reading and I will ensure you a concert of a lifetime!

First things first, we need a way to get in. The ticket buying process is definitely a stressful one and can really screw you over if you don’t do it right. If you’re a big fan of an artist, you will probably already know when tickets go on sale and at what time, so you can be online and ready to get them. If that is the case, get your credit cards ready (insert the card information into the website prior to buying if you can, to save precious time), make sure your internet connection is strong, your computer is charged, and know how many tickets you’re getting and where you desire to get them. I personally had a number of issues where I bought tickets for my friends and I, and one of them bailed out last minute because they realized they couldn’t go or they didn’t want to pay the money for it. So be positive that all your fellow concert goers are on board with how much it might be and when it is!

When ticket time has approached, stay calm but act fast! People are probably out to get the same amazing seats as you. If you end up copping some, great! But if they all sell out, it comes time for Plan B: Resale. I recommend going to the well-known sites first like ticketmaster.com, stubhub.com, or seatgeek.com, but unfortunately prices are more than likely going to be at least double the face value. If that fails, you can try other sites, but you MUST research on whether or not they are reliable because you may be completely ripped off with an incredibly expensive ticket or no ticket at all!

After you’ve finally obtained your ticket, hype yourself up, make a countdown on your phone and buy yourself a cute outfit! Above all from your outfit being cute, you HAVE to make sure it is comfortable. You will most likely be standing for hours on end and you want to make sure you will enjoy yourself rather than worrying about how itchy this sequined cardigan is! Another thing to remember is that no matter how cold it is outside, it is going to be hot inside a concert venue because of the amount of people and because of the good time everyone is having dancing around! Do not wear heavy sweaters unless you want to pass out from heat exhaustion. Also refrain from heels, but if you’re going to be standing in general admission and need that boost of height, go for some creeper shoes or platforms, they are much comfier and still give you the height you need to see!

As the day approaches, make sure your way of getting there and back is solidified and that you have the tickets in hand. Start packing your bag with, and I can’t stress this enough, unopened water bottles. Some venues will allow unopened ones, while some will just make you chuck them anyway. Next, make sure you have the tickets, some tissues and bandaids, money, phone charger or a portable charger if you have one, and some gum and hair ties/pins if needed! You will thank me later for having those little incidentals packed in there.

The day has finally arrived! Get there at the LEAST one hour earlier than showtime. This will allow time for traffic, finding your seat, going to bathroom or getting food or drinks, buying merchandise if you want, and just hanging out and getting hyped for the show!

Last but not least, enjoy yourself! Believe it or not, this might be one of the hardest steps. So many people, including myself! wish to have all their greatest memories recorded onto their phones. I am here to tell you to PUT IT DOWN. You will have so much of a better time watching it with your own eyes, singing, dancing, and not losing blood circulation in one arm from holding up your phone the whole time!

Worrying if you have it in the shot, when to record, and unintentionally watching it through your phone the whole time will ruin your experience. Record a couple of songs, of course, but please remember to absolutely enjoy yourself and have the time of your life, or, as the concert legend, Brendon Urie from Panic! at the Disco, says, have “a moment that we’ll never remember and a night we’ll never forget!”

Melanie is a 21 year old, senior, Communication & Media Arts major and Her Campus Montclair's Events Director. She loves listening to music, dancing, writing, drawing, doing makeup, and having fun with friends. Melanie is very extroverted and loves to go on adventures. She's constantly on social media and is always updated on her favorite Kpop bands!
Emma Flusk

Montclair '19

Emma Flusk is recent graduate from Montclair State University, where she majored in Television and Digital Media. She was the Editor-in-Chief and a Campus Correspondent at Her Campus Montclair. She’s passionate about anything that has to do with lifestyle, beauty and wellness for women. She is a self-proclaimed craft queen, semi-pro binge-watcher and a lover of all dogs.