It’s me. Hi, I’m the problem, it’s me — because I can’t stop talking about Taylor Swift. Yes, I am one of those Swifties who knows every fan theory, every meaning behind her songs, and obsesses over every detail of her record-breaking Eras Tour. But after attending one of Swift’s Chicago shows the weekend of June 2, I want to inform all Swifties of the dos and don’ts when attending an Eras Tour concert.
Swift’s first leg of the Midwest shows started off strong in Chicago, with some great surprise songs (I died when I saw Swift and Maren Morris perform “You All Over Me” together live) and some funny antics in between songs.
The concert was, hands down, one of the best experiences of my life, but the lead-up and every detail surrounding that day were just as fun and important in setting me and my besties up for the day.
Here are some of my tips for anyone who is attending one of Swift’s concerts in the near future.
- Get up early and enjoy the morning of the concert.
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My girlies and I woke up around 8:30 a.m. and were able to take our time getting up. We knew it would be a long day, but also wanted to make the most of our short time in Chicago. We got up, walked around the city a bit, and got Starbucks before heading back to the hotel to get ready. It was refreshing because nothing felt rushed, and we were able to take everything in.
- Make sure to eat a good meal and drink plenty of water before leaving for the stadium.
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As we were getting ready, I made sure to eat snacks and plenty of water, even though my head was fixated on glamming myself up. I was super thankful I drank enough water before leaving, since Chicago was quite warm and I was sweating myself into oblivion.
- Enjoy the getting-ready process.
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Since my girlies and I got up early enough, getting ready was the second highlight of my day, with my sister and closest friends jamming out to Taylor Swift’s discography and helping each other with curling our hair or applying fake lashes while sipping our coffees. It made me appreciate the day even more.
- Take your photos before getting to the stadium.
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My group and I wanted to be ready by 2:30 p.m. to take our photos before we left the hotel at 3 p.m. because we knew the heat would take a toll on our hair and makeup. Luckily, we had a great rooftop at our hotel, where we took stunning pictures. We also took some pictures outside Soldier Field, but it was nice to have the majority of our pictures done before leaving.
- Reserve Your Rides in advance.
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We made sure to reserve Ubers to pick us up from the hotel and from Soldier Field after the concert ahead of time. Make sure that your pick-up spot after the concert is far away enough from the stadium, so you don’t get stuck in traffic — leaving the concert was pure chaos.
- Bring or wear comfortable shoes.
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This is a tip I did not listen to, because I wore sparkly knee-high boots. I convinced myself I could wear them all night, but took them off by the time we got to our seats. I suggest putting slides or slippers in your bag, so you can enjoy the show comfortably.
- Get merch the minute you get into the stadium.
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My friends and I did not want to stand in the long merch lines in the scorching heat, so we decided to get merch within the stadium. My sister and I got in line during the first opener, which took about 30 minutes. Fortunately, we were still able to watch and enjoy the opener and snag some merch while being in the shade.
- Bring portable chargers.
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If your stadium allows portable chargers, BRING THEM. My friends and I only had one phone that wasn’t dead after the concert, since we had been at the stadium since 3:30 p.m., wasting our batteries on taking photos and videos. It made us feel super anxious to only have one phone when trying to get through the aftermath of the show and finding our Uber.
- Go to the bathroom 30 minutes before Taylor starts.
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With all the water I drank, I decided to go to the bathroom multiple times before Swift came out, but made sure to hit the stalls 30 minutes before she came out just to be safe. Also, be prepared for long bathroom lines (sigh).
If you absolutely need to use the bathroom during the show, go during the outfit change going into the Folklore set while the song “Seven” is being recited as a poem. The lines will be short, and you’ll have plenty of time.
- Let loose on your emotions, and take videos of your reactions.
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Yes, take as many videos of Swift and all of her gloriousness, but also take videos of your reactions to her songs and let your emotions run. I sobbed for probably over 50% of the show, and I’ve never felt more free!
- Sit down in between Swift’s outfit changes.
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You will be on your feet all day and the majority of the night, so sit in between Swift’s outfit changes to give yourself a break.
Lastly, I want to emphasize to just enjoy every moment of the day, evening during the times of just sitting around and waiting for the concert to begin, because it all goes by so fast. Enjoy the people you are there with, and the people you meet. It was truly such a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime experience.