I may have only been to four concerts in my twenty-one years of life, but those four have awoken in me an intense appreciation and desire for more. Unfortunately, my bank account doesn’t support this so I have grown all too used to what I like to call “concert envy”. Concert envy is the strong feeling of envy you towards anyone who gets to see a musical act that you really want to see. The feeling is usually mixed with and made all the worse by being genuinely happy for the people getting to experience what you know will be an amazing time. Recently, as in just two nights ago, I had to deal with extreme concert envy for the BTS concert that two friends got to experience. But, I got through it, and so can you, with these few tips.
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Write down the reasons you cannot spare the money for the concert. And I don’t mean the short-term things like groceries or your phone bill. I mean, write down that you cannot and will not spend $400+ dollars on a concert because you’re saving up for your first apartment or car. Or maybe you need that money for self-defense classes or Lasik. I don’t know your life and your goals, but I know you must have some, and I know that often times they take a lot of money. So, write down all the major goals that you’re saving up for and look at it often, not just to stave off concert envy, but also to remind yourself that there are reasons to keep on working and saving.
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Plan something else fun for the night of the concert if you can. Nothing is going to make you more miserable and envious than if you’re listlessly flipping through channels or procrastinating on homework while friends and strangers are having the time of their life at a concert. Try to go out for a dinner or maybe buy yourself a little something nice. That is still spending money, yes, but a considerably more manageable amount. Or you could have a self-care night and do some face masks, eat some of your favorite snacks, watch a good movie, and ignore any social media that might make you feel left out.
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This last tip is a bit more conditional as it really depends on the band as well as your own mental state. If you can, listen to the band or artist that is performing at the same time. Watch your favorite performances on as large a screen as you can and sing and dance along like crazy. Maybe even invite over friends who also like that band and make an impromptu concert of your own. Or, if you’re a little too bitter for that, (no judgment! I’ve been there) I recommend purposefully avoiding that artist. Instead, try to discover a new artist, or listen to one that you haven’t listened to in ages. This should help take your mind off of the situation.
I know none of these tips will make this particular situation or feeling go away completely, but, hopefully, they can help you can get through the moment and help you hold out hope for the day that you will be the one happy at the concert and not stuck at home!