By Sunday morning, I had a fever, body chills and barely enough energy to get out of bed. I had planned a full day of artist interviews and festival coverage, but I was too sick to make it to the park. As a city girl, I was struggling with the heat, dust and long days outside. I had come to Austin prepared to interview artists. Apparently, I also needed to prepare to be outdoors. I don’t know exactly what made me sick, but I knew I couldn’t push through another day. After weeks of arranging interviews and preparing questions, missing them was disappointing. I kept hoping I would feel better enough to go. Unfortunately, wanting to be at ACL did not lower my temperature. My friend Starry headed to the festival, and this recap follows the experiences she shared with me afterward. Entering through the Lady Bird entrance, she started exploring the brand activations. She stopped for a Recess drink and checked out a T-Mobile locker, discovering that the locker she thought was free wasn’t actually free. The word “free” was doing a little too much in our expectations. After visiting the Patrón activation, she headed to T-Mobile’s experience and spun the prize wheel. She told me she won 10% off her next T-Mobile bill. A festival reward she could appreciate after leaving the park. She also stopped at the T-Mobile stage to watch Charlotte Lawrence. Starry enjoyed the performance, including a cover of “Zombie,” and said the crowd was relatively small while she was there. Then came shrimp tacos and the viral sushi push pop, which cost a whopping $17. Starry found it interesting and easy to carry around, although expensive. Seventeen dollars, though. I would need to enjoy every grain of rice individually. A peach Red Bull was another highlight. She was excited to find a flavor she said she hadn’t seen back home in the Bronx. Starry also caught some of Audrey Hobert’s set, where she recalled a dance and a trampoline moment. The performance wasn’t quite her vibe, so she moved on. With so much happening around the park, she had plenty more to explore. After meeting other festivalgoers, she visited the Coca-Cola lounge and picked up a free can of Cherry Coke. One of her more memorable stops was Be the People. She took a picture and received a printed photo with a QR code, then wrote down an inspiration and signed the display. Nearby, an artist was spray-painting a mural that Starry understood had been developing throughout all three days. After participating, she received a free disposable camera to capture more memories. Between the photograph, the writing and the mural, the experience gave her several ways to contribute and something to take home. She later visited T-Mobile’s Magenta Club lounge for refreshments and a fan before settling on the grass near the tented tables. Other people sat around her, and they started chatting about life. Those unplanned conversations became part of her afternoon alongside the music and activations. Unfortunately, Starry began feeling unwell, too. She became dizzy and went to the medical tent. After that, she decided it was time to leave. On her way to the shuttle, she chatted with friendly security staff and saw another person experiencing what she described as an asthma attack. She eventually returned to the hotel, where I was still asleep and very sick. Sunday wasn’t the ending either of us had planned. Starry got to explore parts of ACL I missed, and I’m grateful she shared them with me. I still wish I could have made it, but that day, even getting out of bed was too much. The interviews would have to wait.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. John's chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.