Why Mental Preparation for Festivals is as Important as Packing Lists

Can extreme heat and a lack of sleep result in the best festival ever? Yes! You can find your rave utopia when you prepare for the unexpected and embrace challenges.

When I arrived at the festival site, it was 95F and 100% humidity, which my weather app reported as a heat index of 114. That number wouldn’t drop below 100 until the fourth and final day, and even then, temps were 90F, albeit with lower humidity. Sweat dripped from bodies, even when sitting still. And before I could fall asleep that first night, my camping cot suffered a catastrophic failure. I slept less than 14 hours over four nights. With all of this acting against me, perhaps I should have turned around and gone home. Instead, it was one of the most beautiful festivals for me. Why? Metal preparation.

We talk often about what’s needed to thrive at your next camping festival. It’s high time we talk about the importance of mental preparation as well. At the festival in question, I was working as the safety team lead, and I knew this would present a number of challenges. Caring for others would have me on call 24/7 and would test my patience as well as my ability to ground others. Knowing this, I put a lot of prep time into ensuring I was well-grounded and ready to provide these services with a smile.

Expecting the unexpected is pretty much rule number one when camping.

Festival camping is a glorious experience, but it can also present unique and unexpected challenges. The first thing we can all do is tell ourselves that there will be unexpected twists along our extended weekend journey. This alone can work wonders in shifting us from a panic mindset to one of abundance and opportunity. When my cot failed, and I was profusely sweating, I wanted to go into a rage. Instead, I took a few deep breaths and analyzed the situation. As I processed some options, I posted to a group chat about my situation, and in less than a half hour, I had been loaned a Moonmat and was settling back into a relaxed state in my tent.

Part of expecting the unexpected is being open to new and unusual ideas. I was incredibly thankful when I first got the Moonmat, but I also didn’t think this would be a sufficient solution. Not only was I wrong, but I’ve since acquired two Moonmats because I found them so very comfortable!

Photo Credit: Electric Forest

Rolling with the punches can turn a seemingly unwinnable situation into a lovely new experience.

Have you ever endured a challenging experience only to look back and realize how rewarding the result was? It’s nearly universal that the harder you work to face a challenge, the more rewarding the outcome. But if you aren’t mentally prepared, you may fail at this endeavor or simply turn away from the uncomfortable situation in front of you.

In my safety and sanctuary roles, I once sat with someone for over five hours to help them through a challenging experience. The staff was ready to eject this person, but I felt that there was more to be done, and I was right. In the end, I was thoroughly exhausted. But the next day, after a huge storm wiped out some campers’ tents, he was found helping strangers to get their campsites back in order. It was such a beautiful thing to see that he was able to ultimately be in service of others!

There are also small situations that can be turned on their heads. Can’t get the food item you wanted? See if others want to share or trade because someone may just want the item you have even more. Getting bumped around by dancers not respecting your space? Think of each bump as a power-up of energy you can capture and use for yourself. Shoes get soaked or muddy in a storm? Go barefoot and feel your connection with nature as you dance ecstatically to the music you love.

Photo Credit: Alive Coverage for Electric Forest

Aside from abandoning the festival, remember that you can’t undo what has happened. So, instead, find an opportunity thread and follow it wherever it takes you.

I once found a dysregulated person at a stage in the forest. After talking to her a bit, I learned that she couldn’t find her friends, so I helped her to locate them. Once we did, one of her friends asked me if I’d seen a particular art installation, and I had not. She took me down an unmarked path in the woods to a small but spectacular spot with colored lights and fractured mirrors overhead. It was a magical little installation I’d never have found without this forest fairy guiding me there. And I got there because the distressed woman on the dance floor was an opportunity thread leading to a new experience for me. All I needed to do was accept the challenge presented to me.

Many of the negatives we encounter at a camping festival can’t be avoided. Sure, proper physical preparation can mitigate so many things, but that’s the bare minimum. Something unexpected is always lurking around the corner to dysregulate you. Don’t let it. In fact, simply embracing dysregulation is a crucial component of rave culture that will enhance your experience. Veteran ravers never give a second thought to dancing through the night, from sunset to sunrise. Yet, think back to your first overnight rave – I’ll bet you thought the concept was bonkers! But once you hit that exhaustion wall for the first time and feel the energy on the other side as you push through, you never look back.

Ravers turn sleep deprivation into euphoria, and this is just one example of turning dysregulation into a benefit. Take this basic truth and expand it into every possible challenge, and you will undoubtedly find more joy, euphoria, and community at every event.

When you truly accept and appreciate the things you cannot control, you will find the raver utopia. Perhaps this is how you’ll find the newest member of your squad. I know that I have!