Last year, I attended the Coachella Music and Arts Festival for the first time. I was among many of the students attending college in Southern California, no more than an hour or two from the venue, who decided to take advantage of my close proximity. Of course, I’d had my expectations before attending, but somehow Coachella managed to exceed these in ways I’d never been able to predict. Personally, I never really thought it would be my “thing.” But that’s exactly it—as much as everyone likes to have this single image of Coachella as a “mainstream,” wild, popular music festival, it actually can be much more than that for different people. Coachella can be whatever “thing” you make it to be. There’s no one type of person who attends or enjoys it, no one type of music being performed, no one type of dance that people are doing. You can be 100% you, while meeting interesting new people and sharing amazing musical experiences with your friends, both new and old. So of course, this year I returned, with four of my friends who had never been in tow, to experience the magical weekend all over again. And I watched them go through the same phases of Coachella as I did my first time.

1. The Idea

Chances are you know someone who has gone to Coachella and has tons of stories, or you’ve heard via social media or through the grapevine that it’s a pretty wild time. Either way, it sounds like something you and your friends could want to check out, and someone in your friend group pitches the idea to go, thus planting the Idea Seed.

2. The Planning

Suddenly, the idea has turned into an actual plan, and you scramble to get tickets, book a room, and figure out logistics. If you’re lucky, you started planning early and were one of the very, very few people who were able to click fast enough to get those pre-sale tickets before they sold out. If not, may the odds be ever in your favor.

3. The Hype

As the event nears, literally everything you see has to do with Coachella and music festivals. Clothing stores launch entire lines and Coachella veterans are posting TBT pictures. Everywhere you go is selling flashtats, flower crowns, wacky shades, fringe-covered tops, mesh and lace something-er-others, gladiator sandels, glitter face paint, and every other Coachella stereotype you could possibly dream up.

4. The Skepticism

At this point, you’re kind of getting sick of all of the silly festival outfits and gadgets that people are buying left and right. It seems ridiculous, and you’re starting to worry that that is all the festival is going to be about, rather than about the music. Coachella is starting to seem so…basic?

5. The Stressing

As plans become more complicated, and things start to fall through, Coachella seems like more and more work by the minute. Does it matter that you didn’t buy any of that festival-y crap? Is it really worth having to pay a small fortune just for one weekend? Is it better to camp or stay in a hotel? What exactly can you bring in, and what can’t you? Should you bother with a camelback, or just do a water bottle in a fanny pack? Will you be cold at night, or too hot during the day?

6. The Night Before

The night before will inevitably be stressful for first-timers. You’re not quite sure if you brought enough, or if you brought way too much. Loading up the car is a pain, and everyone is pretty high-strung in anticipation for tomorrow. If you’re smart, you’ll get to bed early and get in your last full night of sleep for the week (because you’ll definitely need it).

7. The Morning Of

As you all pile into the car and head into the desert, it’s a bit surreal and definitely won’t seem like it’s actually the day of Coachella. You’re all a little groggy, but when you finally get there and start to get dressed and ready, you’ll feel the real excitement setting in. Plus, jamming all your favorite Coachella artists on the way there definitely helped get you into the Coachella mode.

8. THE Moment

Everyone knows THE moment. It’s when you have finally reached the festival grounds, follow the masses of people down the paths and through the checkpoints, round the corner to the final entry point, and you catch that first full glimpse of that magnificent Ferris wheel and it hits you at last—you my friend, have arrived at Coachella. This is the moment when many attendees feel the overwhelming urge to do that running/skipping thing with their arms open while yelling “COACHELLAAAA.”

9. The "Worth It"

And as you enter into those polo fields and take a look around, all of that planning stress and skepticism falls away. Everywhere you look there are people smiling, dancing, laughing, eating, relaxing, mingling, and enjoying themselves. You are also one of those people now.

10. The Unexpected

All of the “basic” stereotypes you had about Coachella pretty much disappear as soon as you start experiencing it. Despite all of the outfit hype that happens beforehand, no one cares what anyone else is wearing. Everyone compliments everyone. At the end of the day, it really is all about the music and having a great time.

11. The Paradise

You’ve heard people talk about how Coachella is this otherworldly paradise, but it really is impossible to imagine until you’re there. Not only can you be completely yourself, but also with the level of anonymity there is, you can be whoever you want to be. It looks like a dream, with all of the colors and art, but more than that it actually feels like a dream.

12. The Music

Though tickets are obscenely pricey, they are also quite a steal if you think about it. A good seat at any other popular concert would cost you anywhere from $100-$200. At Coachella, you can get close to the stages for many of your favorite artists throughout the day, and you can see as many shows as you wish to throughout the day.

13. The People

Coachella is a great place to go with friends, and an even greater place to meet new friends. Coachella is a place where celebrities and fans alike can go and enjoy the music and the vibes. Pretty much everyone is having a good time, and you’ll find yourself smiling, conversing, and dancing with strangers who will soon feel like friends.

14. The Food

There’s usually two types of people when it comes to food at Coachella—those who enjoy all of the amazing types of food at the venue, and then those who completely forget to eat all together. Yes, it’s hot and there’s lots to see and do, but do not forget to feed yourself. You’ll need as much fuel as you can get for all that dancing. Plus, between After’s Ice Cream and the Grilled Cheese truck, it’s pretty much foodie heaven at Coachella.

15. The Lasts

On Friday, it seems like the end of the weekend is a lifetime away. But before you know it, there you are, on your last day, wishing it would never end. The sun sets, and as you stand there swaying (or dancing your butt off, if you still have the energy) to the final act of Coachella, you’ll wonder how the time flew by, and why you can’t stay in this dream world forever. You could really use a time controlling remote right now.

16. The Exit

As a seemingly endless sea of people flows out of the one exit, it kind of feels like it was all a dream. You pile back into the car, one by one, and drive home, still in disbelief over the whole weekend, and the fact that it’s over.

17. The Aftermath

Unless you have the immune system of Wolverine, there is a 100% chance you will be sick in the week following your first Coachella experience. This is the point when you vow to take vitamins next year, and also to not hug so many strangers.

18. The Addiction

When you finally do come out of your Coachella-induced death-like state, get ready to start planning for next year's second trip to Indio, and say hello to your next new obsession.