Bonnaroo was one of the absolute best experiences of my life. It was my first time ever attending, and although I believed I was well prepared, I wasn't. This is a list of must-haves and must-do things for all of you Bonnaroo newbies out there who are going for your first time next year.

1. BABY WIPES!

I have this as the first thing and in capital letters because it is absolutely crucial that you bring these, especially if you are camping in a tent. Bonnaroo is very dirty and dusty. There is dust constantly blowing up everywhere and it will cover you. For a second you'll think you are tan and then you will just realize that you are covered in dirt. That is not very fun. Showers cost money, so (this is going to sound gross but) baby wipes are a good alternative to paying for every shower. You can wash your hair and the water refill station and everyone else there is gross and dirty too so no one cares. Just make sure that baby wipes are the first thing on your list.

2. Tapestries

Yes they look cool and whatever and people will probably think your campsite is super cute but tapestries were created in the first place to help control airflow. That is one thing you really need at your campsite because there are no fans or air conditioners. They help create shade and they promote the flow of cool air through your campsite making it a little more comfortable.

3. Fanny Packs or Backpacks

I only recommend bringing a backpack into Centeroo if you have to carry a hammock or a blanket you will use to sit on. Fanny packs are nice because they are hands free and have lots of room to carry anything you need to bring into Centeroo with you. The one I am wearing in the picture above is from Walmart and I think it was only around 10 dollars.

4. Comfortable Shoes and Clothing

My sister is making a silly face in this picture but she is wearing the perfect outfit for a hot day spent in Centeroo. Bonnaroo is in an extremely warm area and a lot of the time you are going to be in direct sunlight. My friends and I bought and tie dyed some thin, cheap teeshirts. We also wore Soffe shorts because they didn't make our legs chafe and our Teva sandals because they kept our feet cool and comfortable. However, it gets very cold at night, so you will want to make sure you bring warm clothes to wear to sleep.

5. Water Bottles

Water is another must. My group brought bottled water but you can also bring your own reusable bottle you just have to empty it before you take it into Centeroo (they don't let you take any unsealed bottles in for safety reasons). That isn't an issue though because they have refill stations throughout Centeroo.

7. Sun Protection (Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Bandanas, Hats, Etc)

As I have already said many times in this article, it is HOT there. Anything you can do to keep yourself cool is a good idea. We would all dip our bandanas in the icy water from our cooler, wring them out, and wear them when we went to Centeroo. We also had a small, handheld mister that we filled with water and pumped to mist, and battery powered fans. Sunglasses were also needed in order to watch some of the shows, along with tons of sunscreen. More than one day we stood in blistering heat and although we had some of the highest SPF sunscreen, one of my friends ended up with a heat rash.

8. Be Safe and Have Fun

Bonnaroo was one of my first ever trips without any type of adult supervision. That was exciting but also TERRIFYING. The campgrounds are honestly very safe but we did end up with someone's medication stolen. It is also very easy to get lost because the venue is so large so I recommend taking at least one person with you everywhere you go. It is an amazing and life changing experience. It is incredibly fun and everyone there can be completely themselves without judgement.

So, I hope that this article helps some of you who are new to Bonnaroo. If you go prepared, you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time.