Oh, Bonnaroo…only those who have experienced it know just how wonderful it is. For those who have never been, well, all I can say is I’m so sorry. You’re missing out.

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is a little slice of heaven that is held over a four-day period every June on a farm in Manchester, Tennessee. The farm, as the location is colloquially referred to, is a magical place filled with high-fives, happiness, and about a hundred thousand people ready to listen to great music, eat great food, and enjoy an escape from “normal” life.

Bonnaroo is much more than just your average music festival. While the awesome music is definitely the main attraction, it also has a lot of great art on display, a line-up of comedians who perform throughout the weekend, a cinema tent that airs different movies and television shows (this year, they had a free early screening of the Amy Schumer comedy "Trainwreck"), free yoga classes every morning, an annual 5k, and a specific area of the festival grounds dedicated to teaching fellow Bonnaroovians about global citizenship and environmental sustainability. It’s a special little paradise.

I have been lucky enough to attend Bonnaroo for the past four years, seeing performances by iconic music legends (such as Billy Joel, Elton John, and Paul McCartney) and brand new, up-and-coming artists about to hit their big break (such as Alabama Shakes in 2012). I’ve had the chance to be front row for some of my all-time favorite bands, such as Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, and Vampire Weekend.

I’ve eaten some of the best food in the world, danced around with my best friends, run through the iconic mushroom-shaped fountain, and truly found a place that feels like home.

The only bad thing about Bonnaroo is that, after the four days end, you have to leave. Like with any major loss, leaving Bonnaroo fills once-happy Bonnaroovians with the worst grief imaginable… The Post-Bonnaroo Grief.

The five stages of grief are, in order: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and (finally) acceptance. Here they are as experienced after the dreaded end of Bonnaroo.

1. Denial
   • This can’t be real. It can’t be over. How did four days go by so dang quickly? Is it really Sunday night? No, there’s no way. It’s not possible. It can’t be over! I’m not ready to go back home, return to work and responsibilities. It’s still Thursday, and there are still three full days of fun ahead, right? I don’t need to clean up my campsite. There is still a ton of shows to go see. Why are all these people leaving? It’s not over, it’s not over, it’s not over! It can’t be! … Can it?
2. Anger
   • I can’t believe Bonnaroo is over! How dare they make me leave? I don’t want to! I want to stay here! I want more Spicy Pie! I want more music! I want more time! This is the worst! I’m tired and dirty, but I don’t even want to shower. I just want to stay at Bonnaroo forever! The world is a cruel place and I’m so angry I had to leave Bonnaroo. I shouldn’t have even gone in the first place now that I know what leaving feels like!
3. Bargaining
   • Okay, I need to calm down. Bonnaroo was really fun and I had such an amazing four days… But maybe, just maybe I can stay a little longer? I’ll even help clean up all the leftover trash if it means Bonnaroo can be longer. Let’s all just collectively decide to make Bonnaroo an entire week. A full week of concerts and companionship! It sounds good to me, so it should happen! If Bonnaroo can last a week, I’ll do countless good deeds! I’ll donate to every charity in the world! I’ll… Well, I’ll do anything! Please, God! Let Bonnaroo last longer!
4. Depression
   • Life is so meaningless and dull. How am I supposed to go on? How am I supposed to be satisfied? What will I ever do with myself? I feel so empty… I know I will never be happy again. There is no happiness outside of Bonnaroo. I don’t know what I’ll do without the amazing fresh Amish donuts, garlic cheese fries, or chicken and waffles. I don’t know what to do with all my time when there aren’t concerts going on until three in the morning and interesting people constantly surrounding me. My heart is filled with the most overwhelming sadness and despair imaginable. I just miss it so much…
5. Acceptance
   • I miss Bonnaroo more than anything, but as they say… Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I can’t wait until November when I can buy my ticket during the presale, because I know I’ll go back next year! Nothing can keep me away! And then next year, the line up will come out, and I can get excited about all the phenomenal shows I’ll see come June. In the meantime, I can relive all the amazing memories by looking at the pictures I took and watching videos of my favorite performances. I’ll think fondly of the food truck oasis, of the beautiful design on the arch, and of all the people I met. I know my best friends Emma and Marisa—the Roo Crew, as we call ourselves—are just as excited as I am to make it back to the farm next year, so they can relive all the precious memories with me. And until June, I’ll continue to live out the Bonnaroovian code by radiating positivity everywhere I go.