Tip #1: Know when tickets go on sale.

Concert tickets can be expensive, especially when you're purchasing a re-sold ticket from a scalper. Websites like StubHub and VividSeats allow anyone to resell a ticket they bought for face value for a higher price in order to make money off us, the people who actually want to go to the show. One time I bought a ticket that was originally around $50 for about $230. I was desperate, okay? Don't be like me.

When an artist announces a tour and when tickets will be going on sale, mark that date and time down somewhere. Put it on your calendar, in your phone, on a sticky-note, whatever. Ingrain it in your mind, and don't forget it.

When the date finally rolls around and it's almost time for tickets to go on sale, be ready. I'm talking two computers and your smartphone open to TicketMaster, your cursors hovering over the "buy tickets" button. Have an alarm set to go off the moment you're allowed to go in and cop a ticket. For extra insurance, have your mom ready on her laptop down in the living room. Tell her you'll pay her back later.

Getting a ticket is still a very stressful process once the sale begins, but if you're prepared and on-time, you have a higher chance of paying for what the tickets are actually worth. You could definitely save a few hundred bucks. Who wouldn't want that?

If you aren't able to get your hands on a reasonably-priced ticket at first, StubHub and VividSeats can still come in handy later on. The closer the day gets to the actual date of the concert, the more desperate these scalpers will be to get rid of their tickets. They'll lower the price to what they originally paid (or even cheaper!). So if worst comes to worst, wait it out until the day of the concert to buy your ticket. All that money you save can go toward buying a T-shirt. It's a win-win!

Tip #2: If the concert is general admission, you have to put in the effort for a good view.

At general admission shows, you don't get to pick where you stand. Everyone just piles into the crowd on a first-come-first-serve basis. If being up close and personal to the artist is important to you, it's only fair that you wait in line like everyone else. In my experience, if I wanted to be pressed against the stage, I had to wait in line outside the venue from morning till night. I've yet to camp overnight for a show, but it's definitely on my bucket list.

No one likes a line-cutter or a crowd-pusher. The fans who got in line early and endured hours of sun, sweat, and dehydration deserve to be closer to all the action. Arriving to the venue 10 minutes before the concert starts and shoving your way to the front is not only disrespectful, but it could be potentially dangerous as well.

All in all, just be respectful of those around you. It'll keep the show drama-free and help everyone in the crowd have a safe and memorable experience.

And if you try to push in front of me, claiming that you "need to find your sister" up at the front of the crowd, sorry. I won't buy it. That might be one of the oldest tricks in the book.

Tip #3: Make friends with the people around you in line.

Camping out may sound like a drag, but it can actually be very fun! A few of my closest friends are people I've met in line waiting for a concert. If you're camping out, you're going to be around these strangers for a long time, so you might as well spark up a conversation and make some new friends. It'll help pass the time and you'll get to meet new people who have the same love for music that you do.

Tip #4: What to bring with you (TMP).

If you're going to a concert that has assigned seats (i.e. in a theater, arena, stadium, etc.) I recommend you go ahead and bring a purse or a backpack because you can easily set it by your feet. If you're going to a general admission show, the last thing you're going to want is to lug around a big, bulky bag. I think GA shows are best experienced hands-free, so I would advise you to bring either a fanny pack or just a few things you can store in your pockets.

If you're planning on getting merch, wait to buy it until after the concert ends so you don't have to worry about losing your new T-shirt the whole time.

The fewer belongings you bring to a concert, the less you have to worry about. Before I leave for any concert I always think TMP: Tickets, money, phone. That's about all you need.

Tip #5: When you're at a concert, don't be afraid to go ham.

Imagine you're at a concert you've been waiting all year for. You are 15 yards away from your favorite band in the world, and they're playing your favorite song. In that situation you wouldn't just stand there, would you?

Don't be afraid to go absolutely crazy at a concert. If you dance like an idiot and enjoy screaming the lyrics at the top of your lungs, do it. Don't hold back. Concerts are safe spaces to be wild; no one will judge you.

This is what concerts are made for. Don't be afraid of accidentally elbowing them or stepping on their feet. If you're at a general admission show and you feel like you have to stand still, don't. If you're not covered in other peoples' sweat by the time you go home, you didn't give it smartphone all.

The same goes the other way around. If the person next to you is dancing, elbowing and pushing you, don't be frazzled. Don't let it annoy you to the point where it ruins your whole night.

If someone is screaming and pushing and it's really bothering you, kindly ask them if they can tone it down a little bit. And if they refuse to, move away! It's not worth it. But in general, respect other fans' rights to have fun. Join them if you can.

Again, you waited all year for this concert. Don't let anyone else take that away from you.

Tip #6: The back row is just as fun as the front row.

If camping out and waiting in line all day to be in the front row is what you want, then go for it! However, if you end up stuck at the very back of the crowd, don't worry. It's just as fun as the front, but for different reasons.

The truth is that while being in the front row gives you an HD view of the band members' faces and amazing photo-ops, where you stand shouldn't dictate your concert experience. Everyone in the room is going to see the same show and hear the same songs. No fan is more special or better than another just because they snagged a spot at the front.

If you struggle with being in tight crowds I suggest you stay closer to the back of the venue. You will have just as good of a time as the others.

Here are just a few perks to staying in the back of the crowd at a concert:

1. You have more room to dance.
2. You'll be first in line at the merch stand when the show ends.
3. You have easy access to the bathroom, and it'll be much easier to make it back to your friends after.
4. Sometimes we aren't in the mood to mosh or crowd surf. Sometimes we just want to relax and watch the concert from our own little bubbles. The back of the crowd is the perfect space for that.

For me, I just feel as though every time I'm at the back for concerts, I have so much more freedom to lose my mind. Some of my most memorable concert experiences have taken place in the back row, so don't knock it 'till you try it.

Tip #7: Be respectful to the band or artist on stage.

Alright, guys, this is an important one. I can't preach about creating a safe environment for the fans without applying this to the musicians as well. I have witnessed disrespect from fans a number of times throughout the years and all it does is make everything awkward.

I can recall many instances where fans have shouted vulgar and sexual comments to the artist on stage, and it's not fair. If it catches their attention, it won't make them like you. They won't think you're quirky. It'll just make them uncomfortable.

The artists have 90 minutes to give us the best performance they can possibly muster up. I feel as though it's important for us, the fans, to give them the opportunity to perform and speak without any interruption. When I was a little younger, I used to do it all the time. Anytime there was a pause between the artists' words, I'd shout things like "I love you!" and "Marry me, please!" in hopes of getting their attention. Yikes.

Sometimes it's hard to remember that these musicians are regular people just like us, complete with feelings and everything. At the end of the day, performing is their job. I'm sure none of us would like to be harassed by strangers at work, and I'm sure these musicians feel the same way.

I'm starting to get the sense that respect is just the general rule for concert-going, and I'm not mad about it. You can never get (or give) too much respect, right?

Tip #8: Have fun!

I'm sure you guys didn't see this one coming, right? Ha. But when you think about it, this is the most important rule. At the end of the day, I can't tell you how to have a good concert experience, simply because we're all so different. We all have our little quirks when it comes to going to concerts that enhance our own experiences (for me, I like to wear chunky boots to rock shows because when I stomp my feet, I feel extremely empowered). Every fan has a different story, and we're all going to want a different experience to come out of each show we go to. And I think that's really rad.

The diversity among fans is just another thing that I love about live music so much: The fact that I can walk into a venue, dance my butt off, sing at the top of my lungs, and absolutely lose my mind surrounded by complete strangers is kinda beautiful. Concerts are truly my escape from reality; I'm immersed in an alternate universe where freedom and music are synonymous. Everyone is happy and I forget all my troubles for those magical 90 minutes.

And when the band concludes their encore and gives a final bow, I leave with a sad pit in my stomach. But it's only a matter of hours before I'm already psyched for the next concert that comes my way. Maybe I'm a little extra, or maybe I'm just addicted to crowd-surfing. Maybe it's both.

If you've never been to a concert before, I highly encourage that you attend one as soon as possible. And if you've been to hundreds of shows, please never stop going. The adrenaline will surely never get old, and I really hope these tips don't either. That would be embarrassing.