As a fairly weathered college kid, I understand that the day to day stresses of essays and classes and crotchety professors and exams and EVERYTHING can be hugely taxing on anyone that’s trying to succeed and have fun along the way. While college kids are a notoriously stressed out bunch, the beautiful thing about being our age is that nowadays we have access to hundreds of music festivals to step back and take a break from it all. Here are just some of many reasons why music festivals are some of the best places in the world.

1. The artists

First and foremost, music festivals are the place to be to see live music at all hours of the day. Festivals are the experience of a lifetime for music junkies who want to see all their favorite artists in one place. No matter what kind of music you listen to, there is no doubt you can find a festival for you.

2. Experienced festival-goers

There is nothing better than meeting the people who religiously attend the same festival every year and have picked up all the tricks of the trade. At night you’ll often be able to sit down on the grass to watch talented hoopers and glovers who voluntarily entertain between sets. Some people have figured out the art of sneaking in booze and wriggling to the front of packed crowds, while others have basically become part of the acts themselves.

3. The newbies

You can almost always pick a fresh festival goer out of a crowd. Their chronic look of amazement and wonder makes even the most weathered attendees reminisce about their very first festival.

4. The activities

From morning yoga to ferries wheels, to silent discos, most festivals will provide fun pastimes for you while waiting for your favorite artists to perform.

5. The community

Music is one of the only things in the world that can supply a common denominator for any given person. No matter what walk of life you may come from IRL when you enter the gates of a music festival everyone converges at a level playing field. Amazingly, you could be a lowly college dropout, head-banging alongside an experienced businessman, and momentarily see each other as absolute equals.

6. The new sense of reality

My personal favorite aspect of music festivals is how once you enter, you can completely forget the stresses and responsibilities of the real world. At camping festivals, you literally leave your life behind for a weekend and temporarily adopt a whole new lifestyle.