10 Things Every GA Concert-Goer Should Know

There is nothing worse than buying tickets to your favorite artist and seeing that it's General Admission seating. This means there are no seats and no assignment, so it's first come, first served. Also a total nightmare. You already know if you're not there 8 hours early, your seat is going to be in the very back. Or I guess I should say, your standing room. But what do you do, not buy tickets? Sure, ha. Your solution is this article right here. Here is a list of 15 things you need to know before you prepare for a General Admission concert.

1. Weather

There's nothing worse than sitting outside in the rain. I love the rain, but not when I'm waiting 10 hours outside a concert theatre. If it's raining, bring an umbrella to set up all the way til you go inside. If it's cold, do the same with a blanket. Just remember to put the blanket back inside your car before you actually get into the venue.

2. Have a buddy

Even if you are attending the concert alone, socialize and make sure you have someone you trust to leave your stuff with if you have to run to the bathroom or put a blanket inside your car. If you're somewhere like downtown San Diego, you're going to want someone to accompany you on a snack run or a bathroom break. Safety precautions and all that. Plus, having a friend to make the time pass is much more enjoyable.

3. Don't bring a bag

Seriously, don't. I know, sometimes you have to prepare to carry a lot if you're camping outside for a few hours, but take it with the umbrella and your blanket and put it back in your car. It gets in the way, makes it impossible to move, dance or jump during the concert and you become a little bit more of a target if you've got a nice purse sitting on the streets of downtown Los Angeles or Chicago. Carry cash in a pocket, stick stuff in your phone case, hold the tickets in your bra, do whatever you can to free up your hands for the day.

4. Dress Comfortably

Everyone wants to look cute at a concert, I'm aware, but a body-con "hoochie-mama" dress with platform shoes might just make your life a living hell, even if you aren't waiting in line for hours and hours. Dress for the weather, and don't wear too many layers because that's always so annoying to deal with. Just make sure you have a jacket in your car incase it gets cold.

5. PORTABLE CHARGER

I emphasize this one because your phone will absolutely be dead by the end of the show without one. What are you gonna do if you get separated from your group? My nightmare is meeting the artist behind the venue after the show and having a dead phone. No Photo-Op. You don't have to hold your phone up the entire show and record every single song, but having some photos and a video or two will help you hold onto the memory forever. How are you gonna do that if you don't have a living phone?

6. Know the area

I once ran around San Diego outside of a Julia Michaels concert going from hotel to restaurant to gas station looking for a bathroom. Know where your reliable, safe, clean bathrooms are, where water is and where any kind of social help is, such as security or police. You can never be too prepared when you're about to spend your day on the side of the road.

7. Bring entertainment

Like a book or a stack of cards. If you aren't up for socializing, it's going to be a long 8 hours, so you better prepare some entertainment.

8. Bring snacks and water

A lot of venues don't have food nearby. I went to a Niall Horan concert in an amphitheater in the middle of nowhere in Utah and the concessions weren't open until 6pm. When we got there at 10am, it was a good thing we had snacks with us because we would've been totally malnourished. It's important to have energy and be hydrated for the concert, especially if it's outside in the summer. You don't want to end up like the countless girls that end up being pulled out before their artist even comes out on stage.

9. HAVE FUN! The whole reason you're there is to make memories and new friends. Jam out as much as you want, don't care what you look like, don't be embarrassed. Scream, jump, dance, let go of everything you've been holding back and watch how much it lifts up your spirits. It's easy to let yourself have a bad experience, but if you plan well, it can be the best night of your life.