Bucket List - Coachella

Beginning the Bucket List

Today I am starting a new series on this blog - my bucket list items! I have always had some things in my head that I have thought I would love to do someday if I got the opportunity. As I enter my thirties, I have decided that it is time to stop letting these ideas just float around in my head and actually make a real, recorded bucket list. As I come along things in my life that I want to add to my bucket list I am going to write about them here. Hopefully I will be able to update these bucket list posts in the future with the pics of me achieving these goals!

Coachella

Like many people, I love watching the photos and videos that come out of Coachella each year. For those that don't know, Coachella is a music festival held each year in California. There are a lot of music festivals each year, but Coachella always sticks out. They boast some of the largest crowds and have more of the popular artists than any other music festival. A large part of the reason Coachella is so famous is because of the social media that comes out of the event. It began gaining popularity on Instagram due to the outfits people would wear to the festival and in the years since Coachella fashion has cemented its place in history. Throughout the years all types of brands and influencers have taken advantage of the popularity of Coachella to grow their platform. Many influencers say that their posts from Coachella are consistently their most successful content. Even as someone who barely uses social media I still have seen more Coachella content over the years than is feasible - and I eat it up!

Although I enjoy watching all the content from Coachella, I genuinely have not ever wanted to go before. The idea of camping out in insane heat for three days to watch a couple of concerts has never seemed like an appealing way to pass the time, however, something about the content I am seeing this year makes me want to go. I am seeing all the usual posts of people having a terrible time (there was a large mishap with the parking situation for car campers this year) and I am also seeing all the usual posts of uber-rich influencers showing their "luxury" accommodations that cost more for three days than I make in a year, and of course I am seeing a bunch of crazy outfits. But I am also seeing a more normal and practical side to the music festival than I have seen in years past. There are free showers that people are able to use that actually look clean and maintained, there are phone charging stations, there is a general store where you can get food and other necessities, and there are people there just having fun!

It feels like I am the only person who is enjoying the Coachella content this year though. The mishap with the car camping was bad and I understand the complaints about that, however, there are some things going on this year that other people seem to have a lot of hate for that I think look genuinely fun. There is one TikTok in particular that I saw of a guy who was setting up his car camp spot. He brought a blow up mattress, folding table, a camping shower, and some other necessities. He also brought some decorations to make his tent look nice including a folding directors chair, mobile clothing rack, vintage suitcase for his clothes, and some knick-knacks. I thought it was adorable! It was simple and functional while still being cute and comfortable. I saw that video and thought to myself, "I could spend a weekend in there no problem!". I was shocked when I went to the comments though. The amount of hate this man is getting is insane! People are saying that he is out of touch, camping shouldn't be aesthetic, the knick-knacks are unnecessary junk, he is just there for the pics, and all sorts of other negative things. I honestly don't understand it.

I understand why people don't always have the best opinion of influencers that go to Coachella. There have been a lot of scandals in the past of influencers lying about going and faking their pics. There are also a lot of influencers that just go to the free parties that brands bring them to and don't actually care about the event. I'm not saying Coachella influencers don't have their fair share of shady issues, but the hate this year seems to be ramped up to another level. Yeah okay, not everything that man brought for his tent camp was a necessity. He could have put his clothes in a duffle bag instead of a vintage suitcase. He could have left the little knick-knacks at home. But if he has the space in his car and the means to do so whey not make your setup for the weekend fun and cozy? People are saying camping doesn't need to be aesthetic - no technically it doesn't, but it can be! You can make you life beautiful and romanticize something even as unglamorous as camping if you try. The man who made that setup looked like he was having a great time. I hope all the negative feedback that his video got did not discourage him from enjoying his weekend and living his aesthetic to the fullest!

My Goal

As I am watching all the content come out of Coachella this year I had a thought that I have never had before - I would like to go! Like I said, the idea of spending three days in the heat for concerts has never appealed to me, but seeing all the amenities that are available and some of the whimsical car camp setups that people have created has actually swayed me and made me want to go. Mind you I will not be shelling out for a VIP pass or any of the luxury setups if I go. I would just buy the cheapest ticket possible and probably sleep in the back of my car, but I think the experience could be fun - so I am officially adding it to my bucket list!

I don't know when this will happen. I don't think I will be in a position to do this within the next 2-3 years at least, but someday I want to go to Coachella - and you can bet that when I go I will be wearing a flower crown. The millennial in me would never be fulfilled if I didn't!