While it may not seem like a big deal, planning your outfit for any concert is definitely important. First, your outfit is a chance to really express yourself and to wear something you might not normally wear. Whatever the concert, you’ll be surrounded by people who share a common interest, which gives you a chance to try something new and to stand out from the crowd. Don’t be afraid to make a statement with the cool graphic tee you’ve been dying to wear or the colorful bomber jacket you haven’t quite worked up the confidence to wear yet.

While keeping your own personal style in mind, you should also plan for the weather if it’s an outdoor concert, and consider the crowd as well. You probably don’t want to wear something that shifts around a lot or falls off easily if you know the crowd can get a little rowdy.

When planning an outfit, the No. 1 quality to keep in mind is comfort. Concert tickets can be crazy expensive, so you don’t want to be bogged down by an outfit you’re not comfortable wearing. Believe me, I’ve been there. If you feel great in an outfit, you’ll look great too.

When it comes to planning an outfit, don’t overlook a single aspect because everything counts. Get familiar with the venue so you know exactly what you’re getting into and can plan each part of your outfit accordingly. This includes shoes, purses, jewelry and any other accessories you’re thinking about. Plan your outfit now so you can focus on what’s really important: the actual concert.

-Lizzie Jedrasek

For all of you first-timers out there, you might be preoccupied with romanticizing about going to a concert. Just the mere fact you are going to see your favorite artist in the flesh seems sufficient to make one of the greatest days of your life. I am sorry to break this to you, but it is not going to be as great as you think.

Being at a concert means you have to be standing for hours on end in the middle of a tightly packed crowd. You also should have to tolerate some cigarette smoke, as music hipsters don’t really mind second-hand smoking. Most likely, you would also have to endure some pungent body odor from the crowd.

High expectations for anything are usually ill-advised, whether it be eating at a restaurant ranked No. 1 on Yelp or watching a movie your friends loved. Therefore, don’t expect too much for the concert so your energy won’t dwindle quickly. You need the energy to survive until the end of the concert.

You should also be prepared for your favorite artist’s nasty attitude. Some artists are arrogant. Don’t get too disappointed if you get snubbed by him or her when you ask for an autograph or a selfie together. Also, don’t get too disappointed when the artist ignores your encore request scurries away from the stage. It’s common for concerts.

Lastly, bring water! You wouldn’t want to wade through the crowd and lose a good spot just to stay hydrated.

-San Kim

Although it’s still cold outside and the weather keeps changing, we have something to look forward to. In less than a couple months, there will be festivals and concerts all over Illinois. I’m here to show you all my personal tips and tricks to surviving a concert and having a great time.

As always, the buddy system is very important. The last thing you want to do is lose your friends and not be able to contact them. Establish with everyone to check cellphones if someone gets lost.

Record parts of the show. Try not to be recording everything, but try to capture different moments so you can look back and enjoy the memories you made. Enjoy the moment. Be excited to attend and experience the music and the atmosphere. It’s awful how such terrible things are going on in the world, but when you attend a concert, all your worries go away for a couple hours.

– John Nudera

The mosh pit can be very intimidating at some concerts, but it can also be a very satisfying experience. You should never be afraid to throw yourself into the mix. As long as no one has a vendetta against you, the worst you get is slightly bruised. When you’re out there pushing people around, always be aware that if someone falls, you should pick them back up right away because no one should get kicked when they’re down.

-Jeremy Peterson

My biggest concert tip is to not care about what other people think. Sure, depending on where you’re at and who you’re seeing it could be a very serious, intimate situation or it could be loud, thrashy and chaotic. Regardless, you paid money to be at the show and you know how much you care about the songs you know all the lyrics to or the dance moves you’ve been waiting to break out until you heard your jam live. Be sure to stay present and to allow yourself to escape reality for a while; not too much texting or Snapchat, but just an authentic encounter between you, the artist and whomever you came there with. No sense in worrying about what strangers will think when the likelihood is they’ll get a kick out of seeing how much you’re enjoying yourself.

-Jess Peterson

I absolutely love attending concerts. The rush of exhilaration from seeing a favorite artist on the stage, the ambiance and connection with fellow fans, and the surprise of the setlist are just a few of my favorite facets. However, although I do love the overcrowded venues, concerts are not for the weak of heart.

You don’t want to be a concertgoer who passes out from dehydration. Your fellow fans will have no idea why you dropped so suddenly: Did you faint at the sight of seeing your favorite singer? Did the last song hit you right in the feels and you needed to take a minute to lie down? All extremely embarrassing perceptions, it’s best to just avoid the complication entirely. I recommend always finding the nearest concession stand before the show begins to snag a water or to bring your handy dandy Camelbak with you to the show.

Another one of my most useful tips would be the footwear you attend the show with. Although I am a proponent of rocking some sick kicks, a concert might not be the place to whip out the new shoes. I once made the mistake of wearing heels to a concert. As you can imagine, my feet did not like me very much by the end of it. Comfort is key when it comes to shows.

Do you really want your experience of seeing a great artist to be impeded by the footwear you choose? I didn’t think so. Make a smart footwear choice: Choose the broken-in shoes.

-Taylor Cygan