When someone mentions Coachella, most people know what you’re talking about. Woodstock and other famous festivals that came before our time paved the way for young adults to come together and enjoy an out-of-this-world musical experience.

When it comes to 2018, Coachella mostly lived up to that expectation. This year being my first time, I did plenty of research and asked friends which weekend is the best to attend. Of course everyone has their preferences, but the overall consensus was weekend one has the most celebrities, high fashion and new trends. I knew for my first time embarking on this big commitment that I had to go all out: weekend one was the answer.

The clothing was interesting. Rave attire is different than everyday, trendy styles. I was curious as to why some people (mostly girls) were dressed as if they meant to go to EDC and not Coachella. There were girls wearing glittery booty shorts and pasties which seemed like a good idea because of the heat, but it wasn’t executed properly for this music festival. Don’t get me wrong, some outfits were super cute and some I’d even wear, just not to Coachella. We are the generation of trendsetters, but this trend should go ahead and stop.

Of course I have to mention the food! The last day I finally got to try a meal and it was worth the wait. I bought garlic crab fries and they didn’t disappoint. They were amazing. The price, on the other hand, was not. They were around $12. Alhough thinking back, that price wasn’t too bad for one of the most attended festivals in the nation.

The Weeknd, Amber Rose and Ed Westwick (also known as Chuck Bass on Gossip Girl) are some of the celebrities my friends and I saw. Others were spotted including Rihanna and Justin Bieber. The list goes on.

Top Five Performances

Let’s start with the performance that captured nationwide attention: Beyonce. I could not tell you guys how much money I’ve spent on different concerts, raves and festivals and I’m saying this — Beyonce’s was easily one of the best performances I have ever seen. From her jaw-dropping outfits to her 100-plus backup dancers, she kept the audience captivated the whole time. Just when I thought the performance couldn’t get any better, BOOM, Destiny’s Child reunited in front of my eyes. I’ve seen Beyonce once before on her Run The World tour with Jay-Z so I knew she was going to bring everything she had to Coachella, but I really wasn’t ready for this outstanding show.

While Beyonce was obviously  magical, I was also looking forward to The Weeknd’s performance. I’ve been a die-hard Weeknd fan since 2010, even when his first album “Trilogy” wasn’t out yet. “Valerie” and “Loft Music” are two of my favorite songs even today. His new EP “My Dear Melancholy,”, which came out just a week before Coachella, made everyone remember the sound of his old days. The beginning of his set was more upbeat and the crowd loved it. However, transitioning to the deeper songs, he became emotional on stage. He sang his heart out. It was magical to watch. Not only did he capture my undivided attention on stage, but the second day before Beyonce’s performance, he walked right in front of me so he could watch Queen B too. I was so starstruck I didn’t even know what to do. I guess people were right about celebrity sightings during weekend one.

Moving onto two other amazing sets, Troyboi and Ekali threw down at the Sahara stage. Troyboi was Friday night and Ekali was Saturday afternoon, but even with different scheduling, both these DJs wanted to get the crowd hyped. Troyboi was definitely one of my favorites with his wonky drops but I didn’t realize how good Ekali was going to be. My friends and I made it almost directly toward the front in the middle for both sets. It was a great decision. Not only was the crowd not super pushy but they were ready to dance and party too. The energy from the crowd made us more excited to see what drop came next.

There were rumors spreading about Migos being booed off the stage. This is true. Even before their performance started, they were late — about 20 to 30 minutes late. When you go to a festival it is crucial to be on time for each set because you take the time to schedule which performances you want to see. So leaving the crowd wondering where they were right before Eminem came on was not a good look for them. In the beginning, the sound system was going in and out and became fuzzy. After they eventually fixed it, people were already headed out to Eminem’s set. However, they all did well. Everyone sang along to “Bad and Boujee” and “Slippery”.

Another performance that caught social media’s attention was the outrageously carefree Cardi B. Not even her baby bump could stop her from having the time of her life. She lives to entertain. I was so stoked when she not only brought out Offset but Chance the Rapper and YG. I have loved YG since high school and seeing him again as a surprise guest made my experience 10 times better. Since she dropped a new album just a few weeks before Coachella, everyone sang right along with her.

The main question most people that haven’t attended want to know is … Was it worth it? To tell you the truth, I think it was. Coachella is one stamp I can mark down on my millennial bucket list. I feel like attending a festival in general is some sort of a right of passage for young adults these days. And going to the festival of all festivals makes me feel like I accomplished something. I’m all about musical performances and I have to say Coachella had some that I most likely will never forget. Would I go again? Maybe not in the near future but I could definitely see making the trip down to Indio again. I’d probably try going the second weekend instead of the first and maybe, just maybe, try camping.

From seeing The Weeknd’s face five feet in front of me in the crowd to being at Beyonce’s performance when history was made, I’d say my Coachella experience went extremely well. Best wishes to the weekend two festival goers of Coachella. I hope your overall experience will be just as amazing as mine.