Throughout the course of the day, there are numerous groups of people to associate with. Accounting class is full of future accountants; the restaurant you work for encompasses those making a living. The communities we put our time into usually contain people with similar goals or wants.
As we are creating different communities for ourselves to associate with, we may find ourselves trapped in a crowd that does not understand who we are beneath our work clothes. A co-worker may not see eye-to-eye with you as to why you spent a quarter of your life savings on a music festival. These same co-workers may think that every Mumford and Sons song sounds the same.
Maybe the people at work just don’t understand what it means for you to be happy. If your peers do not understand the agony of waiting in festival ticket lines and missing Ludacris on day four of Firefly, then that is their loss. The beauty of understanding the struggles and obsession with Firefly is this: There is a whole community waiting to give you high fives and hugs.
Two years in a row I attended the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Del. and it has always been the highlight of my summer. Pumpkin spice latte season is usually when I begin planning for the upcoming festival, 10 months in advance.
Scouring the internet for the lineup while anxiously pacing the floor is a thrill I have come to love. I’ve also come to love the dirty earth as each festival year has provided us attendees with a different wet and muddy challenge to overcome. The expanse of peaceful trees and humming music is what makes the entire experience something of its own. Until you attend Firefly, you will not find a more welcoming home than the Woodlands of Dover International Speedway. With very few exceptions, Firefly is a humble abode to the warmest humans on this earth.
The festival area is most famous for the history and music that takes place on Main Stage. It is a place where you can find your people. Here you can make connections through music and dance while making a complete fool of yourself.
The best thing is that you look around and see that everyone is dancing and belting their hearts out and encouraging you to be yourself. You may never have attended Firefly, but I believe that your heart is definitely screaming for you to go at least once in your life. If you are committed to bettering yourself, you need to set time aside to find yourself.
As we network through different communities, we are also shaping our lives to contain places, people and memories that provide us with a content life. I hope to see you at the Woodlands next year, singing and dancing in the mud and rain.
Juliarose Genuardi is a second-year student majoring in marketing. She can be reached at JG843894@wcupa.edu.