Driving around with the windows down blasting music is a great spring and summer activity, but nothing beats actually going to a music festival. Spring is in the air and festival lineups are being released.

If you’ve never been to a festival or haven’t been planning on attending one, we’re here to let you know why you definitely need to this year. A music festival is not your average concert. Sure, you might find some similar things like Jingle Ball where there are multiple artists in one place for a night. But there’s really nothing like a music festival. The vibes are better, the music is louder and the artists have energy unlike anywhere else.

Like we said a music festival is an EXPERIENCE. While the music and the lineup may be why it catches your eye, the experience is what really gets people hooked on going year after year. Festival season is even worth traveling around the country for.

But aren’t they are so expensive?

Tickets for a multi-day music festival usually range from $250-$500 for general admission. While that might seem like a lot, let’s break it down. Say you’re thinking about spending $500 on a 3-day pass to Coachella. Count the number of artists you like from a lineup because you aren’t going to be able to see EVERYONE. If you like 10 of the artists you can break down the cost of the ticket two ways. First, just divide the number of artists you like by the amount you spent on the pass: in this case, it would be around $50 per artist. Or, divide it by 3 for the main headliners to get around $167 per headliner.

If you look at the average price it costs to go to a regular Ariana Grande concert, it’s about $416. At a music festival, you can see her and nine additional artists in the same weekend for almost the same price. Now that’s a bargain.

So you sold me on why financially it makes sense to attend, but why fly across the country for a festival?

In your early 20’s you most likely have friends living all over the country that you don’t get a chance to see very often. A music festival is a great opportunity to get your squad back together for a weekend. Instead of going to a city where just one person lives, you can find a festival somewhere you wouldn’t normally go and all meet there. If you have friends living in Florida and friends living in California meet up in Texas for Austin City Limits and make a trip out of it.

Ok, the squad’s in, now what?

Research. Research. Plan. Lineups are released before tickets are on sale so take a screenshot, drop it in the group chat and start planning accordingly. Some festivals are random weekends that don’t fall on a holiday which means flight prices probably won’t be super expensive if you book in advance. Plus StudentUniverse is always releasing new promo codes so you can snag even more deals.

Find your outfits, pack your bags and get ready for an experience of a lifetime. Can’t decide where to begin? Check out our round up of hot festivals this season.