I stepped out of my introverted comfort zone and went to a concert by myself. Enjoying a concert alone was one of the best decisions I ever made. Lecrae is one of my favorite gospel rap artists. I actually won tickets to see him last year when he was performing in Philadelphia, but I didnt have anyone to go with so I didnt accept the tickets. I was really bummed about not going so when I learned that he was going to be performing at Messiah College before beginning his All Things Work Together tour, I was not about to let the chance to see him again pass me by. The only problem was that none of my family or friends like gospel rap.
If your favorite musician is coming to town and none of your friends like him or her, here are some dos and donts for enjoying a concert alone just like I did:
Do be prepared
Concerts are for dancing and jumping around and having a good time. You dont have to bring your entire purse in with you if you dont have to. Have your ticket ready. Grab your phone and some money. Dont forget your car keys.
Don’t let others bother you
There were screaming girls right behind me when Lecrae came out. While they were annoying, I didnt let them ruin my focus on Lecrae. If youre only focusing on the people around you, youre going to miss a really good show.
Do take pictures
Im short, so I didnt really get a lot of good pictures. Thats okay, because I was still able to enjoy the music and what I could see of the stage. Youll only need a few good pictures to remember the great time you had.
Don’t spend the entire time on your phone
Theres absolutely no reason to be texting or Snapchatting the entire time the musician is performing. If you get caught up in trying to take a better picture or texting all your friends who arent there, youre going to miss whats right in front of you. Relax and enjoy the show.
Do make friends if you want
Everyone at the concert is there for the same reason you are. So go ahead and strike up a conversation if you want. I am not really a social person, so I did not, but I bet my more extroverted friends would have no problem meeting new people before the concert.
Don’t let yourself feel weird
Most people who go to concerts go with friends. When you go by yourself, you dont have to worry about what others think of you because they are not thinking about you at all. Theyre having a good time with their friends, theyre enjoying the show, and you should, too. Its perfectly fine to occupy yourself with your phone while youre waiting before the show, but once everything starts you should put it away.
Do get a good spot
If the concert youre attending is standing room only and the doors open at a certain time, get there early. The doors for Lecrae opened at 6, I worked until 5 and got there about 5:30. There were already a hundred people waiting. If you want a good spot, youre going to have to go early.
Don’t let a group push you out
The benefit of being in a group is that other groups are less likely to push you out of the way as they try to move closer to the stage. In my case, a group of girls tried to move past me, but I put my elbows out because there wasnt any extra room in front of me and I was not about to let them ruin what view I did have. Luckily, they realized they werent going to get any closer and stayed behind me.
Do enjoy the music
The Lecrae concert at Messiah was one of the best concerts I had ever been to and being alone made a huge difference in how much I enjoyed it. It was almost cathartic to allow myself to get caught up in the music. Everyone gets caught up in the music and thats what makes concerts so great.
Don’t stand still
Sing along, dance, jump up and down. Have a good time because thats what youre there for. Pretend youre alone in your bedroom if you have to. Enjoying a concert alone is something everyone should do. I promise, your confidence will grow when you step outside your comfort zone.
