I never thought it was possible for music to have the ability to change my world, then I went to Coachella. Coachella is an art, food, and music festival that is hosted in Indio, California. 2015 was the second year I attended, but it was, by far, the best year. The music festival starts at noon and ends at midnight and throughout the day you are in constant motion. Whether you’re in the crowd at a performance, sitting on the grass listening from afar, visiting the various art pieces spaced out around the entire festival, or even grabbing a quick bite to eat, there is never a time when you’re bored. Coachella is an event you never want to miss because, not only do you have the chance to listen to all your favorite artists in one place, it is a different world that is impossible to find anywhere else. Before attending Coachella for my second time, I wondered whether it could ever beat my experience last year. The set list this year was not filled with the favorites of last year like Zedd, Kid Cudi, Dillon Francis, Bastille, or Outkast, but there was a major difference between this year and last. This year, I was surrounded by all the positive people in my life which made my experience ten times better.

The first day I expected the same experience I had last year, I expected the heat to be unbearable, the music to be amazing, and my three best friends by me at all times. What truly happened was a shock to me. All the teens from La Canada met at one campsite. Together, there were at least twenty of us. I noticed in that very moment, that Coachella would be nothing like it ?was last year. We went to Keys n Krates first, right after we got the famous mouthwatering Coachella pizza, and we all stuck together in the growing crowd. The music captivated us all and because we were all experiencing it together, it was life changing. The rest of the day was a blur, time was going too fast and you had to keep up with the constant cycle of motion. When I finally came into focus, I was at the main stage with AC DC. My mom told me I wasn’t allowed back home unless I attended AC DC, and I’m glad I did. Even though I only stayed for two songs, it was worth it. It was amazing to think that I could share this memory with my mom, who wasn’t even there to witness it, when I got home. This made me realize that Coachella isn’t just a memory you have to share with the people who experienced it too, it can be shared with anyone.

The second day was filled with immense anticipation. The back­to­back performance of Flosstradamus and Axwell^Ingrosso was something no one wanted to miss. We couldn’t contain our excitement. The acts were the last of the night, so during the day we distracted ourselves with Duke Dumont, Milky Chance, and Alice in Wonderland. The food on the second day changed my life. I went to a stand, “Afters”, which sold the most mouthwatering ice cream sandwich I have ever eaten. It was a “milky bun”, a donut (glazed or unglazed), with your choice of ice cream inside. After our life­changing food experience, we all met a “Headquarters”, an office building with walking hippos. “Headquarters” was the place all La Canada kids would meet when we wanted to see a show together. When it was time, all La Canada people headed to the outside stage to watch the show everyone was waiting for. When the set started and the lights came on, all our lives got a little bit better. Other than the looming danger of mosh pits during Floss, the set was perfection and was worth our anticipation. Looking back on the people I surrounded myself with, I realized there were 7 generations of graduates at the show. This realization proved that no matter what age or how well you know one another, Coachella can bring anyone together.

The third day was also my final day ever at Coachella. The whole day I was trying to soak up everything I loved about the environment. I was going to miss it all: the diversity, the art, the food. I wanted to fill the last day with as many amazing memories as I could. Vance Joy was my favorite artist of the third day because he brought all these emotions out. During his closing number, “Riptide”, the whole crowd shouted the lyrics. Being in the middle of thousands of people, all mesmerized by the same song, made me feel a sense of unity. I loved every second of the third day and wish I could relive it over and over.

Coachella changed my world. It made me open my eyes to the power of music. One song can unite two completely different individuals. The beauty of Coachella is that you’re thrown into a world you would never expect and can never experience anywhere else. It’s hard to forget the freedom of walking into the gate for the first time or the pounding in your chest in sync with the beat. This is why you can never get rid of the Coachella feels.