Meeting someone new at a festival can be an exhilarating experience. You start to sing and dance with them. Laugh a lot, talk a little – get to know more about them and realize you’ve been smiling the entire night. Could they be the one?!
It’s easy to get drunk on someone’s love at a festival and overlook the blazing red flags. When the music stops and the lights dim, you have to ask yourself: Does this person truly have my back? Can I trust them to spend the rest of the festival, and potentially my life, with them?
Being savvy at spotting rave bae red and green flags is the first step in picking the right person for you. We all have different romantic interests, but there are some universal rules of dating and relationships that can save you stress and put you on the path of true love.
Starting with red flags is the easiest way to weed out people who are not right for you and steer you in the direction of your forever rave bae:
Red Flags
1. Leaves You Behind
Music festivals are a place to roam free without a care in the world, but nobody wants a rave bae who leaves them behind – either at a festival or in life.
If your rave bae is constantly going to sets without you, ditching you to hang with their friends, or only hanging out with you at festivals and leaving you out of other life plans – it might be time to find a new bae. You shouldn’t have to beg your partner to include you in their life and make you feel special.
2. Sloppy
Nothing is a bigger buzzkill than someone who can’t have a good time responsibly.
We all like to party every once in a while and we understand that sometimes accidents happen and you end up more unwell than you had originally planned. Good friends and partners will have your back when that happens.
But if you find that your rave bae is unwell more times than not, it’s time to reconsider this person. A partner worth being with will take the time to learn their limits and respect the experience of the people around them.
3. Not Trustworthy
Some say trust is the most important aspect of a relationship and they’re probably right. You should feel strong and comfortable in your relationship and having frequent doubts about your partner just shows they may not be dependable.
Trust is especially important when it comes to music festivals. You have to trust that they will follow through on plans, trust that they have your best interests in mind, and trust that they will be loyal amongst festival temptations.
4. Doesn’t Look Out For You
We all need a little bit of extra security in life. It’s always nice to know that someone is in your corner and has your back.
If your rave bae isn’t looking out for you at an event or festival, this can be a huge red flag that they may not actually care that much about you. You should be able to count on your person to be aware of the surroundings and keep you out of dangerous or creepy situations.
They should also be protecting you and helping you if people start to get rude and pushy in the crowd. They’re called a partner for a reason – you two should be working together to navigate difficult parts of life.
5. Jealous
As much as you want to trust your partner, you should want them to trust you just as much.
Music festivals should be a free place to express yourself and you shouldn’t have to dim any part of your light to make your partner feel secure. We make some of our best, life-long friends at festivals.
You should be free to dance, talk, laugh, and make connections without your rave bae accusing you of cheating.
Green Flags
1. Brings Trinkets To Trade
This may seem silly but bringing trinkets to a festival is a sign that your rave bae genuinely likes bringing other people joy and making new friends.
It shows that the experience is the most important part of the festival for them and they want to make sure everyone has a memorable time. People who trade kandi and trinkets tend to be kind and selfless, characteristics we love in a partner.
2. You Like Their Squad
They say you’re a combination of the people you surround yourself with. If you like your rave bae’s friends then there’s a good chance you’ll end up loving who they are as a person.
Not to mention that you’ll probably be spending a lot of time with these people in close quarters for festivals so it’s important that you like their friends.
If their squad seems to genuinely like their presence, it can be a sign that they’re a well-rounded and inclusive individual. Bonus points if both your squads get along well.
3. You Feel Comfortable Around Them
Music festivals can really put you to the test. Being in a strange environment, running on only a couple of hours of sleep per day can definitely feel distressing, especially with a new rave bae.
A happy, healthy partnership will foster an environment of acceptance and allow you to be your silliest self, whether at a festival or in real life.
Part of feeling comfortable requires your partner to allow you to express yourself freely – hyping up your rave fits and applauding your flow arts. Your partner should feel like home.
4. Asks For Consent
Whether this is your first festival with your rave bae or your one hundredth, they should always be getting consent.
This goes for dancing, kissing, cuddling, everything. Someone who asks for consent is someone who wants to make sure you are comfortable with them and cares about what you want in the relationship. A rave bae worth keeping around will never put you in an uncomfortable position.
5. Encourages You To Eat And Drink Water
A responsible partner will recognize that festivals are a marathon, not a sprint. They will encourage you to drink plenty of water and eat full, nutritious meals, even if that means leaving their favorite set to accompany you on frequent bathroom breaks.
This goes for outside the festival, too. Your partner should fill your cup – metaphorically and literally.
Featured image credit Electric Daisy Carnival Facebook.
