Vets, what insight did you gain after your first burn?

[Mista_Zero]

I'm seeing many first-time burners post here and think it's great that a resource like the eplaya exists (wish I had known about it last year!) This is my second year and I'm going in with a lot more insight and preparation than year one. I thought it would be useful for veteran burners to recall what they learned after their first burn (or two) and share a helpful insight with first time burners. For me, the most useful insight is that volunteering is the best way to immerse yourself in Burning Man and get over the initial disconnect you may feel as a virgin burner.

[Lonesomebri]

Sure is alot of wind and dust out there.

[Ano]

It's okay to have a bad time. Not everything is peaches and roses. Sometimes, you just need to change your scenery. You don't have to enjoy everything, it's okay to be unhappy.

[shazbat]

Mista Zero, as a virgin burner, that is precisely what I figured : I'm on w Earth Guardians, Temple Guardians, and Cafe Sound. I am really hopeful the Vets will respond here.

[lucky420]

Before my first burn I wasn't really much of a fan of BACON. I was "meh, yeah it's okay..." Well I forgot to pack a camp stove and the smell every morning of people cooking motherfucking BACON helped me realize and appreciate all the goodness that BACON is

[Eric]

My insight - don't expect too much out of it. Don't expect your life to be changed, or it to be the Most Amazing Thing Ever, or even to be fun (I know some people who absolutely hated it). Just go in and let it be whatever it is, and remember that at its core it's a camping trip in the desert with cool people, art, & music. Everything else is fluff.


Also, I've just bumped this old thread on a similar topic back to life, so there's more information for the birgins.

[tatonka]

My insight : is I learned I will never see it all , and Ive only been one year

[Savannah]

My insight - don't expect too much out of it. Don't expect your life to be changed, or it to be the Most Amazing Thing Ever, or even to be fun (I know some people who absolutely hated it). Just go in and let it be whatever it is, and remember that at its core it's a camping trip in the desert with cool people, art, & music. Everything else is fluff.

Agreed.

The other insight that I gained after the first was that I was tougher and less spoiled than I imagined. It was a true Burn-on-a-shoestring.