Joe Greenwood-Hau

I first went to the festival in 2007, the summer after I finished my undergraduate degree, hoping to have some fun after the stress of my dissertation and final exams. Unfortunately, I was not ready for the experience and found it difficult to relax and enjoy my time there. Getting into the right mindset for something like Glastonbury comes more easily to some people than others, and I struggle with it. The past few years had been particularly stressful because a close relative with chronic mental health issues had been hospitalised after suicide attempts on two occasions whilst I was at university. I had never really processed these experiences and just returned to my studies one or two days after visiting the hospital on each occasion, perhaps as a way to avoid the grief. Additionally, at the end of my degree I was infatuated with one of my fellow students, who also went to the festival, but the feeling was not mutual. On top of that, I volunteered for Oxfam, which felt like a big responsibility and meant that I often went to bed early (missing out on great experiences) in order to be ready for my shift. Also, it rained a lot. So, I saw lots of great bands and comedians but was always drenched and covered in mud. I did not find that enjoyable, and came away with the view that the considerable expense would have been better spent on going to gigs (followed by sleeping in my own bed and enjoying a warm shower in the morning). I found the prices of many things on site (e.g. food and drink) to be offensively high and a source of additional stress given that I am from a poor family without savings or resources to fall back on, and had very limited money at the end of my degree. Indeed, I still think that the cost of the festival is prohibitive, exclusionary and, therefore, politically questionable. Still, that's not the end of the story.

A few months short of ten years later, as I was approaching the end of my PhD, some friends who were planning to go to the festival in 2017 emailed to see if I was interested. I'd always regretted not enjoying it in 2007, and felt my circumstances were much better: in a happy long-term relationship with my now wife, Katie, slightly more financially secure, and with the prospect of finishing my PhD (which was a difficult experience but ultimately rewarding) worthy of celebration. So, I seized the opportunity! Fortunately, by the time the festival rolled around I was in full-time employment so had some money to spare and could properly throw myself into the experience. Most importantly, I went with an absolutely lovely bunch of friends: Ric, Alys, Sarah, Adam, and Sophie. The evidence is the photos, which speak for themselves! I'm so glad that I gave it a second try, and would certainly consider going again in future.