It’s that time of year again: Coachella. Over the years, the music festival has made quite a name for itself, and there’s an endless amount of hype that surrounds it. Coachella very well … could be … the best time … of your young life. Or not. Here’s a slight dose of reality that will hopefully render your actual experience more enjoyable.

DREAM: As you drive to Coachella, you’re alone, on the open road.

REALITY: Traffic. Lots and lots of traffic.

DREAM: Chicks think they’ll look like fresh goddesses straight out of an Urban Outfitters ad.

REALITY: Mud, sweat and bodily fluids.

DREAM: You find your soul mate.

REALITY: This guy ogles you for 30 mins outside of the beer garden.

DREAM: Your campground is organized and proves to be the next best thing to a luxury hotel.

REALITY: By Friday night you can’t find your phone charger, your glasses, or any of the shoes you brought and one of your wasted friends falls on the tent.

DREAM: Kanye, Jay-Z, Rihanna or someone sick like Justin Bieber make a guest appearance.

REALITY: Grinderman … or some other obscure band … which there are so many of … brings back their original bassist.

DREAM: You get laid.

REALITY: You lay down and pass out.

DREAM: You get to go to a sick after-party and get fucked up with Rihanna and Jared Leto.

REALITY: The only after-party you get into is at the friend of a friend’s trailer in 29 Palms with plastic handles and beer pong.

DREAM: This is your crew.

REALITY: This is your crew.

DREAM: DRUGS N PILLS N WEED N SHROOMS.

REALITY: Bath salts.

DREAM: You were sensible about drugs, and neatly rationed your stash to last you the whole weekend.

REALITY: Lindsay Lohan showed up after all … and stole all your shit, forcing you to desperately ask strangers if they can help you score some Molly.

DREAM: You’ll be chilling with friends the whole time, crowd surfing on their shoulders all weekend long.

REALITY: You trip balls and lose all your friends …

… Your phone, ID and all the rest of your shit ends up in lost and found …

… and you have to turn to this dude and his bullhorn to help you find your peeps.

RYOT NOTE: Have fun, be safe and make good decisions at Coachella — at least most of the time. And if you’re headed out to the desert to take part in all this amazing madness, that must mean you love music. So as you’re sitting in the car, battling traffic and considering making a truly bad decision by busting out the drugs early, we suggest busting out your phone, logging onto RYOT and checking out The Fender Music Foundation instead. They help schools and music programs get the instruments they need so kids can learn how to jam. Check them out, consider donating and share this story to Become the News!