Sound: Battle Scars by Guy Sebastian feat. Lupe Fiasco
Sound: SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY by Amaarae feat. Kali Uchis
Sound: No Type by Rae Sremmurd
Sound: Hell N Back by Bakar
Mayfest’s Dillo Day, here at Northwestern University, is a yearly celebration, featuring a gaggle of musicians, with concerts taking place for over 9 hours. Over the course of the day, students often find themselves in the pit, celebrating along with some of their favorite artists. This year’s camp-themed Dillo was complete with food trucks, groups giving out makeup supplies, and so many more festivities.
However, Dillo is also a day known for parties on- and off-campus, with some who begin indulging in adult beverages at times when they would regularly be sleeping through their morning lecture. So with the knowledge of this marathon of a day in mind, I took to the streets of Northwestern University the next day, once students had recovered, to seek advice. What did these Wildcats wish they knew before Dillo Day? What advice would they give to future attendees?
[Franke Gordon] One piece of advice I’d give is stay hydrated. It can pretty hot outside, especially with all those people out there, and not being able to bring liquids inside.
That’s Weinberg first-year Franke Gordon. Though he is an avid jazz fan, he still made it out for this year’s Dillo Day lineup, which contained a plethora of artists in hip-hop, R&B, and rap, alongside fusions of disco, Afrobeats, and pop.
Additionally, with a handful of food trucks in attendance as well as plastic pouches provided upon arrival to refill with water, students had plenty of options for what to eat. Gordon’s advice?
[Franke Gordon] Eat beforehand; the food was a little expensive, but it’s still pretty good.
When deciding what to consume beforehand, students don’t necessarily just stick to dining halls or using meal exchanges, as Dillo Day is one that involves substances of a different kind for many students.
Dillo Day itself even had a beer garden, for students of legal age. For students who are considering experimenting, Weinberg sophomore Domingo Contreras encouraged caution and care.
[Domingo Contreras] Just be careful with whatever you partake in. You see people in bushes, you know, halfway through the day. Think through what you’re gonna do, surround yourself with good people.
Once students filed into the day’s events, however, the line of vendors stretched all along Northwestern’s Lakefill. With some unaware of seemingly how long this wait was, Weinberg first-year Isabel Su provided a much-needed recommendation to future attendees.
[Isabel Su] My advice would be to wear comfortable shoes, because there’s a lot of walking, a lot more than I thought there was gonna be.
There were two stages at Dillo Day this year, which both became progressively more crowded as the evening went on. While there were only a few dozen students at the start for some of the student performers, by the time headliner Swae Lee came on for his performance, there were full-on mosh pits.
While this can easily become overwhelming for some, Weinberg first-year Bella Hernandez shared some insights from her time in the pit.
[Bella Hernandez] Just knowing crowd control sometimes, because I was in the pit for most of it. Just know that you can step away.
With agreement between Hernandez and fellow first-years Tarik Filipovic and Abigail Yoon, the biggest piece of advice reiterated by students that I spoke with? Pace yourself throughout the day, and if needed…
[Bella Hernandez] Take a nap.
[Tarik Filipovic] Take a nap, around 3 p.m. or 4 p.m.
[Abigail Yoon] Definitely midday nap, maybe two naps.
[Bella Hernandez] I took a three-hour nap in the middle of Dillo, and then I was rejuvenated for the end.
With Dillo Day being one of the events that students look forward to most all year, there’s bound to be stress. From students worrying about what to wear to fit this year’s “Camp” theme, to others who were concerned about who they’d be attending with, McCormick first-year Batool Salman approached the question with calming advice.
[Batool Salman] You know, my advice would be to be less stressed about it, because I feel like it’s a big event that there’s a lot of lead-up to, and some people were worried about, ‘oh, who am I gonna go with? What time?’ It’s a long day, but it’s a fun day, so I think if people should just enjoy.
For WNUR News, I’m Gabe Shumway.
Sound: Sunflower by Post Malone and Swae Lee
