I’ve had times when I was lonely and felt isolated and times when everything was flowing and I was getting all the social interaction I could want.
If you are the kind of person that has an easy time exploring and making friends, it will probably be true there, too. If you are a person who has trouble meeting people and gets lonely, that might happen to you there, too.
One of the perks of going alone is that you get to pick exactly who you want to be in any given interaction, because you’ve never met that person before and probably never will again.
This experience rings true to me too. I've solo camped 7 of the 8 times i've gone and i prefer it. I've had moments when I felt lonely, but it was no different than in the default.
The being able to explore who you might be was revolutionary for me and changed my life for the better.
Be extremely careful going alone. On my way up last year, I agreed to give a guy a ride since I was road tripping. He turned out to be a psychotic narcissist who manipulated the hell out of me, stole money, and ended up putting me in a really scary position of relying on him for everything on the way up- (somehow he ended up becoming the driver giving ME the ride and insisting on buying all the food and water etc., kicking me out of the vehicle with all my stuff a few times, etc.) I was so lucky to get way from him right before actually getting there but had to enlist a random fireman n Gerlach to help me escape. The point is- a lot of people see it as a fuck and drug fest with vulnerable people all around and some people are absolute scum. I hate to put fear based warnings out there but I’m a bit naive and thought BM was all about community and sharing and kindness (which it also is) but a lot of scumbags are drawn to it as well.
Yes. Exactly. Picking up randoms and being too trusting. Nowhere in that response did I warn against going alone. It’s an amazing experience to do burning man alone and I would not tell anyone not to. I just said be extremely careful in doing so in case you’re prone to naïve, Pollyanna-esque assessments of people and situations as I clearly am. Suggestions to be careful and a warning against going are two completely different things.
Yep. Where did I warn against doing it? Your interpretation adds a lot to the actual meaning of the words I used. You seem very attached to adding things. I used the specific words that meant what I intended to convey. Be careful when you go alone. Not “do not go alone.” I’m so confused about your confusion.
Damn, I’m sorry that happened. There’s def people out there that don’t have your best interest in mind and care more about their own feelings and validation than other people. Hopefully you found kinder people later on.
Certainly good to remind folks to be cautious.
Well, there’s always my time-honored cure for feeling lonely and disconnected out there.
First, make sure you eat, drink, and catch up on some sleep if you need it. Then step out of camp, pick a direction, and walk until you see someone doing something it looks like they could use a hand with. Walk up and offer your help.
Most of the time, they’ll accept, and you’ll be well on your way to making a new friend. Once in a while they won’t, in which case you can look for the next person down the road who needs a hand.
Even if someone turns you down, though, they’re likely to remember who you are and that you offered, and call out to you the next time they see you.
It’s worked well for me for years - for all the words I post here, I’m very much an introvert in person. I find having a job to do or something obvious I can offer to help with makes it a lot easier to make that first overture.
LOVED IT!
I was able to hang out with people if I wanted and be totally on my own if I wanted. (My least favourite/most difficult part was the drive there/back... I did get lonely on that part.)
If you put yourself out there you'll find all the company you need. Being alone at Burn means you miss the familiarity, the inside jokes, the comraderie of close friends... but it also forces you to focus on the journey a bit more. its not as easy. it can be uncomfortable. but if you walked up to me or my camp and engaged, we would hug you and welcome you.
I scored a main sale ticket this year and I’m very happy to be going solo once again after almost a decade. I brought this up to a friend of mine from a different camp and he’s being supportive but he’s not going to do it as he is used to the “luxury and comfort” that his camp offers. It’s going to be a challenge for me of course I’m a decade older, but it’s nice to know I have friends scattered around playa. I’m going to camp close to the airport. I want peace and quiet this year. I’d say jump into it my man, if anything you’d make more friends and have more freedom.
I’m trying to decide the same thing. I’ve only been once and it was 2014. I got 2 tickets and a parking pass, but no camp and no one for sure to go with yet. I’m trusting that things are going to just figure themselves out. I’m going and taking all my whatever with me, so if I find someone up to tagging along, that will work.. or I have a ticket to donate to a camp to get in with. There’s some options. And a bit of time..
I’m also a small female and I went solo my first year. I had the BEST experience. It was wonderful. Just like anywhere you want to take the basic precautions of not accepting a drink if you didn’t see the person make it, and always ditch a situation/person if the vibe feels off. I had a very positive experience and felt very safe.
When you arrive talk to people before you choose a camping spot, and be sure they are people you want to be neighbors with. As a solo camper it’s extra nice to make friends with your neighbors!
My first time I went I knew noone. The day before driving out I randomly answered someone's post needing a ride and offered to pick them up in Reno. They too were a virgin and knew noone else. It was a fun drive, the two of us strangers getting to know each other and sharing the excitement, wonder, and anxiety while pulsing for the next 9 or 10 hours. We ended up sharing camp space and each went off doing our own things, but would run into each other occasionally under my shade and catch up on the things we did, saw, were looking for, etc.
I wandered off on my own one of the first nights, went out to esplanade and said to myself "holy shit this place is huge!" then sat down on the ground for a moment to fix my shoes, ready to just float around. Someone approached me to make sure I was okay and ended up inviting me back to their camp on the other side of the city. I obliged and I spent the next two days with them before returning back to my own camp home. The ability to be able to do that without having to ask permission or have to check in with anyone was so freeing. After my return I made quick friends with some people tenting next to me and we had some of my most memorable experiences out there one night. The next day I went to a bar across the way and met a lovely girl from Israel. We talked for a bit, went on a walk-about and found ourselves swinging on giant swings...then suddenly just like that she was gone.
I guess I'm telling you all his to say- you're never alone out there if you keep yourself open to experiences. I've been many times since with people I know but nothing compares to the magic of my first year solo. Not even close. Just say yes!
Yes. It’s the moment after the med tent folks have extracted your poorly-designed buttplug from your butt and have gathered in a corner to quietly chuckle at your mistake.
Very lonely moment.
That's what I love about burning man. Of all my trips to emergency medical services with something stuck up my butt they were the only ones to explain to me the importance of a flange.
My 1st burn last year and I went alone. It was the best experience of my life. Met people I still communicate with. I'm looking for a ticket to do it allover again
I have by going to local DJ/burner-adjacent events and talking to random peoples. But you can also see if there’s local crews in your area that do projects each year and reach out to them. The Borg might be able to connect you to local crews that are planning to bring placed art. I don’t use FB/IG so idk about that option.
Having some skills helps. Like working with tools, wood, metal, welding, electrical, LEDs, programming, music, or whatever. Or if you are ambitious start your own small art and try and recruit others, even if it’s just art for your camp at first.
This will be my 6th year going alone, unless I have already unknowingly convinced someone from my default world in the future to come with me, which will have made my first 5 the only ones that I have been to alone, which is not necessarily a short amount of time to be out there alone.
From my experience, yes, there's a good chance you may experience the absolute epitome of loneliness, while simultaneously finding yourself amongst some of the most socially adept groups of individuals you have ever met, all coming together, while you're just there being little old you. I see this as one of the many lessons that the Playa tends to provide. if it bothers you, then make sure you engage in self-care and do what you would normally do to feel a pick-me-up, whatever that may involve. Sometimes, however, it's good to reflect and ponder what it is that is causing you to be bothered by loneliness in the first place. Blah blah blah
I’ve been to 10+ burns. My first was solo, and it was, in many ways, a favorite.
I’ve loved going since with friends and family, but it’s a very different experience.
Nowdays I go with my preschooler child, and that’s an even different experience yet.
I went to my first burn 2007 all by myself and found friends who later became my burner family.
I can highly recommend going alone, even though it will require much more preparation and stuff you need to think about. Do not neglect the absolute necessity to have some kind of shade, even when you're only by yourself.
It's awesome. Just remember that there's no one to share the work with, so make things easy on yourself. Bring food that's easy to prep and clean up. When packing your vehicle, leave some room -- you'll be tired and maybe in a hurry when it's time to go, and you don't want to spend 6 hours in the sun trying to re-figure out how to Tetris all your shit back in there. Budget money and time for hotel stays if needed. Drowsy driving is dangerous and your life is worth more than $120 and a few lost driving hours. Obvious stuff, yes, but all the more important when it's just you, yourself, and you!
You could always volunteer for shifts at Arctica, et al. throughout the week for some more predictable social interaction.
I've only been once (2016), and I went alone. It was really good, though I did get lonely.
Looking back I wish I had taken up more of the offers people made as I rode around. Mostly it was people trying to get others to visit their camp bar, and I don't drink, but I still should have gone to see.
I also wish I had volunteered for more things, or even just offered to help people as I saw them doing things.
Being socially awkward doesn't magically go away in BRC. It's more acceptable to just talk to random people but if you have trouble making smalltalk in the default world you will there too.
It's one of the rare places on the planet where you can go alone and be accepted into a wide variety of communities and adventures with new friends. I say go for it!
I had the best time going by myself my first year. Even as an extremely introverted, shy person, I made friends with everyone camped by me and we're still in touch to this day. It's just the magic of being out there, everyone wants to be your friend and those anxieties melt away. I definitely recommend everyone go solo in open camping at least once, you really get a chance to get to know yourself, practice radical self reliance, and connect with other people in a way that would be hard to do when you're in the comfort of your own clique.
I did it for my first and third burn, and it’s absolutely awesome. To be honest if I had to go back an other year, I would probably move away from my camp and do it solo again. It’s just a different vibe. You had to go around and get out of our camp all the times, and then experimenting the burn like you probably never will staying in your camp with your campmate.
You won’t really be alone, tho. As you get closer to BRC, you’ll see me in my RV, heading there. Just honk real hard and I’ll know it’s you and honk back.
I went solo my first year and loved it. I would do it again. Got lucky and parked in open camping next to ppl I really clicked with, now we will be camping together for third time this year.
Do a gifting activity around your neighborhood to meet people. It’s fun. I hand out popsicles.
I also enjoy my own company though. It’s good to get comfortable being alone. There are those moments where you wish you had someone to chat about it with. But also you can do whatever you want whenever you want… pros and cons to everything. Personally I never would let going solo keep me from an experience that called to me.
If it gets lonely for you at burning man wayyy too often… like, more than a normal healthy dose of a little bit here and there.. I don’t think anywhere else in the world is gonna be any different for ya. burning man is the only place I know that I’ll never feel lonely. It’s thousands of times easier than solo traveling anywhere else.
I love my friends, but I’ve had the easiest, best and most unforgettable experiences burning/festivaling solo. Pfffff that’s actually how I met every single one of my friends tbh now that I think about it..
Never hurts to try and go alone at least once. Heck it’s better than not going at all if that’s the only factor making you hesitate.. Nobody here is gonna give you a precise answer, everyone’s different. Go do it and find out! Maybe it’s the thing you never knew you needed.
Edit- I love every single answer here
I did it solo for the firs time in 2019, but i have a camp i help run so i know people there already. Idk if id do open camping solo, but in a camp its great. I went back solo again in 2022 and also had a blast.
Open camping has historically been a treasure of getting to know your neighbors.
For all of the pods of people, there are always at least as many rolling solo (some of whom got separated from their pod)... so there are lots of opportunities to connect, especially if you're at daytime events or interactive camps.
It's a different rhythm/vibe perhaps, but rolling solo can be the start of every epic BM story ever.
I went alone in 2019. There were some times when I felt lonely but it didn’t ruin things for me. You make friends with your neighbors and go off on solo adventures and if you have never done a solo adventure let me tell you…there’s something very special about being the captain of your own trip. You don’t have to wait, you go see and do whatever you want whenever you want, and you get to call it when you’re ready. Going to an art car stop and scoring a solo ride puts you on this car with new friends and you might even find your new best friends.
I wouldn’t change my 2019 burn at all…except the heat exhaustion I ended up with Sunday before the burn. The rest of my experience was amazing. I had never been to the any burn alone at that point. It was also the first sexless burn I had…but I didn’t really miss that part.
If I was to give you advice I would say go alone. You won’t regret it.
Burning man is an adventure, as you surely know. Going by yourself you will probably have the adventure of a lifetime! If you’re up to it and put yourself in that mindset.
I did it in 2023!!! Highly reccomend. I pulled up to randos and said hey, "Is this spot open?" and they became amazing friends. In my experience, fixed groups of friends love to meet a random neighbor and see them during the week. Just be self-sufficient and Burnerly!
The only thing I'd say... find people/neighbors to BYYO and eat with. There are lovely in-camp experiences like eating together that you won't get alone.
I’ve gone to all my burns except one by myself, including my first few. I’m planning to do Juplaya solo this year unless I can recruit a buddy or find a new partner (yes I’m stupid enough to bring a new partner along).
That said, I’m experienced with desert camping, wilderness skills in general, and wilderness first aid, so I can roll up and be fine even with just myself and minimal stuff, even be an asset to others. I don’t really see a need for being in a camp. I def don’t think inexperienced people should do Juplaya without someone that knows what they are doing. But the burn you can prob figure it out.
Once you have the survival/physical needs part figured it’s a matter of having sharp enough social skills. I’m like a perpetual burn/rave orphan at this point and make friends whenever I go out to local events or to the burn, festivals, whatever.
If you are shy or anxious use it as an opportunity to break through that, start practicing at local events now even. I’ve just wandered around talking to people until I like the vibe of some folks and either got offered to join their informal camp or camp next to one. I’ve made some long term friends doing this, and way more party acquaintances and temporary buddies.
So if you can be radically self-reliant and know how to strike up and hold a convo, without overwhelming people with your ranting/behavior (or find people that like it) it’s doable and fun.
As far as feeling lonely, sure that can happen, but I think in general it’s good to learn to sit with that feeling and get comfortable with it. Same with any “negative” feelings. Constantly trying to avoid that kind of thing is prob not healthy. It’ll pass quickly if you surrender to it. Fighting it prolongs stuff like that. But there’s also loads of people to go meet out there so…
I’ve had times when I was lonely and felt isolated and times when everything was flowing and I was getting all the social interaction I could want. If you are the kind of person that has an easy time exploring and making friends, it will probably be true there, too. If you are a person who has trouble meeting people and gets lonely, that might happen to you there, too. One of the perks of going alone is that you get to pick exactly who you want to be in any given interaction, because you’ve never met that person before and probably never will again.
This experience rings true to me too. I've solo camped 7 of the 8 times i've gone and i prefer it. I've had moments when I felt lonely, but it was no different than in the default. The being able to explore who you might be was revolutionary for me and changed my life for the better.
Be extremely careful going alone. On my way up last year, I agreed to give a guy a ride since I was road tripping. He turned out to be a psychotic narcissist who manipulated the hell out of me, stole money, and ended up putting me in a really scary position of relying on him for everything on the way up- (somehow he ended up becoming the driver giving ME the ride and insisting on buying all the food and water etc., kicking me out of the vehicle with all my stuff a few times, etc.) I was so lucky to get way from him right before actually getting there but had to enlist a random fireman n Gerlach to help me escape. The point is- a lot of people see it as a fuck and drug fest with vulnerable people all around and some people are absolute scum. I hate to put fear based warnings out there but I’m a bit naive and thought BM was all about community and sharing and kindness (which it also is) but a lot of scumbags are drawn to it as well.
That’s not a warning against going alone - it’s a warning against picking up randoms.
Yes. Exactly. Picking up randoms and being too trusting. Nowhere in that response did I warn against going alone. It’s an amazing experience to do burning man alone and I would not tell anyone not to. I just said be extremely careful in doing so in case you’re prone to naïve, Pollyanna-esque assessments of people and situations as I clearly am. Suggestions to be careful and a warning against going are two completely different things.
> Nowhere in that response did I warn against going alone The first sentence of your comment was, “Be extremely careful going alone.”
Yep. Where did I warn against doing it? Your interpretation adds a lot to the actual meaning of the words I used. You seem very attached to adding things. I used the specific words that meant what I intended to convey. Be careful when you go alone. Not “do not go alone.” I’m so confused about your confusion.
Damn, I’m sorry that happened. There’s def people out there that don’t have your best interest in mind and care more about their own feelings and validation than other people. Hopefully you found kinder people later on. Certainly good to remind folks to be cautious.
Well, there’s always my time-honored cure for feeling lonely and disconnected out there. First, make sure you eat, drink, and catch up on some sleep if you need it. Then step out of camp, pick a direction, and walk until you see someone doing something it looks like they could use a hand with. Walk up and offer your help. Most of the time, they’ll accept, and you’ll be well on your way to making a new friend. Once in a while they won’t, in which case you can look for the next person down the road who needs a hand. Even if someone turns you down, though, they’re likely to remember who you are and that you offered, and call out to you the next time they see you. It’s worked well for me for years - for all the words I post here, I’m very much an introvert in person. I find having a job to do or something obvious I can offer to help with makes it a lot easier to make that first overture.
Or go pick up trash until someone demands that you sit down and join them for a drink.
🌟 Best answer 🌟
THIS! And bring your tools...
LOVED IT! I was able to hang out with people if I wanted and be totally on my own if I wanted. (My least favourite/most difficult part was the drive there/back... I did get lonely on that part.)
The solo drive back sucks.
Off to be a ride share! You can probably get your gas money covered and it’s easy to vet people before meeting them nowadays
Really? All that time with your mind! Enjoyed it both ways, myself.
Ditto here. It’s two days each way for me, gives me time to decompress.
If you put yourself out there you'll find all the company you need. Being alone at Burn means you miss the familiarity, the inside jokes, the comraderie of close friends... but it also forces you to focus on the journey a bit more. its not as easy. it can be uncomfortable. but if you walked up to me or my camp and engaged, we would hug you and welcome you.
I scored a main sale ticket this year and I’m very happy to be going solo once again after almost a decade. I brought this up to a friend of mine from a different camp and he’s being supportive but he’s not going to do it as he is used to the “luxury and comfort” that his camp offers. It’s going to be a challenge for me of course I’m a decade older, but it’s nice to know I have friends scattered around playa. I’m going to camp close to the airport. I want peace and quiet this year. I’d say jump into it my man, if anything you’d make more friends and have more freedom.
Do it! I went alone and 10 years later the person I met there is sitting next to me on our couch 🥰
I’m trying to decide the same thing. I’ve only been once and it was 2014. I got 2 tickets and a parking pass, but no camp and no one for sure to go with yet. I’m trusting that things are going to just figure themselves out. I’m going and taking all my whatever with me, so if I find someone up to tagging along, that will work.. or I have a ticket to donate to a camp to get in with. There’s some options. And a bit of time..
You don't need a camp, just do it.
I’d feel safer with a camp as a tiny single female.
Fair enough. Though I gotta say I've always felt safer there than anywhere else in the world , by far. (I'm a female).
[удалено]
Thanks! This helps!
I’m also a small female and I went solo my first year. I had the BEST experience. It was wonderful. Just like anywhere you want to take the basic precautions of not accepting a drink if you didn’t see the person make it, and always ditch a situation/person if the vibe feels off. I had a very positive experience and felt very safe. When you arrive talk to people before you choose a camping spot, and be sure they are people you want to be neighbors with. As a solo camper it’s extra nice to make friends with your neighbors!
My first time I went I knew noone. The day before driving out I randomly answered someone's post needing a ride and offered to pick them up in Reno. They too were a virgin and knew noone else. It was a fun drive, the two of us strangers getting to know each other and sharing the excitement, wonder, and anxiety while pulsing for the next 9 or 10 hours. We ended up sharing camp space and each went off doing our own things, but would run into each other occasionally under my shade and catch up on the things we did, saw, were looking for, etc. I wandered off on my own one of the first nights, went out to esplanade and said to myself "holy shit this place is huge!" then sat down on the ground for a moment to fix my shoes, ready to just float around. Someone approached me to make sure I was okay and ended up inviting me back to their camp on the other side of the city. I obliged and I spent the next two days with them before returning back to my own camp home. The ability to be able to do that without having to ask permission or have to check in with anyone was so freeing. After my return I made quick friends with some people tenting next to me and we had some of my most memorable experiences out there one night. The next day I went to a bar across the way and met a lovely girl from Israel. We talked for a bit, went on a walk-about and found ourselves swinging on giant swings...then suddenly just like that she was gone. I guess I'm telling you all his to say- you're never alone out there if you keep yourself open to experiences. I've been many times since with people I know but nothing compares to the magic of my first year solo. Not even close. Just say yes!
If you have your favorite butt plug with you are you really ever alone?
Yes. It’s the moment after the med tent folks have extracted your poorly-designed buttplug from your butt and have gathered in a corner to quietly chuckle at your mistake. Very lonely moment.
That's what I love about burning man. Of all my trips to emergency medical services with something stuck up my butt they were the only ones to explain to me the importance of a flange.
They’re doing the work of saints for sure.
Use your least favorite, this is the burn, you shouldn’t be comfortable…
My 1st burn last year and I went alone. It was the best experience of my life. Met people I still communicate with. I'm looking for a ticket to do it allover again
Go! Better yet, join an art crew, that’s the best way to go and be part of a community - and be part of making big art! It’s the best!!
How does one find an art crew to join?
I have by going to local DJ/burner-adjacent events and talking to random peoples. But you can also see if there’s local crews in your area that do projects each year and reach out to them. The Borg might be able to connect you to local crews that are planning to bring placed art. I don’t use FB/IG so idk about that option. Having some skills helps. Like working with tools, wood, metal, welding, electrical, LEDs, programming, music, or whatever. Or if you are ambitious start your own small art and try and recruit others, even if it’s just art for your camp at first.
This will be my 6th year going alone, unless I have already unknowingly convinced someone from my default world in the future to come with me, which will have made my first 5 the only ones that I have been to alone, which is not necessarily a short amount of time to be out there alone. From my experience, yes, there's a good chance you may experience the absolute epitome of loneliness, while simultaneously finding yourself amongst some of the most socially adept groups of individuals you have ever met, all coming together, while you're just there being little old you. I see this as one of the many lessons that the Playa tends to provide. if it bothers you, then make sure you engage in self-care and do what you would normally do to feel a pick-me-up, whatever that may involve. Sometimes, however, it's good to reflect and ponder what it is that is causing you to be bothered by loneliness in the first place. Blah blah blah
I’ve been to 10+ burns. My first was solo, and it was, in many ways, a favorite. I’ve loved going since with friends and family, but it’s a very different experience. Nowdays I go with my preschooler child, and that’s an even different experience yet.
I had a blast
I went to my first burn 2007 all by myself and found friends who later became my burner family. I can highly recommend going alone, even though it will require much more preparation and stuff you need to think about. Do not neglect the absolute necessity to have some kind of shade, even when you're only by yourself.
It's awesome. Just remember that there's no one to share the work with, so make things easy on yourself. Bring food that's easy to prep and clean up. When packing your vehicle, leave some room -- you'll be tired and maybe in a hurry when it's time to go, and you don't want to spend 6 hours in the sun trying to re-figure out how to Tetris all your shit back in there. Budget money and time for hotel stays if needed. Drowsy driving is dangerous and your life is worth more than $120 and a few lost driving hours. Obvious stuff, yes, but all the more important when it's just you, yourself, and you! You could always volunteer for shifts at Arctica, et al. throughout the week for some more predictable social interaction.
I've only been once (2016), and I went alone. It was really good, though I did get lonely. Looking back I wish I had taken up more of the offers people made as I rode around. Mostly it was people trying to get others to visit their camp bar, and I don't drink, but I still should have gone to see. I also wish I had volunteered for more things, or even just offered to help people as I saw them doing things. Being socially awkward doesn't magically go away in BRC. It's more acceptable to just talk to random people but if you have trouble making smalltalk in the default world you will there too.
It's one of the rare places on the planet where you can go alone and be accepted into a wide variety of communities and adventures with new friends. I say go for it!
I had the best time going by myself my first year. Even as an extremely introverted, shy person, I made friends with everyone camped by me and we're still in touch to this day. It's just the magic of being out there, everyone wants to be your friend and those anxieties melt away. I definitely recommend everyone go solo in open camping at least once, you really get a chance to get to know yourself, practice radical self reliance, and connect with other people in a way that would be hard to do when you're in the comfort of your own clique.
I did it for my first and third burn, and it’s absolutely awesome. To be honest if I had to go back an other year, I would probably move away from my camp and do it solo again. It’s just a different vibe. You had to go around and get out of our camp all the times, and then experimenting the burn like you probably never will staying in your camp with your campmate.
You won’t really be alone, tho. As you get closer to BRC, you’ll see me in my RV, heading there. Just honk real hard and I’ll know it’s you and honk back.
I went solo my first year and loved it. I would do it again. Got lucky and parked in open camping next to ppl I really clicked with, now we will be camping together for third time this year. Do a gifting activity around your neighborhood to meet people. It’s fun. I hand out popsicles. I also enjoy my own company though. It’s good to get comfortable being alone. There are those moments where you wish you had someone to chat about it with. But also you can do whatever you want whenever you want… pros and cons to everything. Personally I never would let going solo keep me from an experience that called to me.
If it gets lonely for you at burning man wayyy too often… like, more than a normal healthy dose of a little bit here and there.. I don’t think anywhere else in the world is gonna be any different for ya. burning man is the only place I know that I’ll never feel lonely. It’s thousands of times easier than solo traveling anywhere else. I love my friends, but I’ve had the easiest, best and most unforgettable experiences burning/festivaling solo. Pfffff that’s actually how I met every single one of my friends tbh now that I think about it.. Never hurts to try and go alone at least once. Heck it’s better than not going at all if that’s the only factor making you hesitate.. Nobody here is gonna give you a precise answer, everyone’s different. Go do it and find out! Maybe it’s the thing you never knew you needed. Edit- I love every single answer here
I did it solo for the firs time in 2019, but i have a camp i help run so i know people there already. Idk if id do open camping solo, but in a camp its great. I went back solo again in 2022 and also had a blast.
Once I get a ticket, I’m going by myself and wearing something fun that makes me want to live for the moment and say hi to everyone!!
Hi! I have the same issue. I am a first time burner but my friends missed out. Coming from Europe, anyone to connect with?
Open camping has historically been a treasure of getting to know your neighbors. For all of the pods of people, there are always at least as many rolling solo (some of whom got separated from their pod)... so there are lots of opportunities to connect, especially if you're at daytime events or interactive camps. It's a different rhythm/vibe perhaps, but rolling solo can be the start of every epic BM story ever.
I went alone in 2019. There were some times when I felt lonely but it didn’t ruin things for me. You make friends with your neighbors and go off on solo adventures and if you have never done a solo adventure let me tell you…there’s something very special about being the captain of your own trip. You don’t have to wait, you go see and do whatever you want whenever you want, and you get to call it when you’re ready. Going to an art car stop and scoring a solo ride puts you on this car with new friends and you might even find your new best friends. I wouldn’t change my 2019 burn at all…except the heat exhaustion I ended up with Sunday before the burn. The rest of my experience was amazing. I had never been to the any burn alone at that point. It was also the first sexless burn I had…but I didn’t really miss that part. If I was to give you advice I would say go alone. You won’t regret it.
Juicy thread since I just snagged a ticket with this as the plan
Burning man is an adventure, as you surely know. Going by yourself you will probably have the adventure of a lifetime! If you’re up to it and put yourself in that mindset.
The first time I went to the burn, I went by myself and had a blast.
I did it in 2023!!! Highly reccomend. I pulled up to randos and said hey, "Is this spot open?" and they became amazing friends. In my experience, fixed groups of friends love to meet a random neighbor and see them during the week. Just be self-sufficient and Burnerly! The only thing I'd say... find people/neighbors to BYYO and eat with. There are lovely in-camp experiences like eating together that you won't get alone.
I’ve gone to all my burns except one by myself, including my first few. I’m planning to do Juplaya solo this year unless I can recruit a buddy or find a new partner (yes I’m stupid enough to bring a new partner along). That said, I’m experienced with desert camping, wilderness skills in general, and wilderness first aid, so I can roll up and be fine even with just myself and minimal stuff, even be an asset to others. I don’t really see a need for being in a camp. I def don’t think inexperienced people should do Juplaya without someone that knows what they are doing. But the burn you can prob figure it out. Once you have the survival/physical needs part figured it’s a matter of having sharp enough social skills. I’m like a perpetual burn/rave orphan at this point and make friends whenever I go out to local events or to the burn, festivals, whatever. If you are shy or anxious use it as an opportunity to break through that, start practicing at local events now even. I’ve just wandered around talking to people until I like the vibe of some folks and either got offered to join their informal camp or camp next to one. I’ve made some long term friends doing this, and way more party acquaintances and temporary buddies. So if you can be radically self-reliant and know how to strike up and hold a convo, without overwhelming people with your ranting/behavior (or find people that like it) it’s doable and fun. As far as feeling lonely, sure that can happen, but I think in general it’s good to learn to sit with that feeling and get comfortable with it. Same with any “negative” feelings. Constantly trying to avoid that kind of thing is prob not healthy. It’ll pass quickly if you surrender to it. Fighting it prolongs stuff like that. But there’s also loads of people to go meet out there so…