Twitterive Experience - Dayglow 2012 Festival Pier in Penns Landing
Urban Dictionary defines "Dayglow"
" The world's largest paint party! A rave-like dance with neon paint, loud techno music, flashing lights, and usually a lot of college kids... Attendants wear white and prepare to be blasted with neon paint, dance like an idiot for 5 hours, and probably be groped by someone..."
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At the time that I wrote this I didn't exactly realize why. When I first went back and reread all of my tweets I considered this one to be bland and boring, but it really captures who I am when I looked at it closer. I hate being in enclosed spaces, buses for one are a little too small for me, so since the bus ride was rowdy, I was without a doubt uncomfortable. Not knowing people didn't help either. I had a few friends with me, but all the other people on the bus clearly knew who everyone was.
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Riding the Bus
When most people go to an event like Dayglow, they take a bus so they don't have to get their cars dirty after the event or worry about driving. Yet., after feeling awkward about the riding on the bus too and from Dayglow, I started to look at bus rides through different lenses of my life. Bus rides mean different things to different people depending on age of the individual and occasion.
Normal vs. Carefree vs. Professional
a contradictory love triangle
normal compliments professional and vice versa, but everybody's "normal" is different, so that means normal can compliment carefree as well.
Many individuals would not go to work, class, or just walk around town while covered in different streams of neon paint. Whether the reason being it not be socially acceptable or the individuals are worried what other people might think. Dayglow gives individuals a "safe" and "judgement free" zone. There is a big difference between all the definitions of professional and carefree and normal. Being a professional is connecting to a profession, where as carefree is the complete opposite because you are free from responsibility. Whats "normal" really depends on the context. Wearing a suit to work is normal, where as wearing white to Dayglow is normal. Since there are norms for everything, every one has to conform to the norm for the specific occasion. However, if whats normal for one situation isn't normal for another, is anything really normal?
Dayglow gives people a chance to escape the realities and confinements of everyday life and break out of what is considered respectable and to many normal.
Since everyone at work or at an event like Dayglow isn't acting the same does that make both normal?
Individuals are expect to conform to the normal patterns of life. College students are supposed to go to classes and complete assignments on time. Individuals in the work world are expected to complete daily tasks, show up on time and present yourself in a professional manner. We do whats expected of us. Dayglow is a chance to break out of the constraints of life that may control self expression.
People follow whats normal so they aren't looked at as an outcast, so they confine to what others do. Some people may consider this unity since they come together and are joined.
"Besides white being the best color to show color, the white shirts represent that for the night, we are here for the same event, looking to enjoy the same music, and be covered with the same paint."
- Samantha Dinkin, Dayglow regular
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At Dayglow, everyone is on the same level in a couple ways. Everyone disregards everything for awhile and just gets together to have a unique, crazy and creative experience. They don't have to worry about the things they usually do during the day like work or school. Dayglow also had a form of unity.
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color steams fly through sky
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Dayglow, the event, is now know as "Life In Color"
When it comes down to it, I believe it has to do with BALANCE. Individuals can indulge themselves in both worlds of "normal" the professional side and the carefree side. If people give themselves a chance to experience them both, and stop worrying about what people will think, everyone can "live their life in color" through the professional world and letting loose side.
The rain pounded the pavement, that didn't stop the music from pounding throughout the event space or our feet pounding on the floor while we danced. The experience was just better. The rain made us laugh, slip and fall and the contrast between our sweaty bodies from dancing and the cold rain felt like pure joy. I enjoyed being able to act carefree and out of my usual element.
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