Since concert season is approaching fast, I’m finding myself spending more time online, looking for affordable tickets to see artists I love. Going to concerts is one of my favorite summertime activities, and I always look forward to attending them because of the chaotic atmosphere and mind-numbingly loud music. However, the few times I’ve opted to buy pit tickets, I’ve gotten very overwhelmed, very fast. Being in such a tightly packed crowd can be overstimulating and nerve-wracking, and for this reason, buying seat tickets is far superior to buying pit tickets because having a designated seat at a concert can create a more calming and stress-free experience.

There are definitely merits to pit tickets and seat tickets alike, but the benefits of seat tickets far outweigh the benefits of pit tickets. For starters, with seat tickets, you know exactly what you’re getting into when it comes to your view of the performing artist. People who buy pit tickets have to leave their homes several hours early if they want to secure a good spot while standing in line for the concert, and even then, there are no guarantees about the quality of their view. With seat tickets, though, you don’t have to deal with the stress of rushing out of your house long before the concert is even set to begin. You can arrive at the concert on your own time, and you know exactly how good your visibility will be.

Another merit of having seat tickets is that you know you won’t be uncomfortably squished between complete strangers. As someone who definitely values their personal space, I love seat tickets because I always feel like there’s enough room for me to sing and dance during concerts. Concert seats are specifically designed to create an abundance of space for every individual in attendance, so when I’m in a seat at a concert, I feel as though I have enough leeway to simply breathe. Being in the pit, on the other hand, can feel crushingly invasive and stressful. There is no designated space for particular people to stand, so it’s a true free-for-all in concert pits. Anyone can stand as close as they like, and while some people may enjoy the over-the-top energy of an amped-up crowd, I’m definitely not one of them.

My final point is that there’s a common conception that pit tickets, especially at rock or metal concerts, can be dangerous. Mosh pits (when the crowd in a concert is deliberately slamming into each other) aren’t exactly uncommon in high-energy environments, and I would want to take any precaution possible to ensure that I stay out of that environment. If you’re in a seat at a concert, then there’s no danger of moshing. In fact, there’s no danger of anything happening to disrupt your concert experience because chances are, if someone’s next to you in their seat, they don’t want to partake in moshing either. Otherwise, they’d be in the pit.

Buying pit tickets is a great option for anyone who wants a chaotic concert experience, but it’s not for everyone, and it’s definitely not for me. I love how loud and energetic concerts can be, but I much prefer to experience it in a more controlled space, like an assigned seat. If you ask me, I would choose the comfort of seat tickets over the uncertainty of pit tickets all day long.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Evelyn Foster at [email protected].