Maybe it’s the countless Instagram posts of girls at Coachella wearing more glitter than clothes, or perhaps it’s the stress of finals combined with the desire to go back to Spring Break. Whatever the reason, many of us are longing for the opportunity to listen to great music. 
Don’t want to travel long distances to camp in a glorified parking lot to only wake up and pay to shower? Not trying to use valuable studying time or hard earned cash? Well, for the most part you’re in luck. 
If you’re willing to put on some good driving songs and make the 80 mile drive, then you can catch part of the best lineup of any 2017 festivals. With a lineup consisting of shining stars such as Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, and Tom Petty, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival gives attendees a chance to witness performances by musical legends.
If you’re not interested in your parents’ generation of music, Jazz Fest still has you covered. From acts known for their live shows (Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews, and Trey Anastasio) to radio favorites (Lorde, Pitbull, and Maroon 5) the festival is sure to provide fans with a memorable experience.
Not only does Jazz Fest provide high quality acts, but it provides a wide spectrum of music. Where else can you hear Nas prove hip hop is not dead, then a few minutes later get serenaded by Harry Connick, Jr.?
I could go on and on about the lineup, but I can’t do so without mentioning the bone I have to pick with Jazz fest. 
How do the festival organizers expect college students crippled by student debt to pay $70 ($80 at the gate) for a single day of good music? The cost continues to rise when you factor in gas, parking and food. Yes, I’m aware that early tickets were cheaper, but I also know that college students rarely think more than a few days in advance.
A discounted ticket price for students would be beneficial to both the students and the festival. Imagine thousands of students across the state flocking to New Orleans to relieve the stress of upcoming finals through the festival. The influx of students would bring in money to the festival that would otherwise be spent on Hungry Howie’s and Coke. For out-of-staters, such as myself, it would provide an opportunity to experience a little of the culture New Orleans is known for.
For several years, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation has provided free “Community Outreach Tickets” to those who could not afford them otherwise. The tickets are distributed through social service organizations such as nonprofit, educational, religious and government agencies — and they are for clients of those organizations with financial hardships only.
I commend the foundation for their generosity, but it is not free tickets that I seek. I only ask that the University and the festival make an effort to make the tickets more financially accessible. In the past, Tulane has offered hundreds of discounted tickets to students. 
Tulane even went above and beyond to ensure the happiness and safety of their students by providing students a free shuttle service to and from campus. If our University were to do the same, not only would they be saving us parking and gas money, but they would also be preventing the possibility of impaired driving. Baton Rouge’s own Dixieland Tours could provide the charter buses necessary in exchange for great publicity and the admiration of all passengers. Shell, the main corporate sponsor of the festival, could provide the fuel necessary for the buses. 
A discounted ticket packaged with a complementary shuttle would provide us with lifelong memories and much needed relaxation, while simultaneously helping Jazz fest increase its attendance (which dropped by 35,000 from 2015 to 2016) as well as its revenue. The only problem the festival might encounter is a shortage of alcohol. 
Matthew Hutchins is a 20-year-old petroleum engineering sophomore from Birmingham, Alabama.