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The students were throwing their drinks in the air while my friends and I pushed our way through a mass of fans, trying to get a glimpse of the celebrity before being suffocated by the heat of more than a thousand George Ezra fans. In a split second, I realized I could not hear the music. Listening to music with Cochlear™ Baha® 5 Sound Processors would prove to be an adventure.

Preparing for Trinity Ball

It was April 2018, and everyone was preparing for the most anticipated event of the year at Trinity College Dublin: Trinity Ball. Trinity Ball is one of Europe’s largest private parties. It was described by my flat mates as a black-tie festival. Hosted on campus, it marks the end of the teaching terms and the beginning of third term, also known as exam term. In preparation for my first Trinity Ball, my flat mates gave me tips on where to go dress shopping and what shoes I should wear if it rains. Planning what I was going to wear, I already knew heels were not an option due to my balance issues.

Living on campus was helpful: I knew what to expect in terms of the logistics of the dance. From seeing the set-up, I knew where everything was located, including the food trucks.

The day of the ball, one of my friends and I decided on our must-sees. We had it all planned out and we planned to meet back at the apartment if we ever lost each other. After pizza, my friends and I made our way from the apartment to the ball area. Once inside the ball, we began the night listening to the end of Scottish singer-songwriter, Tom Walker’s performance. As he finished up, waves of students piled into the tent to get a glimpse of George Ezra, an English singer-songwriter and musician. I will admit, I had never even heard of George Ezra before the announcement that he was the main act at Trinity Ball. It did take some getting used to his voice, but I tried to familiarize myself with his music before the ball, utilizing the Bluetooth® feature on my iPhone® 7 to stream his music directly to my Baha Sound Processors.

Getting closer to the music

Nothing could prepare me for that night. I felt like I was in George Ezra’s “Budapest” music video. The students were going mad and splashing their beverages in the air as I tried to avoid them as best as possible. My friends— who are George Ezra enthusiasts—decided they wanted to get closer to the stage to see him better. However, the closer we got to the front, the more we had to make our way through a mob of college students who would not give up their spot in the crowd for anyone. The concert kept getting thicker and my friends were determined, so we all locked arms, plowing our way through the masses. We found the more we made our way through the crowd, the more we lost each other, until there was only me and one other friend. Together, we decided to get out of the crowd immediately. Although we tried to move to safety, we made the mistake of staying in an area where we could continue to dance. But as people kept coming in, we kept getting pushed back.

Feeling the crowds violently tugging at my hair, I suddenly realized I could not hear the music. My friend, who knew I wore Baha Sound Processors, saw me looking at the ground. She immediately started holding the crowd back, so I could search. I could not find my Baha Sound Processors anywhere, but she spotted my right Baha Sound Processor and pointed. I managed to snatch it off the floor just before another student stepped on it. Later, I discovered my left Baha Sound Processor was still on my head but caught in my hairdo. After that, my friends and I called it a night. Almost losing my Baha Sound Processors at Trinity Ball—and every fear my mom had about me going abroad—had been confirmed. I was terrified that I would have to tell her I lost my Baha Sound Processors.

Lessons learned

Having never been to a festival before, I got lucky, but next time I attend a party this big, I am going to wear Baha Sound Processor Safety Lines and avoid the mob altogether. I knew, going into the tent, I could not take them off since I needed them to hear the music. However, when I felt the other students tugging at my hair, I should have been more alert and protected my Baha Sound Processors with my life. Through my recklessness, I discovered there is always a better way to protect my Baha Sound Processors, I just needed to problem solve ahead of time. I can still enjoy festivals and have the same college experience as everyone else, I just need to use precaution.

Follow me as I embrace change in chapter 4, coming soon!

To learn more about listening to music with your Cochlear device, activate or log in to your Cochlear Family account now!

Catch up on chapters 1 and 2 now!

Chapter 1: Overcoming Fear

Chapter 2: Chasing Confidence

 

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Cochlear Guest Writer
Cochlear Americas showcases the stories of real people celebrating life's real moments. This blog was written by a guest writer for Cochlear Americas.