17 is a good age to "do" festivals. I used to go to Reading when it was the National Jazz and Blues Festival. There were few motorways and I used to hitch hike ! Nobody with any sense would do that today, not that I had any sense back then
I still do the occasional festival now but not Reading. I absolutely do not camp, strictly comfy hotel room nearby
It's a bit strange that Reading is the one that is always in the headlines, Leeds is just so much better and nicer. Reading is packed into an industrial estate that is a dustbowl when it's dry and a mudbath when its raining. Leeds is in a country estate with fresh air and loads of space.
Abandoning the camping kit is pretty normal these days. It's usually useless after a few days anyway. Some festival have a camping recycling schemer where tents and bags etc are sent off to the third world, like Liverpool.