10 common mistakes people make at the US Open, according to someone who's been many times

People come to New York from all over to take part in the US Open. For some, it's an annual pilgrimage, and for others, it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Even if you read the rules online, some parts of the experience are hard to know about until you go yourself.

So after having been to several of these tournaments over the years, and visiting again this year on day one, I've gathered some tips that I think could help any first-timer have a good experience.

Whether you're exploring the grounds or just getting from the entrance to your seat in one of the stadiums, you'll be doing a lot of walking. So wearing heels or uncomfortable shoes is a no-no, in my opinion.

Even with my most supportive sneakers on, my back still hurt by the end of the day.

If you have a daytime ticket, it will serve you well to bring a hat.

The sun can be strong, and if you're trying to watch a tennis match, it's tough to see what's going on if the light is in your eyes.

If you forget yours at home, you can decide to buy one on-site. But the least expensive hat I saw for sale was $34, so it will likely be an expensive mistake.

A hat could help protect your face and scalp from the sun, but you'll need sunscreen for the rest of your body.

I've been to the US Open a lot throughout my life, and I never remember it being anything less than sweltering heat. With minimal shady areas, you're going to need to load up on sunscreen and maybe even reapply throughout the day.

This year, skincare brand La Roche-Posay was an active partner at the event. The brand had stands and carts set up throughout the grounds giving out free sunscreen to fans who needed it — which included me. But it would be easier to simply bring your own.

I forgot mine this year and had to spend $14 on two plastic water bottles.

There are a few water-bottle filling stations and water fountains scattered throughout the grounds, so if you bring your own bottle, you can stay hydrated for free.

Pretzels and popcorn cost $8 at stands inside the stadiums, and a small bag of chips costs $6. Ice cream is $8 for a single scoop, and someone told me they paid $14 for a small vegetarian wrap because they needed sustenance from standing in the heat all day.

Guests are allowed to bring their own food inside (food is not on the official list of prohibited items), so unless you don't mind spending a lot to curb a small amount of hunger, you should probably bring along something to eat.

According to the website, each guest can bring one bag that is no larger than 12 inches by 12 inches.

The grounds are vast, and they can be overwhelming if you don't know where you're going. But you can definitely cover the whole thing in less than a day — just make sure you know what you want to see.

Is there a player you came to support? A food vendor you really wanted to try? Or maybe there was a fan experience that you had your heart set on trying out. Take a look at a map beforehand and look at the player schedule so you can see as much as possible.

This year it was, once again, extremely hot during my visit. But since I was there for both the day and night session, I brought along a lightweight windbreaker just in case the weather changed.

I understand that a lot of people like to dress to impress for the US Open, but if you're planning to walk the grounds at all, you will probably be sweating a ton, regardless of what you're wearing.

Try to keep an eye on the forecast as rain or cooler weather can sneak up on you — you don't want to have to purchase an umbrella or long-sleeve shirt if you didn't plan on making that investment.

I saw and heard a lot of people around me on the phone trying to find their friends or family members. I personally even tried to text with a colleague and another friend who was there, but with so many people together in one place, sometimes phone service can be spotty.

It would be best, in my opinion, to decide on a meeting place with your US Open buddies beforehand so that even if connection is down or someone's phone dies, you know where to go.

In my experience, there are people who attend the US Open because they are tennis fans, and there are people who go because they want to experience the magic that is the event as a whole.

Both are great reasons to go! But if you're not into tennis, try to be respectful of the people who are.

I had stadium seats for an evening match, and it's proper etiquette to not enter and exit the seating area while a point is being played. People who may not have known that kept walking in and out, and standing on the entry steps — they were blocking many people's view and some fans started to get angry about it.

So whether you're into the sport or not, it may be helpful for your peace of mind to read up on what not to do during a tennis match.

It's enticing to get a stadium ticket for Arthur Ashe, Louis Armstrong, or the Grandstand. But if you are there during the day and spend all day inside the stadium, you could be missing out on some amazing tennis going on on the smaller courts, which offer courtside seating to anyone who walks up.

You can also walk over to the practice courts to see some of the greats warming up before their stadium matches.

While I was at the US Open this year, I saw the top-ranked professional Stan Wawrinka play right in front of me, and I watched as Serena Williams warmed up on the practice courts right before her evening match.

Regardless of your reasoning for heading to the US Open or what time of day you're attending, there is a lot to do and see while you're there. Hopefully, avoiding these common mistakes will help you have the best time possible.