ChickSpeak

Spring Break is all about sun, sand, care-free parties and friends, right? Well… yeah, mostly, but when you’re in new situations in far-off destinations and your ‘rents are hundreds of miles away, you’ve gotta know how to be smart and keep you and your friends safe.

Nothing is more of a downer than trying to deal with a friend in trouble or having to get yourself out of something perhaps a bit over your head.

We’ve all heard about tragic stories like the Natalie Holloway case and wonder how in the world something could have gone so wrong while she and her friends were just trying to have a fun break. At a time when it’s easier to assume that nothing bad will go wrong with your trip, it always pays to have a plan and some safety strategies in place before you go.

Top Safety Tips for Spring Break:

1.) Use the buddy system. There is safety in numbers and it is best to do things as a group, plus odds are that you’ll want to hang with your friends and not wonder off alone. Make this work for you by agreeing before hand as a group who will watch out for who and then really follow through with it. This means that you make sure you keep each other within eyes distance at all times when out on the beach, at a club or party… you name it. Try to have at least a group of three at all times when leaving the hotel or in public spaces. Two minds are better then one but a third can usually guarantee a voice of reason. (Also, if one of you does get into trouble, the second one can stay put while the other goes for extra help.)

2.) A word about drinking: blah, blah, blah…. No really, we know that you are going to make your own choices (assuming you’re of legal drinking age), but what you might not know is that when you drink to the point of being drunk, you are effectively choosing to drown out your ability to make smart choices and get yourself out of trouble if the need should arise. Word of caution: be responsible and know your limits. For every drink consumed, swap out a cup of water for your next beverage. Part of being a savvy and classy girl is to make sure that you never have to rely on your friends to babysit you or go searching for you and keep you from making a mistake you might regret for many years to come.

3.) Have an emergency contact back home: Make sure that someone at home has all of the information about your trip including hotel address, phone and room numbers, the members of your trip, your flight plans (if any) and times you should arrive to your destination and return from your vacation. If any of this information changes, at any time, make sure to notify your contact person. Even though it might be the last thing on your mind, take a few moments everyday to call your contact person and check in, just to say hi. We promise you that it will be a solid life-line for you, should you need it, and will provide a much-needed sense of peace of mind to those back home.

4.) Be sure to bring your cell phone and a phone charger to keep it juiced. If traveling to a place outside of your plan or to another country, consider purchasing a pre-paid one just in case. This will come in handy for emergencies and is worth a little extra cash for the extra measure comfort it will provide you. If you ask your parents- it might be worth their while to hook you up with a calling card or phone, just so they know you’re okay.

5.) Pack an emergency kit filled with a credit card (if you or your parents have one to let you use for extreme situations) or travelers checks, a copy of all of your travel information (tickets, confirmation numbers, et all…) a copy of your passport and/or photo id and emergency contact information for reaching your parents or guardians back home. Be sure to store these oh-so-important items in your hotel room safe and keep it under lock and key. Let your friends know you where this is in case anyone from your group needs to find it. Encourage your friends to do the same.

6.) Remember that cute & fun people you just met are still strangers. Treat them with reasonable caution. Do not- EVER- give your personal information or hotel and room number out to someone you just met. Quite frankly, don’t give that info out to anyone you just met that week. We don’t care how cute they are, fun they seem or drunk you might be. While we’d like to think that everyone has the best intentions, the last thing you need is to allow yourself to become vulnerable with people who are strangers to you and could hurt you, cross your personal boundaries, or spread a disease or illness (gasp!). If you want to hang out, do so in a public place and with your group of friends and their group of friends, not your private space and definitely not solo.

For more resources and information, check out the travel resource page from the US Dept of State and also chiff.com