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9 Life Saving Hacks To Help You Survive Your Next Music Festival
19 July 2018, 15:50
Promoted by Public Health England
Heading to a festival this summer? These tips will *literally* save you.
The most wonderful time of the year isn't Christmas. Whoever wrote that song was a liar. Everybody knows that it's festival season.
What can possibly be better than watching your favourite band in the sunshine (well, sometimes it's sunny) with all your best mates in tow? It's the one weekend that you can really let go, forget your studies or your job, and just have a great time. Take us to a festival right now god dammit!
But just because you're living your best life in a far-flung field somewhere in the countryside, that doesn't mean you can throw caution completely to the wind, especially if you're thinking about having sex. But don't fear, we've got all the best tips to keep you safe and healthy, as well as some advice on how to make sure your weekend doesn't end in disaster. Never say we don't have you back, ok?
1. The first thing you're packing? Condoms.
Look, we know you’re going to the festival for the music and the good times, but you never know who you might meet. And, if you decide you want to get to know each other a little better back at the tent, condoms are the best way to make sure the only thing you leave with are good memories and NOT any STIs.
Condoms are the most effective way of preventing the spread of STIs (except not having sex, obviously), so ladies and gents, make sure you always have one to hand just in case. Still not keen on the idea? Think about this then: 59% of people who got chlamydia or gonorrhoea in 2016 were aged 16-24. Changed your mind? Thought so.
2. Stay stylish and prepared with a bum bag
So where will you stash your condoms if you’re wearing high-waisted glittery hot pants or a pair of EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD leggings with no pockets? Huns, there is only one option: it’s a bum bag.
Your Dad might have worn one on holiday in the 90s but now they’re the trendiest accessory in high-street and festival fashion. They literally come in every colour, pattern and material you can possibly imagine, so you've got no excuse not to carry all the essentials.
3. Keep connected with a portable phone charger
Ideally, you’ll be too busy living your best life to even want to look at your phone over the weekend, but you never know when you might need to call someone (especially if you’re lost, which will almost certainly happen at one point).
Get a small charger (something to fit in your bum bag) and enjoy the rest of the weekend knowing you can always call someone if you need to. Mo charge, mo problems.
4. Eco-friendly wet wipes & hand sanitizer are a MUST.
Spending a weekend in a muddy field without access to a shower means things can get a little, er, unsanitary when you’re at a festival. And, let's be real, nobody wants to take somebody back to their tent and get a nasty surprise when it comes to the other person's hygiene. So make sure you wash your hands with hand sanitizer and keep everything else clean with eco-friendly wet wipes. Perhaps offer one or two to your new friend too.
5. Ear plugs. Don't @ us.
We don’t care if this makes us sound like a grandma. Ear plugs are the secret weapon in surviving a festival for TWO very good reasons.
First, if you’re like us and tend to be down the front, then you’re going to be exposed to very loud music which can really mess with your hearing later in life. Tinnitus is no joke, y’all. The second point is that campsites can be very loud too, making it hard to sleep. Ear plugs will help you switch off and get a good night’s sleep, meaning you’ll be ready for another day of festival madness the following day. No one wants to crash out of the party early because you're too tired to do anything.
6. Be ready for anything with a rain mac
Rain macs are an under-rated festival essential. Not only are they small and light so you can always have one ready for when the skies inevitable open, but they can also double-up as a snazzy festival look so you can feel your ravey festival fantasy in any weather. But that’s not all! If you need to sit down but it’s muddy, you can also use it as a floor mat so you don't get a muddy bum while you rest your feet. Honestly, god bless rain macs.
7. Have a map for when technology fails you.
This is for the times when technology completely fails you. Perhaps you’ve used up your portable charge or there’s no signal on site; having a print out map will really save you. Mark on there your tent location, a meeting spot with friends if you get separated and know where the welfare tent is. If you need advice on drugs, alcohol, legal highs, sexual health or any other problem, that’s the place to head. Every festival has one and they’re open 24 hours. Get a little waterproof pouch for the map that will fit in your pocket or bum bag, so you’re always prepared.
8. Stay hydrated and save the planet with a re-useable water bottle
Red, dry skin with headaches and dizziness? No thank you, ma'am. Bottles that take hundreds of years to decompose? Eww, gross. Huns, it’s 2018. There’s no reason to be polluting the planet with plastic or heading out into the sun without water and risking a sun-stroke. Invest in a good bottle to keep hydrated and help keep the festival site free of pollution. It’s a win-win situation.
9. Get peace of mind with a sexual health test
This is one for after the festival if you’ve engaged in any sexual activity. If you’ve used a condom, great! But remember, you don’t need to have sex with lots of people to get an STI and many STIs are symptomless and, if left untreated, can cause long-term health problems. So, head down to your local sexual health clinic (you can find yours here) so you can get the all clear.
Find out more about sexual health and where to access FREE condoms over here.
