This post is collaborative and may contain affiliate links.
The highly anticipated Spring Break countdown has begun. It is a time of the year where students take a break from school work and get to blow off steam. While the excitement to leave school and pack up for a different destination with your friends is evident, a YOLO mantra could bring all the fun to an end. Wherever you go, and in whatever you do, the following safety tips should be your top priority.
Always Move as a Group
Spring break is fun when you’re with a group of friends. While being in a group increases safety, it is easy to get left out or split up amidst all the fun. If you’re going to a new place, always move with your group of friends or a buddy, and leave no one behind. Love is everywhere, and especially during spring break, it is easy to get carried away. Beware of sexual assault that is mostly committed by acquaintances and avoid going out on dates with strangers.
Wear Sunscreen
Unlike winter, where you were covered in heavy clothes, Spring Break is the time to wear your swimsuit and show some skin. However as much you may want to get a nice skin tan, be careful not to get sunburned. Tanning gone rogue can result in miserable and painful sunburns where you get dehydrated and, as a result, become wrinkled. Apply a lot of sunscreen whenever you’re out in the sun, and ensure it is over 45 SPF.
Have Extra Copies of your Passport
If you’re traveling abroad, apply for a passport in good time; approximately, it takes 4 to 6 processing weeks. There are different laws for different countries, and it is best to do your research early. If you’re visiting a country like Canada, find out which documentation you need, for example, Electronic Travel Authorization; get more information here.
To ensure you have your dream vacation, have extra copies of your passport. There is nothing worse than discovering that your passport is missing in a foreign country where you don’t understand their language.
Communicate
Communication with your group of friends and family is key in ensuring your safety. Whenever you go out, whether during the day or nighttime, designate a meeting point. In case anyone of you gets lost, this is the spot where you should go. Other than that, make technology your friend.
Using different applications such as Google Maps, WhatsApp, and SnapChat, you can share your location easily in case you wander off. Alternatively, you can activate a tracker on each of your friend’s phones to keep you in the know about their whereabouts when communication is impossible.
Drink Smart
Nobody likes a sloppy friend; Spring Break is time to have fun, but you need to ensure you’re drinking smart and responsibly. One way to ensure this is to drink on a full stomach and keep hydrating. If your hotel room is far from where you’ll be partaking in your festivities, designate a driver or make plans for a cab instead of driving when drunk.
Always be on the lookout for predatory drugs; finish your drink before going to the bathroom, and only take drinks from the bartender. If you start to feel faint, experience slurred speech, or difficulty standing, go home as soon as possible as one of you is likely to become a victim.
Pack Only the Essentials
Instagram photos are a necessity nowadays, especially when you’re having a good time with friends. However, as much as it may be tempting to carry excess clothing and expensive jewelry to pose for different photos, it’s best to carry only the essentials. Once Spring Break is over, you’ll be glad that you didn’t lose anything sentimental. To avoid bulky suitcases, learn how to fold your clothing for everything to fit.
Observe Water Safety
Water safety is a real thing, and you need to know how to navigate it before you go swimming in the ocean. Talk to a friendly lifeguard about it to learn about riptides, currents, and undertones. Rip tides and currents are strong, and if you swim against them, they can carry you out to sea. Swim parallel to the beach when caught in one of them until you’re free of its pull.
Get Travel Insurance and Vaccines
If you’re planning on leaving the U.S or your home country during Spring Break, consider getting travel insurance as many student health policies may not cover you. Obtain travel insurance that covers injury, loss of luggage, emergency evacuation, and illness. This way, your safety is guaranteed, and you can have fun with less worry.
Some countries require you to get particular vaccines before you travel, for example, the Yellow Fever vaccine. To find out if there are vaccines you need, get information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Protect your Privacy on Social Media
Sharing photos on social media is good for keeping memories. However, oversharing on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can breach your safety. Keep it to a minimum when sharing photos and adjust your privacy settings. Do not share your location through status updates, hashtags, or Twitter. Ensure that your friends observe the same privacy rules to keep away predators such as con artists and rapists.
Practice Road Safety
As much as you want to have fun during Spring Break, you will want to live to tell tales to your friends, family, and even in the future. To stay alive on the road and keep every other road user safe, don’t drink and drive. Have a designated driver or call an Uber after a night of partying. Buckle up your seatbelts and avoid distracting each other while driving. Have your driver’s license in place and take short breaks now and then if you’re driving for a long distance.
Bottom Line
Use this Spring Break to relax and enjoy time with friends without worrying about midterms and deadlines. During this vacation, use our pro tips to keep you and your friends safe. Get travel insurance, have extra copies of your passport, drink smart, and practice road safety. Pack like a pro, only carrying the essentials to avoid losing stuff or leaving it behind.
