Staying Safe On New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is the time of year when everyone lets their hair down. It's not like Christmas where you're rushing around preparing food and the fact that a new year is beginning fills everyone with a giddy urge to throw caution to the wind and act out of their comfort zone, going places, drinking and doing things they might not usually do. This is great, it's often a lot of fun to do something different and meet new people, as long as you're being safe. With awful things happening a daily basis on the news (as well as the stuff we're not shown) I wanted to write a blog entry on how to stay safe on not only New Year's Eve, but any time you go out and about. I don't want to scaremonger,  I just want to make sure everyone is doing everything they can to keep safe.

Travel

Getting home is usually the last thing on your mind when you're about to go out but it's actually the most important. No one wants to be stranded somewhere they don't know, miles from home with no way of getting there. 

Look up the address of where you'll be partying the day before (letting your parents/guardians know if you live with them) so you know exactly where you'll be going if you haven't been there before. 

Pre-book the taxi. Modern technology is amazing and there are a huge amount of free apps. for smartphones, including Kabee and Cabwise, which cater to those living in and around London, and Hailo, which includes a variety of cities from around the world. These apps. not only hunt down and find your nearest licensed cab office at the tap of a screen, but can also book it for you and help you pre-pay the taxi firm so that you don't have to worry about watching your money (although the sensible option would be to keep some money spare anyway, just in case). 

Make sure to save any contacts, including the cab office, on your phone clearly so that you can find them easily when and if you need them. 

Make sure you have sufficient money on your phone so that you can call anyone at anytime. 

If you don't have a smartphone, a simple Google search should bring up any local licensed taxi companies; give them a call and get a quote so you know exactly how much money to keep tucked away. 

Also, never feel guilty about asking your parents/guardians/friends for help. If you do spend all your money and don't have a way to get home, your parents/guardians/friends would much rather you call them and ask them to pay the taxi once you get there, rather than you try and make your way home alone in the early hours of the morning.

StaySafe is another free app. which acts as a panic button, sending emergency texts out to your contacts if you feel you're in danger. It also has a GPS tracker and a timer that you can set, so that if you don't reach your destination by a specified time, your contacts get an alarm.

Lost

If you're stranded somewhere you've either never been or are too intoxicated to recognise, don't panic. 

Your phone can be your best friend in this situation: call someone. If you don't have a mobile phone on you, use a nearby payphone to reverse charges if you need to. 

Taxi companies can help you if you merely tell them the name of the road you're on or any local landmarks that you can see. 

Call a family member, or a friend. 

If you have a smartphone, they have GPS tracking, so this should help you find exactly where you are.

Friends

If you’re going to a party where you don’t know people, make sure you have at least one friend who you can arrive with and leave with. This is what my friends and I used to do when we were younger and going to house parties. This has to be a friend who you trust and is not going to bail on you halfway through the night without letting you know and vice versa, they have to be able to count on you. Although I'm not suggesting you stay handcuffed to each other all night or stop each other from talking to new people, make sure you keep an eye on each other and don't let them go off with anyone you don't know. 

Circle of 6 is a free app. where you enter 6 friends’ details who you trust completely. When you open the app., there are different icons you can click on: the car sends a text to the contact you've selected asking them to pick you up, the phone sends a text asking the contact to phone you, and the chat icon sends a text saying that you need advice. There's also a danger icon which takes you to a choice of two hotlines: rape and assault or relationship abuse, which you can call.

As I said earlier, just as much as you should be able to rely on your friends, they have to be able to rely on you too. Keep your eyes open for any suspicious activity, such as actively trying to get others drunk or persistently trying to get someone to go somewhere with them, even if it's a person you think you know well. Calmly alert the host if it's a house party, or security if you're at a club or other venue.

Drinking

Obviously the best cure for not getting too drunk is prevention i.e. not drinking. However, this isn't really a realistic tip to give people on New Year's Eve and I know I for one love a drink with my friends at this time of year. This article gives some really great advice on how to look after someone after they've had too much to drink without being confrontational or causing any panic.

If you're feeling as if you've had too much to drink, the first step is to stop drinking. Forget the myths about eating bread and drinking coffee, the only 'cure' for being drunk is time. Stop drinking and have some water to stop yourself getting dehydrated. Also let your friend(s) know how you're feeling and let them know where you'll be if you want to sit down so that they can either keep an eye on you or sit with you. If you're not feeling more lucid after an hour or so, it's probably a good time to go home. Get someone you trust, such as friend, family member or licensed taxi to take you home and get a couple of your friends to wait for the taxi with you so that once you leave, you won't leave anyone alone on the street. If you're only there with one other friend, make sure they leave with you if they don't know anyone else there; don't leave them alone at a party or venue where they don't know anyone.

A couple more tips while drinking:

In the UK, the NHS have brought out a free drink tracking app. where you can keep a note of how much you've had to drink. 

Never leave your drink unattended.

Avoid shots and spirits, drink only what you're familiar and comfortable with.

It is recommended to drink water in between alcoholic beverages, this not only keeps you hydrated but slows down your drinking, making the chance of you over-doing it smaller.

Don't drink on an empty stomach.

And finally, for the hangover, drink water, fruit juice, have something to eat and rest.

Finally, it's important to remember that if you need to call the emergency services (999 in the UK), don't hesitate. Don't worry about getting anyone or yourself into trouble, your well-being is paramount. 

Remember to stay safe, look after each other and have fun :)

If you want to discuss anything I've written in this post, or this blog for that matter, you can find me on Twitter.