Chattr's Schoolies Survival Kit

It’s that time of year again: all of you fresh 18-year old’s have finished high school and are more than ready to celebrate with Schoolies week. Where are you headed? Key schoolies destinations are the Gold Coast, Bali and Fiji, or maybe you’re headed somewhere a little more subdued.

It’s a dreaded month for residents of these areas, particularly the Gold Coast as thousands of teenagers traditionally hit the streets and let loose. But hey, you all deserve to let loose, after all 13 years of schooling has been completed, right?

Schoolies is known as one of the craziest few weeks of the year for the Gold Coast, and probably the craziest week that you will ever experience. So, how are you going to survive it?

Here are our top ten tips to survive Schoolies week, to not piss off the locals and to make sure you return to your mum and dad in, uh, almost the same condition as you left in:

Water

Yes, alcohol seems like the only beverage your body will consume over that week, but unfortunately your body really requires water. Alcohol can severely dehydrate you and if you have any hope of actually surviving the full week you need to pace yourself and drink plenty of water. Just swap out every couple of Cruisers for a bottle of water, and trust us, your body will thank you.

Take condoms!

sex ed GIF

We know what you get up to on Schoolies, and it probably includes hooking up with a random. The least you can do if you’re participating in risky sexual activities, is to use a condom. You don’t want to be parenting any babies after Schoolies, nor do you want any STI’s.

Buddy up

If you’re heading out to the clubs make sure you always have a buddy. You don’t want to get lost in an unfamiliar place, whilst probably a little intoxicated. Your best option is to always have a buddy, and that way you can always be as safe as possible and look out for one another.

Eat food

parks and recreation GIF

You know how bad drinking on an empty stomach can be. So, make sure you’re eating regularly. Just because you’re at Schoolies doesn’t mean your body takes a holiday from its needs. It needs sufficient food to function, and if you don’t want the hangover from hell, food will be your saviour. Have more than two-minute noodles or a bag of lollies on hand, have decent meals and look after your body as much as you can.

Water

Did we mention drink water?

Never leave your drinks alone

Never accept drinks from other people, especially strangers. The last thing you want is to have your drink spiked. We know it happens, and we wish it didn’t, but you need to be cautious. Always guard your drink and never take it on the dance floor. If you leave your drink alone, you can’t drink it after! It’s not worth the risk.

Kids, don’t take drugs!

brian george no GIF

One, drugs are illegal and two, Schoolies is a hotspot for checking for them. If it’s your first time out of home and you think this is a good time to experiment, you’re so wrong. Mixing substances like drugs and alcohol is a recipe for disaster. If you want our advice? Just stick to the alcohol, you don’t want to take the risk of dodgy drugs especially on this fantastic week.

Panadol

Keep some Panadol next to your bed. You’re guaranteed to have a hangover for most of the week. At least if you have a bottle of water and some Panadol next to your bed, you can get rid of that headache when you wake up.

Communicate

Always tell your friends where you are going so that somebody knows where you are at all times. As well as keeping a buddy this ensures your safety!

Enjoy!

Finally, as lame as it may sound, have some fun! This is a week to let loose and have a good time following those crazy hard HSC exams. Be safe, look after yourself and your friends, but have an amazing time and make terrific memories.