Summer is finally here and it’s set to be one of the hottest ones ever, not just because of the 40 degree days we’re supposed to be getting in February, but because of the awesome music that is coming our way at this season’s events! Expect big acts, big tunes and big crowds at Aus’s best summer music festival time!
With so many people of different ages who party in different ways at festivals, it’s important, as teen girls, we think about staying safe and how we can best look after ourselves and our friends. With a few festival goers taking pride of place in our team, we thought we’d share our best tips for making music festivals the experience you really want them to be!
- Water, water, water
It’s funny (ok, not really), no matter how many posters are stuck up everywhere, ads we see, warnings we get, we still see people pass out at hot summer music festivals because they overheat and don’t hydrate enough. Drinking plenty of water at these things can mean the difference between dancing all day and still having the energy to keep jumping after the sun goes down, or being the girl who keels over in the mosh pit and sees their drooly, pale, confused face on the news the next day!
Try to stay out of the sun when possible, wear enough clothes (and the right fabrics) to keep your skin cool and allow it to breath and make sure you take breaks in shelter. Combining this with drinking plenty of water will mean you don’t lose as much hydration as you sweat in the hot summer sun! It can also help keep your skin from breaking out in the days after the event with all those nasty little sweat pimples that love an oily, hot forehead.
- Prep your bladder for summer music festivals
Two words: toilet lines. Honestly, one of the worst things about music festivals are the loos. Seriously, why does everyone become super gross just because they have to use a porter-toilet? Those things can be dis-gus-ting! Even so, during a long day of dancing and drinking loads of water, most of us will need to give in at least a few times and hit the loo.
Problem is, when you decide to go, so will hundreds of other girls, and even though you’re busting, you’ll probably have to line up for at least half an hour! Prepare your body for the line up, by making sure you can control your bladder, with nice strong pelvic floor muscles.
Before festival season hits, start a regular routine of morning pelvic floor exercises. It takes just a couple of minutes and the simplest of exercises to get your insides in shape, and prep your body for putting up (much more comfortably) with a long wait for the toilet!
- Keep an eye on your drink
Whether your drink alcohol or just water, drink spiking is a real thing and can be really dangerous, especially for young women. The thing is, when you’re feeling all relaxed in the summer sun and you’re distracted by your friends or by a band, you can be a bit lazier with keeping an eye on your stuff than you usually would.
When at a festival, make sure you keep the lid to your drink if you can — or better yet, bring your own empty drink bottle and keep re-filling it through the day. Be careful not to put your drink down and wander off, then come back and have a sip without thinking. If you’ve left it, leave it!
Finally, and just as important, also keep an eye on your friends drinks, and if you notice anything, suggest they maybe get a new drink and ditch that one they left behind. If you or a friend starts to feel a bit dizzy or disorientated, or perhaps you’re finding it difficult to stay focused or awake, head to the first aid tent and get checked out, it could be a reaction to something you’ve eaten, too much sun, or worst case, drink spiking.
- Remember the buddy system from pre-school?
It might sound over the top and a bit stupid, but doing stuff in pairs at music festivals is a good idea. To start with, there are thousands and thousands of people at these things, multiple stages, different spots to hang out, eat and go to the toilet. It is so easy to get separated, and you know as soon as that happens your phone is also going to decide to die!
Being lost and left on your own can be a bit of a safety issue as you have no one else looking out for you. It can also just be a huge downer for the day — seeing your fave bands is amazing, but seeing them on your own and not sharing it with your friends (while they all hang out together) can kind of ruin things.
- Beware of the mosh
One of the most horrible things one of our team ever saw in a mosh was a small girl dive right into the front, with no idea what she was doing and basically get thrown around like a rag doll. She was seriously like a pinball, rebounding off people’s arms, elbows, shoulders, hands until finally someone accidentally side swiped her so hard that her nose got wiped to one side of her face. Ohhhhh the blood!
Mosh pits are so fun. They are a weird and rare chance to just let go, get taken over by the experience, and if the music is particularly good, become part of this one, big, heaving, moving crowd full of people just living in the moment. They can also be dangerous if the tunes are wild and the people are energetic or angry, and you are unprepared for the violence of them or you don’t stack up size-wise with everyone else.
The one big take-home about moshing is just to make sure you’re comfortable; as soon as you feel too squished or hot or even a little bit faint, or you’re getting battered and bruised, get out of there and take a break.
Summer music festivals are magic, They are experiences you look back on days, months and even years later, and the memories are just as strong and amazing as if you had just been there. But with so many people and sooooo much sun, like anything, they can go wrong pretty quick. Make the most of your summer music festivals agenda; be prepared, stick with your friends and listen to your body, and you will make memories that last a lifetime!