New Years Eve

It's that time of the year again. Raving parties, people covered in alcohol, people passing out in the middle of some random club...
You guess it... New year's eve.

My eve will be a quite one this year, but many of my friends are going to be out drinking.Now I'm not going to go on about how bad it is to drink and drive and all that, cause I'm pretty sure most of you are sick of hearing that (even though there's a vast majority of people who still choose to ignore it).

Instead I'll give you a few alternatives to avoid being in a situation where you think "Shit... I should have listened..."


Tip 1:
If you're the designated driver... you're probably going to regret drinking tonight. Think ahead. Wouldn't it be better to go there by bus and return by taxi? It'll save you the trouble of parking and you can drink without the worry of having to drive home. If you still choose to take your own car, at least have the sense to sleep in the car if you're badly intoxicated. If you need a failsafe, make some elaborate lock around your car's ignition so that you wouldn't be able to start the car if you're drunk. A friend of mine use to add beer can tops to his key-chain so that he would have to hunt for the real key, and if he was too drunk to find the key, he would just sleep in the car, and I think that's a pretty good failsafe.

Tip 2:
If you're going to drink for the sake of getting drunk, take the liberty of saving the phone number for a taxi service (if you add more than just one, it would be useful since taxis are usually booked on new year's eve) and save the number of someone who can bail you out of jail under "emergency contact". Your phone isn't going to complain for adding 2 more numbers. If you think it's too much trouble to look for the number, save it to speed dial (along with the ambulance number if need be).It's a very easy precaution that can help you if you get into shit.

Tip 3:
If you know you're going to need a taxi beforehand, call in advance and book one before they're all taken. They're not going to care if you tell them to come at 3am, it's money for them, but if you don't tell them beforehand, you can be left there for quite a while.

Tip 4:
If your intention is to have fun and not get drunk, that doesn't mean it's alcohol free night. Just try sticking to one type of alcohol, maximum two. Don't mix with different types or you'll end up shit drunk before you realise it. Take the liberty of deciding your favorite before you attend the party. It'll save you the awkward silence of trying to decide later.

Tip 4:
Have a lookout buddy. Pair up with someone who will look out for you if you do get drunk, and vice versa. If the both of you get uncontrollably drunk, this will be a problem, so try and pair up with someone who you can rely on. You don't have to stick together all night, but make sure that you at least have each other's phone number in case something goes wrong.

Tip 5:
Last but not least, make sure someone knows where you are. Whether it's a post-it note on the fridge, a Facebook status or simply telling someone where you're going. If something had to go wrong (and hopefully nothing will!) at least people know where you were supposed to be.

These are just a few tips to help us avoid the annual tragedies that always somehow link to being drunk. Stay safe people!

P.s I took this for granted when writing the tips, but if you're on medication, don't frikken drink AT ALL!