Top tips for enjoying the summer

Constant echoes of those very unglamorous words ‘baby wipes’. That is what we heard from nearly every festival goer we interviewed for our Sea Sessions live blog, as you’ll see in the video below.

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Music festivals are an incredible part of summer-a chance to dance to your favourite bands, let your hair down with your friends and maybe even learn a few life lessons along the way. There is always so much craic to be had over the three months you have off from college or school – whether it’s to head to Thailand, stateside on a J1 or are forced to secretly enjoy a family holiday. Here are five tips that will make sure that whatever you do, you’ll be safe and sound to laugh about it in September.

Caution around water is far more important than you’d think.

One of the best pieces of practical advice I ever received was from someone who told me that no matter where you are swimming, the sea is always in control rather than vice versa. Swimming is one of the greatest highlights of any summer, but as the considerable spike in water deaths during the heatwave last summer showed, rivers and seas are not always safe to swim in. Be sure to swim in well-established swimming areas, not quiet canals or rivers where the currents and depths aren’t known well.

Also, don’t swim too far out as it is easy to quickly get out of reach of others if you do run into trouble. Unless you are in a marked pool that tells exact depth, don’t take the risk of diving headfirst as rivers and sea-beds can often look far deeper than they are in reality.

Lobster red is a shade that does not look good on Irish skin

Even though we’re always insanely quick to whip out the tropical shorts, flip flops and Ray-Ban wayfarers, us Irish don’t always remember to throw on the sun cream as well. The Health Service Executive recommend using a sun lotion of at least SPF15 and with UVA protection.

If you do get burned, be sure to use after sun and hydrate and stay out of the sun at the very least until it heals. You can find out more about avoiding sun burn or damage control if you have forgotten to wear the right SPF here.

Don’t lose your friends

No matter what event you’re at, people can end up going off and doing their own thing and remain missing for several hours on end or accidentally drop their phone in a drink. Whatever the possibility, have a meet up time and place (several hours in advance) in case you get separated so that no one ends up having to wander around on their own unsure of where they are going or where you could be waiting for them.

Don’t freeze

I’m all for summer glamour and pretending that you live in California through the medium of your wardrobe. However, once the sun goes down in Ireland the goose bumps often prevail and whether you’re drinking or not have at least one piece of clothing that will stop you from shivering in smoking areas and at main stages and barbeques.

Don’t let alcohol ruin your night

A cold beer or cocktail can be a nice addition to a summer event but if you do choose to drink, summer events often last the afternoon, evening and night so be sure to pace yourself, eat well and mix in plenty of non-alcoholic drinks.

You want to enjoy the night and still be able to say yes to a day at the beach with the lads the next day so don’t fall victim to having too many ciders just because the sun is out. Find out more info on alcohol here.

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