ummer is on the way, and Australia’s festival season is coming along with it. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran ready to pick up the bucket hat for another year or a fresh 18 year old excited to actually be let in rather than jump the fence, make sure you’re properly ready for what’s bound to be a mental few months. Grab your mates, get your tickets, empty your bank account, and get ready for another beautiful festival season.

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Stick together, look after your mates

When you’re caught up in the show, it’s all too easy to turn away for too long or accidentally shift left instead of right, and before you know it you’ve lost your group and are caught in the middle of a mosh with no one to help. Losing your mates is easy, finding them isn’t, so make sure you stick with your group, and if you’re gonna wander off, be sure to set a meeting place. Ending up stuck by yourself is the fastest way to ruin a festival. Make sure you’re keeping an eye on your mates as well. Chill out if someone isn’t feeling well, make sure everyone stays hydrated, look after your mates and they’ll do the same for you.

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Know your limits

Around 70% of Australian festival goers take drugs, and if you fit into that category you need to be careful how you go about doing it. Know what you’re taking, know how much to take, and most importantly know how much you can take. Don’t overdo it, don’t mix things that shouldn’t be mixed, the last thing you want is a trip to the med tent, and the last thing your mates want to be doing is carrying you around all day because you took too much and can’t use your legs anymore. Know your limits and stay safe.

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Stay hydrated

With festival season hitting right in the peak of Australia’s brutal Summer, the lack of shade and ridiculous number of punters is more than enough for your body to start overheating. No matter how caught up you get in the day, never go too long without water. Buy bottles, take empties in with you, fill up as soon as they’re empty, and make sure everyone around you stays hydrated. The last thing you want is heatstroke ruining your day, so find some shade, get some water, and please hydrate.

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Don’t be a dick

You’re walking through the festival when someone suddenly bumps your shoulder. Do you; (A) Use your physical prowess to intimidate them, (B) Square up and prepare to fight like a juiced up Rhino, or (C) Carry on about your day because you realise it was probably an accident? There’s already enough toxicity at festivals without needing to add to it, so just relax and enjoy yourself. Don’t shove people in the crowds, don’t force your way past, and don’t behave like a general asshole. (Most) people are there to have a good time, don’t ruin anyone's day, and you’ll be sure to make the most out of yours.

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Put your phone away

Believe it or not, you don’t need to record every second of a festival. I know right, shocking, but this idea that people need to record every second drop or every big song is just stupid. If you’re staring at your phone making sure you have the perfect recording, your brain is actually already forgetting whatever you’re seeing. So you’re left with a video you’ll never watch again, stuck on your vanilla-ass IG story, when instead you could put your phone away, enjoy a moment, and remember it! Crazy.

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Relax & enjoy yourself

Remember, you paid a lot of money for your ticket, and you might never get a chance to see some of these acts again. Take in the music, the good atmosphere, the performances, and have a good day jamming to some world class artists with your mates. Try not to stress, take breaks if you’re feeling burnt out, and overall make sure you get the best out of your experience. There’s nothing quite like a festival, so enjoy them while you can, who knows how much longer they’ll be in Australia for. (Cheers Gladys).

It's gonna be a massive season Down Under, so be sure to make the most of it. As always I hope you enjoyed the read, remember to party safe, stay hydrated, and I'll see you next time.