Although the weather is still very spring-like in Split, season of festivals in the region is slowly knocking on the door. From beloved and cherished ones like Sea Star Festival, INmusic and Sonus Festival in Croatia, to the big boys like Ultra Europe in our hometown, Exit Festival in Novi Sad and Sziget Festival in Budapest, the choice is massive. Our biggest national event for Erasmus students, Croatian Erasmus Event, is here in less than a week and to say that we're excited about it is an understatement. As we're choosing our favorite beach outfits to bring on Pag, we decided to give you some useful tips to make your festival experience exciting, safe and carefree.

 


1. Copy all of your important documents (ID, passport, residence permit etc.)


Out of all problems that occur at trips and festivals, number one troublemaker is ID card theft and losing your passport. As troubling as it can get, you don't want to spend your afternoon in the police station, especially in a foreign country where basic discussion in English is a pain in the butt. Copying your documents seems so simple, but a lot of people tend to think it's unnecessary and that they can keep an eye on them all the time. While chances for losing them aren't always high, better safe than sorry! Take that little trip to a copy shop, and even if you lose your ID, visit to the police station will be much easier and simpler.



2. Hydrate! Also, bananas.


We cannot pretend that festivals aren't followed up with alcohol beverages consumption. However, summer is slowly coming along with high temperatures and potential heat waves on Dalmatian coast. Consuming alcohol on itself dehydrates your organism which affects your brain, stomach and skin, so always have a bottle of fresh cold water with yourself. Be careful where you put them away, though, Mother Nature cannot bear too much plastic, especially on the beach. If the festivals allow bringing in bottles, carry your own reusable bottle. In cases of major festivals like Ultra Europe where that's not the case, make sure to bring enough money with yourself so you can buy water from their stands. Potassium is vital for proper nerve function, hence mentioning the bananas. You're going to eat a variety of foods so at least make sure to make one snack healthy. Plus, those bananas will help with the low blood sugar you’ll experience from too much alcohol.



3. Keep your money on multiple different places


As said before, theft is the most common problem on major events. To be sure all your money doesn't get stolen, keep a part of the money in your luggage bag, small amount of it in your phone case (if it has a slot), and just the necessary amount in the bag you're carrying with yourself. In that way, even if the theft occurs, you still have some with you. Also, try avoiding carrying your credit card with you. It might seem easier than carrying money around, but in case your bag or phone get stolen, you at least don't have one extra problem of having to contact your bank.



4. Straw hat or a bright colored cap is your friend


Staying in the sun for whole day can be exhausting for you, especially if you partied hard the night before and didn't get enough sleep. Sun is attracted by dark objects, one of them being your hair. While you might not see it as a potential problem, many people after days and nights of excitement are prone to sunstroke. If you don't want to contain fever on that one event you saved money for the past few months, bringing a straw hat or white (or any bright color) cap can be a life savior for those hours around noon when sun is the brightest.



5. Sunscreen.


Festivals and events like Exit, Sonus and CEE are held during both day and night. If you know your skin is sensitive, don't be indifferent to it and take 3 minutes of your time to put it on the exposed parts of your skin (especially face and chest). It will cost you nothing, your body will be thankful and trips to the shower won't be painful.



6. Portable charger.


You will want to film and picture your entire experience of the event which means your battery will last less than usual. If you don't have one yet, invest in a good portable charger depending on your financial possibilities. Make sure you check your phone battery capacity and find a charger at least twice the capacity of your phone battery (in mAh).


We hope this short list will help you. If you're longing for that festival excitement, you have only 6 days until CEE so if you haven't gotten your ticket yet, hurry up!

CEE you in Pag!


written by: Nina Kraljević