~~ Be sure to stay safe at the Something in the Water festival this weekend! ~~

The Norfolk State Police Department wants you to have plenty of fun at the Something in the Water Music Festival this weekend, but we also want you to be safe. NSU Police Detective D. Hyman (see video below) will be working closely with the Virginia Beach Police Department as a liaison to ensure the needs of our students are met.

Here are a few tips to make sure you have a fun and safe weekend.

• Party Safely – Practice safe drinking. Remember that no person under the legal drinking age should participate in buying or drinking alcohol. If you are of age and are going to consume alcoholic beverages, please ensure that you have a designated driver prior to consuming any alcohol. Watch your cup or glass and only accept drinks that you’ve watched get made or poured in front of you. Keep tabs on how much alcohol you’re drinking and avoid binge drinking. Remember to eat meals and drink plenty of water.
• While illicit drugs may seem fun, they are also dangerous as you don’t know what’s in them or how they’ll affect you. Don’t mix alcohol and other drugs – you can’t know how they will react with each other and if they will make you sick. If you or someone else had a bad reaction to drugs, you won’t get in trouble for telling a medical professional what they’ve taken.
• Stay Cool and Hydrated – Partying and watching your favorite bands play under the blazing sun can knock you about. Avoid dehydrationby drinking plenty of water, especially if you’re drinking alcohol. Stay cool by wearing a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses, and hanging out in shaded areas when you can.
• Chill Out and Take a Break – Heatstroke can happen easily, especially when you’re under the hot sun. Drinking alcohol and taking drugs can also lead to heatstroke because they make it hard for your body to cool itself down. Drinking lots of water and take some time out. See if there are some chill-out spaces where you can have a break for a while.
• Practice Safe Sex – If you hook up with someone, practice safe sex.The best way to look after your sexual health is to use condoms and take them with you, so you’re prepared. If you have sex, remember that everyone involved needs to definitely agree. Saying ‘maybe’ or ‘I think so’ is not good enough. You shouldn’t feel pressured into doing something you don’t want to.
• Bring Your Medication – Take any medicine you need with you. Depending on your health and needs, consider taking an asthma inhaler, antihistamines, antidepressants and antiseptic. Festivals will have first aid facilities, but usually won’t have a medical service. If you’re going to drink, check your meds for how they may react with alcohol.
• Learn Your Way Around – When you first get to the festival, check out what’s where (and not just which bands are playing and when). Festivals can be confusing places, so it’s important to know where the toilets, first aid, food stalls, bar, camping and chill-out zones are. Most festivals provide a map, or you could just walk around and explore!
• Protect Your Hearing – While thumping drum beats, blaring guitar riffs and screeching vocals are part of the festival experience, they also hammer your hearing. Loud noise and music festivals go hand in hand, so be prepared and protect your ears with earplugs. And if you can’t cope with the loud noise, move away from the speakers for a while.
• Have a Buddy System – Consider using a buddy system, where you look out for a friend and they look out for you. Organize a time and meeting place with your buddy in case you get lost or want to go off to see different things. Don’t always rely on your phone, as your battery may go flat or the network may become overloaded.

Taking Uber?

• Wait inside. Stay inside until the app shows that your driver has arrived. Minimize the time that you’re standing outside by yourself with your phone in your hand.
• Check your ride. Match the license plate, car make and model, and driver photo with what’s provided in your app. Never get in a car where the vehicle or driver identity doesn’t match what’s displayed in your app.
• Have the driver confirm your name. Ask, “Who are you here to pick up?” The driver may also ask you to confirm their name as well.
• Be a back-seat rider and always wear your seat belt. Sitting in the backseat, helps ensure that you can safely exit on either side of the vehicle to avoid moving traffic, and it gives you and your driver some personal space. Wearing a seatbelt is the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries related to car crashes.
• Share your trip details with loved ones. While en route, tap “Share Trip Status” in the app to share your driver’s name, photo, license plate, and location with a friend or family member. They will receive a text or push notification that tracks your trip and ETA.
• Follow your intuition. If ou ever feel that you’re in an urgent situation, you can call 911 by using the emergency button located in your app. Anytime you call 911 from the Uber app, the app provides you with your real-time location and trip details that you can share with the dispatcher. You can also, tap the shield icon in the app to access Uber’s Safety Toolkit and get help whenever you need it.
• Give feedback about your trip. Your feedback helps keep Uber safe and enjoyable for everyone. If you ever experience a safety issue on a trip, please report it to Uber. The 24/7 response team will follow up.