Jessica's story

By Jessica W, youthcentral Roving Reporter

Sun, surf and having fun with your mates is what schoolies is all about. My friends and I spent the week mucking around on the shores of Lorne after a long and stressful final year of study. I picked up some handy tips along the way about how to make the most of Schoolies Week and how to party hard, but responsibly.

Bill Mathers, District Inspector of the Surf Coast has a hand in coordinating Schoolies Week and had nothing but positive words to express concerning the happenings that took place late last year.

"It was slightly quieter than previous years. Generally, most people were very well behaved." Mr Mathers also commended the local governments and community agencies on the amount of work they put in to keep young people entertained.

On the other hand, just because last year proved to be a quiet one, doesn't mean that it will be the same this year. You have to be prepared for any situation, so plan ahead!

Before the trip

It's not as simple as picking a place and going. Here's a few tips about some essential preparation steps that can make your schoolies a smooth-sailing experience.

Accommodation - get in early

It is imperative that you book early in the year because everyone will have the same idea as you and accommodation will fill up fast.

It's a good idea to get a house with a big bunch of friends that are likely to see you through the year because this will reduce the overall cost and increase the safety of the group as a whole. A place on the main strip of shops or close to the main beach is advisable so you don't have to rely on transport to get to where you want to go.

For more about organising a place to stay check out our Accommodation pages.

Money - sharing is caring

You need to sort out a budgeting scheme that will keep everyone in the group happy. A practical way of dividing the money is to devise a pay-per-day system where each person pays for the various costs for the number of days they are staying.

If you assign a daily cost for accommodation, food and petrol, then one person can collect the money each day and deposit it into three separate jars. Any left over money can either be spent on a group activity or meals, or it can be divided up and returned to each person.

For more about saving, budgeting and managing what you spend check out our Money pages.

Packing - be prepared

Consider every type of weather when packing clothes for the beach because it is not uncommon for rain to pelt down on the surf coast unexpectedly. Keep in mind that how much you pack into your suitcases will impact on the room you have for groceries and other items.

It is advisable to purchase alcohol and grocery items that do not need to be refrigerated before you leave because prices tend to be inflated in small towns, especially around Schoolies Week.

You should also consult with the owners of the place where you are staying. Find out whether you need to provide your own paper towels, dishwashing liquid, toilet paper and all the other bits and pieces you may forget to bring.

Partying - stay safe

Once you've arrived and unpacked it's time to get down to it. But just as it pays to prepare things like where you're staying and who you're staying with, it also pays to keep a few things in mind during the actual holiday.

A major part of Schoolies is partying, and where there are parties, there are risks involved. Make sure that if you decide to consume alcohol that you do so on private property to avoid hefty fines.

A significant number of people had to dish out $100 or more in fines for drinking in public or underage drinking during my stay on the Surf Coast. This could have easily been avoided if people had respected the law.

Make sure that you leave a copy of the address of the place where you're staying next to the telephone in case of an emergency. That way everyone who's staying with you knows the right address to tell the emergency services, if they're needed.

It's common sense to stay in a group when travelling to and from your residence, especially at night-time when it is even more crucial that you stick to well lit streets, even if it takes you an extra ten minutes to get home.

For more about staying safe at schoolies check out our Safe Partying pages.

Look after your mates - stick together

With many unfamiliar situations at Schoolies it is important that you look after your mates and recognise when they are in need of assistance. Just remember the basic stuff like:

• Don't swim alone or let your friends swim alone
• Checking on your friends if they've had a few drinks
• Making sure that at least a few people know where you are at all times

Remember to share the driving, household chores and cooking between yourselves so that everyone pitches in to help. A rostering system can make this situation very easy and avoid arguments along the way.

The main thing

This is the first time many young people will stay away from their families for a long period of time, book accommodation on their own and purchase a week's worth of groceries; all of which are character building experiences.

It seems like there is a lot to take in but the main thing is to just have fun! Schoolies is a time for everyone to let their hair down, but you should bear in mind that you need to be responsible in all of the choices you make.

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