7 tips to Celebrate Safe @ King’s Day (NED)

The big orange festivities are knocking on the door! Which means that on the 26th and / or 27th of April most of us will be attending one or more King’s Night / Day parties, festivals or the biggest street party of the year!

King’s Day has all of the ingredients, but it’s up to you to use those ingredients to cook up your own unique (festival) experience. Go into it with a smile and enjoy every moment of it.

Unity has some tips for you so you can prepare well, continue partying for many hours and recover quickly, which is important because you’ll need the energy for the busy festival season!

#1 PREPARE

  • Eat healthy foods and sleep to reset your mind
  • Check the weather forecast and prepare yourself
  • Know how to get home – organise transport ahead and a meeting point in case you lose your friends (Local transport in big cities will probably have a changed schedule so check www.9292ov.nl/en). Be prepared to change the plan if your designated driver is to tired or intoxicated

#2 BE AT YOUR BEST!

  • Eat during the festivities to resupply your energy levels
  • Take breaks, chill out
  • Drink water (but not too much): two glasses of water per hour is enough, also when you’re on Ecstasy!
  • Use earplugs to protect your ears

#3 THINK FOR YOURSELF, CARE ABOUT OTHERS

  • Drugs and alcohol can cause you to make poor decisions
  • Know what you can and know what you cannot handle
  • Try not to give in to the temptation of overdoing your consumptions
  • Keep an eye out for your friends
  • And caring about others isn’t limited to just your friends. Why not offer others a sip of your water, or a comforting word if you see they need it?
  • If you are planning to use Ecstasy, please be aware that there are dangerous high-dose pills on the market that could really fuck up your King’s night or day. So never take more than a quarter and wait at least an hour before you decide to take more

Celebrating at one of the King’s Day street parties?

  • Please respect the people who actually live there. It’s their home so don’t piss at their doors, dance on the roofs (of their houseboats) or throw your garbage on the streets or in the canals.
  • Take drinks in cans or plastic cups or bottles – broken glass is dangerous and can cause serious injuries

#4 KNOW WHAT TO DO IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG..

  • Support others if they don’t feel well, but try not to make it worse by freaking out about it (usually a break in a more quiet place away from the chaos and with a refreshing water works best).
  • If you or someone you know is in trouble or danger, or you feel threatened or lost, find the First Aid team, consult the security staff, police or ring 112. Remember you won’t get into trouble for calling for help.

#5 KNOW THE DUTCH DRUG POLICY

The Netherlands is famous for its tolerant drugs policy. But a lot of people don’t realize that drugs are in fact illegal in the Netherlands. Understanding the Dutch drug policy can spare you a lot of trouble.

All drugs are forbidden in the Netherlands. It is illegal to produce, possess, sell, import and export drugs. However, the government designed a drug policy with tolerates smoking cannabis under strict terms and conditions

More info on reducing the risks; https://www.jellinek.nl/english/tourists/ / http://www.drugscience.org.uk

All hard drugs and the sale of soft drugs on the streets are strictly illegal and therefore punishable by law. Public attitudes and official policy toward drugs and prostitution have hardened in recent years and police have zero tolerance for violence or hard drugs (basically anything besides cannabis).

#6 IGNORE STREET DEALERS

Buying drugs on the street is about the biggest tourist trap in Amsterdam. From the first step out of the central station you will be offered drugs.  Most of the time these offers will be in the form of a sort of whisper as you walk by a street dealer.  They will say under their breath, “ecstasy – cocaine.” Whatever you do don’t buy it, the stuff you get offered can contain anything from washing powder to very dangerous substances.

#7 AFTERWARDS

  • Take your time to rest and make sure you get enough sleep
  • You’ll recover much more quickly by eating healthy food

CELEBRATE SAFE <3 UNITY