We are officially in the thick of the carnival season. It's a season of back-to-back fêtes and concerts, each time ending in a parade of elaborately costumed masquerade bands. To get in gear for the non-stop wining here are five useful tips surviving any Caribbean carnival.

Be prepared

The first step to surviving Carnival is arriving there prepared. maintaining a healthy lifestyle should be your number one priority in the months leading up to the event. Exercising is a must to maintaining your stamina, always take your vitamins and when it comes to Carnival week, proper rest is needed. Also, remember to creating a balance between partying and rest is. Yes, there are parties going on day and night, but don't overextend yourself. It’s important to choose your fêtes wisely, one of the worst things you could do is go to a fête and feel like you've wasted precious sleep and money.

Pace yourself with alcohol

 As anyone who's ever had a hangover knows all too well, picking your poison and knowing your limits can make or break any party.  Pro Tip; choose one type of liquor and stick to it and also, try to drink a bottle of water every two drinks. In the event that you're rolling with a crew of friends and someone has a little too much to drink, the first thing to do is always make sure they're safe and okay. 

Sunscreen and SPF

No shade and the intense Caribbean sun is NO joke! Remember if you wear face jewelry, you can have cheetah looking tan lines the day after. The recommendation is to wear a hat and also keep a wet bandanna around your neck.

Never ever force a wine 

The dancefloor politics of wining and grinding can be a tricky thing. For men, it’s about knowing just the right moment to go in for a dance without imposing yourself. If you get to a woman and you are able to tell she does not want to be bothered, politely move along. Ladies: if you want to politely turn down wine, just do a brace or a hard shift to the side out of the line of action. At the end of the day, though, there's no need to stress about these interactions too much. Don't make a big deal.

Have fun

After all, this is what Carnival season is about. To “Mash up the stage” and get ready to ‘do down’ over the next few days.

Bonus tips

Designate a meetup spot

Choosing a pre-decided meetup spot is very important so no man gets left behind. Maybe set behind the drinks truck as your spot so if you have to split for some reason, you and your friends can always find each other.

Eat

We’ll reiterate again...YOU NEED ENERGY and the best part is, food is provided by the band! Don’t skip out on breakfast, lunch or snacks as those will fuel you up to get down the road in one piece.

Comment below if you found these tips useful.