We all know the do’s and don’t’s: don’t walk down an alleyway at night, don’t walk home alone, don’t accept lifts from strangers, always stick together, and make sure your phone is charged! I can still hear what my mum says to me (and she does still send me this in a text when I am heading out).
In reality though, we might not think the road we stumbled down was an ‘alleyway’, sometimes you’ve spent all your pennies on £1 VKs, you get a lift from your best friend’s boyfriend’s uncle, someone goes home with one of their ‘friends’ and you have spent your whole night snap-chatting so now your phone is dead!
Our common sense tells us the obvious things not to do, but even I have been guilty of doing the things that would make my parents very worried. It’s all part of the process of moving away from home, and we think that having our gal pals with us is enough to keep us safe. Most of us already take reasonable steps to stay safe. Sometimes, however, that last vodka shot can be a mistake and your sense (and your morals) go right out the window!
With that in mind, The Institute Nightclub, which we all know for VK-Showers and the cheesy (amazing) tunes on the top floor, has launched their ‘Girls United’ initiative to keep girls safe on a night-out. Located upstairs in ‘The Loft’, there are places to charge your phone and to collect any essential items that you may have forgotten: perhaps a blister plaster or two before hitting the dance floor again. Not to mention, you can bag yourself a pair of flip-flops if your heels are becoming just too much.
There is nothing worse than realising you’ve lost everyone you know and end up scouring high and low to find anyone, even a remotely friendly face. Now, with ‘Girls United’, there is a safe place to stay while you try and contact your friends and even better, charge your phone while you are at it! Girls United also has a facility to sign up for ‘ICE’ cards (In Case of Emergency Cards), which will get your discounted entry when you show it; an amazing way to stay safe and save some of those precious SAAS pennies.
Institute’s general manager Ruth Chisholm said: “Girls United is about educating our customers and employees so they are equipped to read the danger signs and are fully aware of the simple steps they can take to protect personal safety.”
So, just remember:
1.Stick together! We’ve all got that one friend that tends to be a bit of a runaway but try and make sure you leave together.
2. Book your taxi home!
It certainly wouldn’t be more than £3 each for your taxi home, much safer than walking!
3. Watch your drinks.
A drink being spiked happens more often than you’d think and can be very dangerous – so keep an eye on them ladies!
4. Look out for each other!
Bellas before fellas! Just remind your girlfriends that if they are leaving with someone else to get a taxi home!
Whether you end up using the “Girls United Initiative” or not, though we at HC totally recommend you do, just use your common sense, have fun and be safe!