I know today is only New Year’s Eve Day, and the new year doesn’t begin for another number of hours, but I’m giving you a scheduled post right now anyways. Why? I’m currently in a car on the way to Saskatoon to spend New Year’s Eve with family!(So, no comments will be moderated until Saturday night at the earliest, but you will continue to get posts. I promise!)

theNotice’s un-preachy tips on: not waking up in a foreign location with no underpants, because that’s just plain ‘ol awkward follow. This list may contain fun links, pictures, and supposedly quirky and amusing comments to keep you reading, because I have ADD too.

• If you’re going out, arrive with your friends and leave with them as well. Make sure you all have cell phones or you’re with someone who has one, so if you get separated wherever you are you can still find each other. “Hey gramma, can I borrow your cell phone? Mine’s dead and I want to make sure I have one on me tonight. Gramma? Gramma, have you been in the liquor cabinet again?!”
  
• Don’t just watch your drink, hold it. You want to have your hand over your glass, not just on it. Check out this link – I promise, you won’t be sorry you did! Until they slowed it down and zoomed in, I didn’t catch it!
• If you’re given the option of a small-ish party where you know everyone and a huge one where you don’t, go to the small one. I shouldn’t even have to say it, people.
• Go ahead and kiss a stranger, but don’t go home with him. Honestly, that’s just stupid – and don’t think it doesn’t happen. It does. (And check for cold sores, sneezing, coughing, bloodshot eyes, and dilated pupils first. Also make sure he’s not about to kiss the guy standing next to him. Awkward meter of 10, and I guarantee you’ll be their funny story of the year. “Remember that girl on New Year’s who…”)
  
• While we’re at it, make sure he’s not there with someone. If you’re doing random 12:00 kissing and his girlfriend shows up, it’s just a bad idea all around. If it does happen, though, it would probably be a good time for you to call a cab and get the hell outta there.
• Now is not the time to “experiment” with drugs. I mean, never is a good time, but a party-full of drunk strangers is not the safest environment to have “fun”.
• Keep at least $30 on you, in cash. Not in your purse is the best idea (in case you lose your bag) but not all of us are comfortable with money in our bras, and not all of us have pockets in our dresses, so I guess the purse would be fine. You might need it for food or cab fare, so keep it around just in case.
  

Also, tips on: not waking up in a hospital ER with no underpants, because that’s not awkward, it’s just scary.

• Designate a driver or take a cab – I’m not sure how the whole cabbing thing works on New Year’s Eve, so call to make sure you don’t have to book one in your area just in case. You can always spit a cab with a few friends if it’s the fare you’re concerned about, and depending on your city, the bus is an option as well! (Our transit system is pretty good, and offers free rides on New Year’s to make sure everyone makes it home okay.)
• I don’t care if you get buzzed faster this way, but don’t drink on an empty stomach. Keep a granola bar in your purse if possible so you have something to snack on if you’re getting hungry from all the dancing, or whatever it is you’re doing. (I don’t want to know.)
• Make sure you can walk in those heels, girl! After a few tequila shots and four hours of strobe lights, six inch heels aren’t sounding so great.
• Lastly, if you’re taking medication, make sure you can have it with alcohol. A lot of antidepressants and the sort can’t be combined with any sort of alcohol, not even “just one beer!” so read your labels.

Lastly, tips on: not looking like a mess by the end of the evening (hey, we have to have makeup at least mentioned in this post!)

• Waterproof or tubing mascara is your best friend. I promise.
• Keep cotton swabs, makeup remover, eyeliner, and blotting tissue in your bag. Mascara, eye shadow, base, and cheek products are optional and probably too heavy for you to tote around the whole night anyways.
  
• Waterproof everything is your NBF, actually. Waterproof liner, like my new favourite, especially.
• Shine control is optional but nice to have, and a setting powder is probably a good idea. (I’m loving this one, which is both!)
• A good not-too-smelly hairspray or other “style holder” will keep that gorgeous hair from falling flat in the humidity of the club/bar/family home!
  

That’s all for now. Have fun, and enjoy your hangovers tomorrow ^^ I’ll probably be the only one with out one!