BEACH WEEK TIPS                Compiled by Walt Whitman Parents

 

Congratulations, you’ve made it through high school, worked hard, and now you’re off to the beach to relax and have fun with your Whitman friends.  Having fun is the easy part….you all know how to enjoy the beach with friends.  This list was created to ensure that you enjoy your independence and have a great time while being safe and responsible.

 

  1. HOUSE MEETING:  Before you go off to Beach Week, hold a “house meeting” of your fellow students renting with you. Involve your parents at the meeting.  Discuss behavior expectations which might include:

          

·        Housemates should know their friends’ whereabouts and plans.

                        Establish a one-on-one buddy system. Support, protect and

                        take care of your housemates.

            

·        Go over the rental contract, responsibilities as renters, keeping the unit safely locked, and respect for property and other vacationers. Keep a copy of the rental agreement in a safe spot inside the unit.

                                                                                                       

·        Only housemates should have keys.  Know where the keys are kept.

 

·        Decide how to handle food and extra items before going. Will you pool your money, shop together, cook together, keep receipts in one place to divide up later? 

 

·        Decide as a group how to handle overnight guests. Are you okay with

having guests of the opposite sex in the house? What if your roommate

brings someone?  Be frank ahead of time.

 

·        Who’s going to drive to the beach? This may depend upon how many parking spots come with the unit. How are supplies and luggage divided up for the ride?

                  

  1. GATHERINGS:  Renting a small apartment or house will help ensure that your place will not become “the party house”.  Keep gatherings to small numbers and know everyone who is there.  Do not announce a party in a large group or in a public place where unwanted guests might overhear.

 

 

  1.  RENTERS RESPONSIBILITIES : 

 

·        Renters pay a large security deposit which is often not returned due to the

             condition in which places are left. 

 

·        INSPECT THE UNIT BEFORE UNPACKING. If you want your deposit back, notify the rental agency immediately if there is any damage to note or if anything is not in working order upon your arrival.  You may ask the rental agent to come over and see the damage to ensure that you

      are not held responsible. Consider taking digital pictures upon arrival.    

                                                           

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Renters Responsibilities continued

·        Assign clean-up responsibilities for the last day and make sure you have some cleaning supplies on hand.

      

·        Don’t trash the place.  Try to leave it as you found it.

             At the end of your stay- trash needs to be removed, bed covers put back,

             dishwasher run, furniture put back in place.  Do some of this the night

             before as checkout time is often early on the day of exit.

 

·         Landlords can earn quite a bit of money from security deposits when rugs

 are stained or units are left filthy. Discuss how the unit will be maintained

 and if parents or students will be financially responsible for damages. 

 

·         RETURN THE KEYS TO THE REALTOR

 

 

  1. LOOK UP THE SPECIFIC RULES AND REGULATONS OF YOUR  

BEACH AREA

Go to Google and type in your beach town or city. This includes parking regulations, curfews, how to obtain parking permits (their fees), hours of public beach access. 

 

      5.   JUST IN CASE      Have a plan “B” in mind in case things get out of hand or you   

need to get out of an uncomfortable situation. Feel free to leave, not take part and even to come home earlier than planned. Respect yourself and your integrity.

   

  1. IN CASE OF MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Know the location and phone number of the nearest hospital or emergency clinic.

Be sure that you have your insurance card or a copy of your card (both sides). Also have a letter listing all of the medications you take, allergies, date of latest

tetanus shot, and significant medical history. Include your doctor’s and dentist’s

contact information and personal emergency contact phone numbers. Place second copies of all housemates’ emergency information in a folder to keep handy at your house or apartment.  All housemates should know where the folder is kept.

            Imagine needing information concerning a housemate who is not lucid.

 

7.   LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBERS   Keep a list posted in your house or

     apartment (police, fire, medical emergency, real estate office, etc.)

 

8        PARKING REGULATIONS.  The Beach Police enforce these strictly and you may get a ticket or be towed. Parking is very limited. You may be able to get a pass from places such as Town Hall (Dewey Beach).  Check on-line with your specific beach area.

 

9        NIGHT SAFETY: 

·        Use the Beach Bus System as much as possible to get around.

·        Beach areas do have and they do enforce curfews.     

·        Use a buddy system when traveling by foot at night.

·        Let people know where you are so you are not considered missing.

  

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      10.    LEGAL AND PERSONAL CONSEQUENCES

·        Irresponsible behavior could go on your record, require you to spend time in jail, seriously affect your future plans and endanger the lives of others.                                                

 

·        You may want to carry family attorney contact information.  In the event that you are unable to communicate effectively with an officer, and your family cannot be reached, the officer can contact the attorney directly.

  

11.      HOUSE AND BEACH SAFETY:

·        NO HANGING ON BALCONY RAILINGS.   Every year someone is very seriously injured or killed doing this.

·        Know the house phone number even if you use cell phones

·        SWIM CLOSE TO GUARDED AREAS.     Undertow, Riptides, and

body surfing in large waves are the cause of rescues and deaths. Watch for

warning flags and swimming conditions posted on beaches near life guards .

 

     12.    DRIVING  

·        Be aware of parking regulations for your house or apartment and beach area.

·        Parents decide who else, if anyone, may drive your car?

·        Night driving is not recommended.  There are too many drunks on the road.

·        There is a shuttle between Dewey Beach and Rehoboth

·         Keep your car registration and car insurance information handy

 

  1.  ALCOHOL

        

           

   

      14.  VALUABLES   Don’t bring them. Lock extra money in a car or other safe place.

             Other people have been known to enter houses.

            

 

15.  HAVE A GREAT TIME . Use common sense and remember that if it doesn’t

seem right, it probably isn’t. This is a great time to validate the trust and confidence that your parents have in you.