1. Wear comfortable shoes – no flip-flops. You’ll be doing a lotof walking for days, and you won’t want to wake up with sore feetthe next morning.

2. Dress in clothing you wouldn’t mind getting covered in sweat,booze and vomit. Just sayin’.

3. Keep your phone charged. Service is awful during Mardi Grasso be patient, but remember that getting stranded in a crowdwithout a phone is both dangerous and terrifying.

4. Don’t just drink booze: Hydration is important. Bring a bigwater bottle or buy one along the route.

5. Periodically stop along the parade route for food fromwhatever cheap vendors are hanging out on corners. Drinking heavilyand walking for miles on an empty stomach is a bad idea. Bring somesnacks. Might I suggest Pringles? Everybody likes Pringles.

6. Pace yourself. Mardi Gras is an all-day activity. Drinkliquor too early and you’ll be that amateur who gets too drunk inthe afternoon and slows down all their friends, or worse, has to gohome. Beer while the sun’s up, liquor when it sets.

7. Get to the parade route as early as possible to stake out aspot with your friends.

8. Many of the Uptown parade-goers are locals and families.People set up spots with chairs and grills. They get territorial.Be nice and don’t get in their way or step on their stuff.

9. Be respectful to the police. Don’t touch their horses unlessthey – the cops or the horses – give you explicit permission.

10. Don’t pick beads up off the ground. They’ll be coated in acombination of mud, alcohol and bodily fluids. You don’t want thaton your body. Catch ’em and they’re yours.

11. Don’t steal throws from cute little kids. You’re the oneswho give Tulane students a bad reputation.

12. Don’t get too drunk and obnoxious. Don’t pass out on St.Charles, don’t vomit on strangers and don’t smash glass bottlesaround families.

13. Public urination is illegal and is one of the few thingscops won’t turn a blind eye to during Mardi Gras, so bring moneyfor port-a-potties. If, however, you can’t possibly hold it, don’tgo off by yourself, walk as far away from the parade route aspossible, go somewhere inconspicuous and have a vigilant friendstand watch.

14. If you have friends visiting, remember to watch out forthem. They don’t know their way around the city like you do. Watchout for all your friends, for that matter. Don’t let people getseparated from the whole group.

15. Dance in the street whenever you get the chance. Never stopdancing. Make friends with strangers.

16. Don’t try to cross the parade route while floats, bands ordancers are in the street. They won’t stop for you.

17. Back up when the marching bands go by or you’ll totally gethit in the face with a tuba or something.

18. Go to a concert on Lundi Gras and stay up all night. It onlyhappens once a year.

19. Make it to Rex and Zulu and Tequila Sunrise – noexcuses.

20. Have fun! Seriously, it’s Mardi Gras.