Dunno if things have changed since the 90s. But for me, it was check with people who already tried that batch to make sure it was OK. And ya, do what ennemi said and be with people you trust.
Set and Setting. Be in a good headspace, in a safe place with safe people.
Assemble all the snacks, comforts, and entertainment ahead of time, so you don't need to venture out into the world - the vibes can be rough out there, and you want chill vibes only for your first time.
If you can be outdoors, it's pretty fucking magical - just make sure you first scope the scene while sober to check for dangerous plants (poison ivy, nettles, etc,) and for hostile insects (ground-nesting hornets, fire ants, etc).
Pay attention to what time you take it, so if it's going poorly at all, you can reassure yourself with an endpoint - all you have to do is let it ride until whatever o'clock.
If you're taking a partial dose, remember that it's usually applied to whatever with a dropper, and may not be equally concentrated throughout - one side of the square of paper might be a little stronger than the other. You can get around this by putting a full dose in a specific measurement (2oz, whatever) of water 12+ hours ahead of time, and then measuring out the fraction you want.
I hope you have as much fun as I did!! ❤️
Happy to help! Here's the r/microdosing wiki page on LSD - basically, the concern is that the drop of acid didn't land in the dead center of the square, so one corner might have a higher concentration than the others. If that happened and you just cut it in half, it's a gamble - maybe you get half, maybe you get a quarter, maybe you get two-thirds. Dissolving the whole thing in a known quantity of water will let you more precisely divide it up.
Do it with people you trust, are comfortable around, and if possible who have done it themselves before
Wait for the comedown at least to smoke weed.
Clean your apartment/house before tripping.
Set up a safe space to go to where you can cool off and be alone if need be.
I would go for 1 tab to start. Less than that and you're not getting a full experience. Sometimes 1 tab isn't even enough but it depends on what stuff you're getting.
Have some chill stuff lined up, music Playlist. Something like that. Making decisions can be hard on acid lol
Ohhh yeah, if you have access, I'd keep a Xanax or some kind of benzo around. Benzos essentially end trips in their tracks. I haven't had to use one but having it on hand can be comforting (to know you have the option of ending it at Any time)
Others have posted the main points, good suggestions all around. A few things I don't think have been mentioned:
Someone else said get snacks ready, I also recommend eating something substantive beforehand because you may lose your appetite, find it difficult to eat, or simply forget to eat later.
I also recommend taking care of any chores or "things to do" lingering around, so you avoid worrying about them at an inopportune moment.
To add to what Ennemi said, also it's a good idea to have a "trip sitter" or someone in the group who will be sober. Since you said you're doing it with experienced friends they probably know this already so this is more for your information. (I just saw in your reply that you are already on top of this. )
Personal experience and what I've heard from others, it tends to amplify anxiety. Some people have no issue with it but honestly it's not worth the risk in my opinion. Acid and weed separately are super groovy and chill for me, but combining them gave me terrible panic attacks.
Well, it's their first time and I wouldn't really recommend mixing drugs on your first time of anything.
Great tips already. Set and setting are the most important. I like to meditate a little beforehand and think about what a positive time I'm going to have and what great experience it will be. Also, spend as little time on your phone as possible. Even put your phone somewhere you won't be as tempted to use it. Be in the moment with your friend, interact with the world around you. Sometimes you might get the feeling you need to text or call somebody to tell them something you think is important... Wait until you're done tripping and see if you still want to. Take this time for yourself and the people you're physically near. There's plenty of time for the rest of the world later.
stay comfy, keep things chill indoors and if the weather's nice, get outside and touch some grass. Of course, don't go too far or off to somewhere you don't know, but even if there's a small local park and the sun is out, a short walk there to vibe and see hexagons in the grass as it shuffles in the breeze is an amazing feeling. If it's not you're thing though, don't worry - you don't want to push yourself and you'll get excellent patterns from any surface inside too.
having a stupid show on during the come up is always a great time - i've never laughed harder than I did at spongebob when i took my first tab when i was like 19 or 20, and it was at the point that we were laughing so hard that I had to take a deep breath that I realised the walls were breathing with me.
don't paralyse yourself with fear or anxiety that you might have a bad time. of course, anecdotes aren't data, but i'm profoundly depressed and have never had a bad time on psychadelics, especially acid. Rather, enjoy the anticipation of the great time you're going to have and how energised you'll probably feel on the way up.