12 Tips For Staying Safe At College Parties

Being blackout on multiple occations per week definitely is not healthy, but it is fun. Here is an open letter to my drunk self when im blacked out.

Drinking may be a part of college culture but that doesn’t mean you have to endanger yourself to have fun. Just follow these tips for staying safe at college parties.

1. Use the buddy system.

Always go to parties with at least one friend and walk with them there and when you leave. This is essential, especially when walking home after the party in the dark. You are responsible for each other and can help make sure that the other is safe and gets home okay. Plus, you have an automatic dance buddy!

2. Know how you are getting back to your dorm/ apartment.

Whether it is walking or using the campus shuttle service, know how you are planning on getting back after the party. With this set beforehand, everything else will work out better. You can also time when you are leaving the party based on these plans. Also, once you are drunk, at least you know this.

3. Bring the essentials… AND NOTHING ELSE.

Never carry anything larger than a small cross-body bag. You only need your phone, license, health insurance card and maybe a little bit of cash in case of emergency. Anything else is too much and will most likely get lost. Also make sure you have labelled any clothing (such as jackets) that may be left in the jacket area with your name and cell number in the event that you lose it.

4. Keep your cell phone on you at all times, or know where it is at all times.

It is a huge temptation, for girls especially, to hand their phones to a friend (someone with pockets) to hold onto so that they may move around and dance and drink unencumbered. This can be a bad idea as the friend you trusted your phone with might leave or get lost in the crowd. Instead, wear something with pockets or opt to carry a small bag.

5. If you are planning on drinking, have someone to be a sober buddy.

It is always a good idea to have someone willing to take care of you in your drunken state. This can include anything from holding your hair to making sure you get home okay and not do anything stupid. Just make sure they know not to drink too much themselves so that they will be ready to help.

In the case that you can’t find anyone and you need help, most parties have designated people who are sober to help out. For example, fraternities have brothers wearing letters who are sober and in charge of making sure that everyone stays safe.

6. Do not put your drink down.

There have been too many cases where people put their drinks down for a second, and someone took the opportunity to slip something into the open beverage. To prevent this, do not leave your drink unattended. If you need to put your drink down, have a friend watch it.

7. Do not accept open drinks from strangers.

This is connected with the last tip, do not accept open drinks from strangers because they may have slipped something inside it. Instead only accept sealed drinks or watch the person mix/ pour the drink. If you are still concerned, there are products out there, such as nail polish, that will help detect date rape drugs.

8. Follow your instinct, if something feels wrong, seek help.

Instincts are usually correct. If something is feeling wrong, either leave the situation or seek the necessary help. This is where a sober buddy will come in handy. Just be safe!

9. Don’t go home with strangers.

This is usually common sense, but if you do not know the person, don’t go home with them. You don’t know where you will end up and they might have bad things in mind. If you are interested in seeing them again, get their number and meet up with them at another time. This is also a good test, if they don’t give you their number then maybe they did not have the best intentions.

10. Know your drinking limit, and don’t surpass it!

To avoid having problems such as throwing up from over drinking, know how many drinks you can handle and do not go over that amount. Another thing to do is to drink water, not only will this help to avoid the inevitable hang over but it will also help pace your alcohol intake.

11. Tell your roommates your plans and when you think you will be back.

This is something that will help with ensuring your overall safety. If there is someone who knows where you will be and when you should be home, then there is someone who will call the authorities if you do not return in time.

12. Remember that anything you do may end up on the web.

Just something to keep in mind when conducting yourself. Do not do anything you don’t want out there for all to see.