Nadi Greene
Staff Writer
Spring Break is one of the most anticipated weeks for many college students. Weeks before students participate in endless study sessions for midterms and last-minute assignments in an effort to get their midterm grades up, they are also thinking about getting away from the hectic schedules of school.
Parties, going out of town, and doing anything they can to get that much needed break from school on their minds. Can you blame them? If they have done what they were supposed to do, excel academically, they deserve it.
However, it can be easy to forget safety concerns when the focus is just on having a good time.
According to the www.collegiateparent.com, here are a few tips to stay safe during spring break
Keep your ID on you. ID’s are for more than just getting you access to drinks at the bar or at the liquor store, if you are of age of course. If you have made plans to travel abroad or even in the states, you will need identification kept on your person at all times.
Collegiate Parent recommends that you keep the original copy in your wallet/purse, take a picture of it to keep in your phone, and keep a copy of the original in the hotel safe. Do whatever you need to do to ensure you can be identified no matter the situation
Never travel alone. As corny as it sounds, the buddy system is the most important system to remember. I get it, your feet hurt or the club just isn’t jumping and you want to leave, but always stay in your group.
“Never go anywhere alone, especially at night,” said Reonna Rusell, a junior business administration major from Jackson, Miss. “Just a female going anywhere alone in this world is scary and you never know people’s intentions.”
Taimont Johnson, also believes that you never know who is watching you
“Never leave by yourself because most of us will be new to the area and people will take advantage of that,” said Johnson, a senior journalism and media studies major form Atlanta, Ga.
Be careful with your money. If you decide to keep large quantities of cash on your person to avoid the constant trips to the ATM, this could bring danger to you because now pickpockets or anybody who has nothing to lose has a clear target on who to rob.
If you want to carry cash, be mindful of where and how much of it you pull out.
Drink safely. It is easy to not pay attention on how much alcohol you are consuming when you are having a good time, but you HAVE to. Have a good time, but do it safely and drink in moderation.
Collegiate Parent recommends that you eat before you start drinking and try to eat a little bit during and after drinking. Also, NEVER leave your drink unattended, especially if it’s uncovered. That would be the perfect time for somebody to slip a drug in your drink and you never know what can happen next.
If you happen to leave it unattended, do the safe thing and order a new one.
Other tips recommended by Collegiate Parent include:
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Use Caution When Swimming – beware of undertows, riptides, too much sun and avoid swimming alone.
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Choose a Code Word with Friends – A code word can be a good way to indicate that you don’t feel comfortable or safe and would like to leave wherever you are immediately.
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Practice Safe Sex – Use protection. That means always having and using condoms if you plan to engage in sexual activities. This is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and STDs. Just as important as protection, is consent. If someone says they don’t want to have sex, that means they don’t want to have sex.
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If It’s Against the Law, It’s Not Worth It – Remember, underage drinking and drug use are dangers in and of themselves. But they’re also illegal pretty much anywhere your student travels.
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Don’t Stay on the First Floor of a Hotel – The first floor of a hotel is more prone to break-ins, because the window is accessible from the ground.
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Practice Safe Driving – plan to rotate drivers so everyone stays well-rested. A friend should always be awake in the front passenger seat to keep the driver company.
The goal for spring break is to have a good time but remember two things: stay safe and you don’t have to have a wild trip to have a good time. Have your fun but make it your goal to return safely and unharmed
