For the most part, college parties are always safe. Nevertheless, this does not mean that you let down your guard or make decisions that you could regret or better yet land you in trouble.
Studies show that while alcohol is mainly consumed by campus students, it has an enormous influence on on-campus crime and safety issues. Mostly, whenever there is alcohol involved, the chances are that drugs will also be in the mix.
The abuse of such drugs can escalate matters to uncontrollable levels. You might find your college parties turning into fight nights, crime sprees, and sexual assault events.
In a study of on-campus college parties and campus sexual assault, the National Institute of Justice concluded that 89% of the victims and their assailants had been drinking.
In this article, we discuss some of the college party safety tips, how to tame or limit your drinking at parties, and safety drinking tips for college students.
Before you say that college life is overrated, the partying statistics in college state otherwise. College kids are just party animals, and they know how to party hard. With our dos and don?ts of college partying, you will keep safe and sound. Let us get the party started here, won?t we? GradeCrest likes keeping students safe.
Binge drinking at college parties is a college culture or a norm that has long resided in the scholarly corners. It only gets to the point of concern when the college parties cross the safety mark.
Most administrators and activists have proposed and even overseen the implementation of, prevention programs targeting campus or college sexual assault. Such programs have introduced students to concepts like consent, bystander intervention, and coercion. Even with policies and rules for college parties, you still need to stay safe at college parties and avoid falling prey of criminals or colleagues under the influence.
Here are some fantastic tips to keep you going:
The buddy system or technique has worked in many instances. When attending a college party for the first time or at any given time, go with at least one friend, or a group, and keep them close from beginning to end. When you have drunk and need someone to walk you home, your buddies will always be there. When you two agree on how to conduct yourselves, the chances are that you will be each other?s keeper and stay safe at that party. Better yet, your buddy can also step in as your dance buddy!
Agree on the time to leave the party and how much to drink. A simple text to keep up when you are at different spaces can also help.
Do you really need a designated driver in the Uber era? Probably yes! As old as it may be, if you drive to a college party, have a sober driver to take you home. Drinking and driving after attending a college party is a safety issue both for yourself and the road users. It could be a friend, cousin neighbor, or best friend. Avoid riding in a car driven by someone who has also been drinking at a college party. Taking a cab can also be an alternative.
Uber or Lyft can come in handy after a college party. The beauty of using Uber is that your friends can track your movements, and if there are any issues they can be solved. You can also take advantage of credible taxi services, most of which ply different zones. If it so happens that all these alternatives have failed.
Assuming that because someone is in your class, they are a friend is a safety lapse. Not all those attending a college party are there for the same reason as yourself. Therefore, to stay safe in college, avoid accepting invitations to games, drinks, and sleepovers by anyone other than those you genuinely know. It is okay to say no, and that only means you are strong. It is better that way than regretting later.
There are various college safety apps that you can use to party at a college safely. You can use:
#1. bSafe allows you to designate a group of friends that can follow you home by tracking your GPS. In case of emergencies, you can always use the alarm button on the app and your friends will come to your rescue at your exact location. It also records audio and video as evidence.
#2. Callisto helps survivors of sexual assault to report what they encountered.
#3. Circle of Six, which is an app that sends messages to six friends on your contact. The app can help you avoid tricky situations, especially those that can lead to safety issues in college.
A college party is not a vacation. So, do not bring the entire baggage. Instead, only take your wallet, identification documents, license, health insurance, credit and debit cards, wipes, handkerchief, and personal effects that can fit in a small cross-body bag. For men, you only need to carry what you feel is really necessary. If you are taking a jacket or sweater, mark them appropriately and have them have your contacts in case you lose them.
It is a good thing to have your phone on when attending a party. It helps you keep your friends in your loop and communicate consistently. It is also great for your personal safety and security. So, have it well charged, near you, and attended to. Do not avoid any call, instead excuse yourself and respond. Also, respond to messages. DO NOT give strangers your phone to hold for you as you dance or go to the washrooms. Also, safeguard your phone lock passwords to avoid strangers or malicious people accessing your phone.
When the college party finally ends, or it is your time to head home, only go home with the friends you came with. Do not be tempted to board a vehicle with a stranger on the promise that he will take you home. If you must go visit a stranger, postpone the date until you fully know who they are. It is just a way of staying safe at college parties. So, take their number and call some other day when you are sober.
When planning to attend a college party at night, involve your roommates for safety. It is just a compassionate way of ensuring that your immediate friends know where you are and how to respond in case of an emergency. If you do not get home in time, they can also come and look for you.
If they did not tell you, you have to listen. College parties have a way of getting online. In short, everything that happens during college party events can find its way online. So, know your drink limit, avoid unnecessary attention-seeking acts and stay low-key. You never know who is watching.
Instincts are our sixth sense. So, if you feel something is wrong or a particular act will land you in trouble, avoid it like the plague. Furthermore, if your gut feelings tell you otherwise, just let it slide. That pass-the-drink game can be the beginning of your blindness. The sex orgies can be the source of your STIs, and the list is endless. If your sober buddy also does not feel like it, it is only safe for you to leave or even ask for help.
No one will give you sex talk when you get to campus. Your parents will touch on it a bit. But when it comes to college safety, it is your initiative and responsibility that matters. Practice safe sex to keep off unwanted pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Educate yourself on how to practice safe sex and when.
Now, the above 12 strategies o how to party at a college safely are general. We have also compiled a list of safety drinking tips for college students.
Alcohol consumption is the elephant in the house when it comes to college life. With freedom and becoming of age, you will be tempted to drink alcohol for the first time in college. And just when you are planning to drink, you have to know a few tips on how to stay safe.
6. Eat well before consuming alcohol: Before attending a safe college party, ensure that you have eaten well.
College is one of the best periods in anyone?s life. It is time to enjoy and have the best fun there is. While you have fun at college parties, party safety should always be a priority. Observe the safety drinking tips outlined above when partying, and we are sure you will live to create good memories.
For a recap, here is the list of don?ts
You can do all the other stuff we have discussed. Now, when attending college parties, you can be tempted not to why? Because of piles of assignments, essays, or term papers. Besides, college students use attending parties as an excuse for not doing homework. Not anymore!
Well, GradeCrest is an essay writing service that can write all your papers at an affordable rate. Do not fail to attend a party while our paper writing service can help. We have expert essay writers who will write your essays to the highest academic standards.
Look at the following resource (s)
1. Safe Party Tips for College students
Other related important college resources
1. 10 Study Tips for College Students
2. How to handle a class you hate in college
3. How essay writing services can help you when you attend college parties.
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