1. 21 & UP- be careful with alcoholic drinks
The types of situations that can happen when alcohol is concerned are so unfortunate. If you plan on consuming a generous amount of alcohol, be sure to pace yourself. Drinking a ton of alcohol all at once can result in alcohol poisoning and disoriented behavior. Also, do not put your drink down, walk away, and then come back to the same drink. It is no secret that some people like to slip things into other people’s drink and you do NOT want this to be you. The best option is to either keep your drink with you at all times or just get another drink if you happen to leave the other one behind.
2. Always travel in a group
In order to stay safe when traveling, one of the most important things you can do is to travel with other friends that are responsible and that have your best interests at heart. Parties and hanging out on the beach can be amazing experiences but not if you are in an unsafe situation which can sometimes result from being by yourself, even when going to use the restroom. A couple of easy ways to execute this would be to come up with a code word for a situation where you feel unsafe and ALWAYS keep your cell phone ringer turned up. You never know who will need to get in touch with you.
3. Stay alert
I know that when we are having a good time the last thing we want to be worried about is something going wrong, right? I get it! However, I think we all should be aware of what is going on around us so that we can make quick and decisive decisions if necessary. This doesn’t mean that you spend the whole time looking over your shoulder to see what going on, but just keep a comfortable level of awareness as you have a good time.
4. Don’t leave anyone behind
When the party ends, make sure that everyone you came with are the same people you are leaving with. There have been crazy stories about people getting left or forgotten at the beach or a party because either they were too intoxicated to take care of themselves or the other people they were with were to caught up in the fun to care. The best way to handle this is to create a group message before you get to the party and every now and then have everyone check in just to make sure things are okay, and when the party is over make sure everyone is accounted for.
I hope that you all take advantage of these tips but most importantly I hope everyone has a safe and lovely Spring Break!