We all know college students are among many people who like to go out with friends and drink alcohol, but safety is our own responsibility. There are many ways to go out and drink safely with friends, but it all starts with just being the appropriate, legal age of twenty-one.
One of the main ways to prevent drunken accidents is by having a designated driver, walking home, finding a ride home from a friend or calling a cab.
People who drink and drive not only put themselves in danger, but they also put everyone else in the car and on the road around them in danger as well.
“I know some kids that have died from drinking and driving,” mechanical engineering technology major Thomas Rich, age 21, said. “Somebody’s life is way more important than alcohol.”
Another tip on how to drink safely is to make sure you never set your drink down at a party. You should always have your drink covered and never accept drinks from others unless you open it yourself.
“I accepted a drink from a guy one time at a party and soon blacked out right after,” said an anonymous 23-year-old. “I found out the next day that I had been drugged. Nothing terrible happened, I just do not remember anything else from the night and awoke in my own bed not knowing how I got there.”
Another great precaution to take is when going out to the bar, always make sure to pace yourself and have options for getting home.
“We offer free cab rides,” bartender at The Gate, Ben Mackey, said. “We are responsible for everyone that comes in, so we have to make sure that they do not drive if they have been drinking. If someone is falling out of their bar stool or acting differently and cannot talk, then we of course have to stop serving them.”
Most college students partake in binge drinking because of the peer pressure they are under and because they want to have fun. It can be a very dangerous pastime.
“I always make sure to drink in a safe environment,” said Rich. “Try to pace yourself and figure out your limits.”
While drinking there are many different behaviors that come out of people because alcohol affects everyone differently.
You need to be aware of all of the violent acts that people partake in while under the influence of alcohol.
If put into a situation of violence, make sure to call 911 to stop the problem from escalating and becoming potentially dangerous.
If there is anyone that is passed out on the ground and not breathing, promptly call 911 for an ambulance.
If students can take one piece of advice, it would be to make sure to party safely and with close friends, because you never know what people will do when they are intoxicated.
There are a lot of different ways to stay safe when drinking, but of course the best way to stay safe is to just not drink at all. A lot of dangerous and unexpected things can happen when under the influence of alcohol.