As a senior at Ohio Northern, I have experienced it all, but more specifically, I have had my college drinking phases. That’s right, you heard it here first, folks- college students drink alcohol.
Yet, even drinking alcohol in your safe haven, Ada, requires safety measures.
If you’re headed to a party off-campus, here are some tips and tricks that worked for me and that can work for you! The basic rule of thumb is to never go alone, leave a party alone, or walk anywhere alone. Go crazy all you want but make sure you have a trustworthy friend by your side throughout the entire night.
Or perhaps before the party, you are mixing drinks per say; use a water bottle or drink cup with a lid. A water bottle has many pros; it is leak-proof, easy to drink out of, and, most importantly, your drink will stay your drink throughout the night.
Going out may be the exciting part; nonetheless, you cannot get ahead of yourself- you always have to think of how you’re getting home. So before you forget- while you’re packing a non-suspicious backpack- put your room key or apartment key in a small zipper pocket in your backpack. That way, you can’t lose it unless you lose your backpack, but that will be much harder to forget.
Let your sober self look out for your drunk self. The most vulnerable situation you can unknowingly place yourself in is typically at a bar.
When you’re at a bar, ordering yourself a drink or having someone else order one for you, you need to be there to see it being made. Throughout the night, don’t take your eyes off your drink. Simply keeping your eyes on your drink can save your life.
Let’s say you have to go to the bathroom. One, it needs to be noted that it is not weird to take your drink with you. If you do not think you can trust any of the people around you, then take it with you or trash it. Do not leave it and come back to it.
In another circumstance, if you feel uncomfortable or someone is following you, touching you, etc., go up to the bar and ask the bartender for an “Angel Shot.” This is not an actual shot, but it notifies the bartender something is wrong and that you’re asking for help. From there, the bartender will try to help and keep you safe.
Think of your safety at all times and put yourself first. If you come across any other circumstances of uncertainty, you can always call the police; which could be a conundrum for some, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.