Newswise — With many college students heading off to sun-and fun-filled spring break trips, Mary Margaret Harris, director of Western Illinois University's Beu Health Center, would like students to take a moment and consider the following advice: "Bring back great memories, not regrets."
"Spring Break doesn't mean you have to drink, but if you do, observe the drinking laws of your destination," Harris said.
If you do decide to indulge, Harris recommends making sure to eat before drinking and snack while drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol. It's also important to decide how many drinks you will have and stick to it.
"I urge students to make decisions about drinking before they start drinking and to never accept an open beverage from someone you don't know. Keep an eye on your beverage at all times," she added. "To keep from getting intoxicated beyond reason, it does help to alternate nonalcoholic beverages with alcoholic beverages. But one of the most important tips that everyone should know and take seriously is, if you choose to drink, please have a non-drinking designated driver to get you home safely."
Students should also be aware of their surroundings, stay with friends and never leave with an individual they have just met.
"Spring break is known as a time when everyone cuts loose, but it's crucial for you to look out for one another. Don't leave a friend alone if he or she has had too much to drink. Call for help if someone is unresponsive, or if breathing is greatly slowed. If you pass out, there is a great risk of choking on your own vomit, as the gag reflex is greatly reduced when an individual is suffering from alcohol poisoning," Harris explained.
High-risk drinking translates to four or more drinks per hour for most women, and five or more drinks per hour for most men. High-risk drinking increases the likelihood of such negative consequences as causing or getting into a fight, being the victim (or aggressor) of a sexual assault, causing an automobile accident or having an unintended sexual encounter -- which can include pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease as the result.
"Impaired judgment can happen with as little as one drink per hour for women and one to two drinks per hour for most men. Some mixed drinks have several shots of alcohol and have a fruity taste that masks the taste of alcohol, so it's easy to drink more than you intend," she added. "High-risk drinking causes your inhibitions and judgment to be greatly lowered. Sexual abstinence is the only way to eliminate the risk of sexually transmitted diseases or unintended pregnancy, but if you engage in sexual activity, reduce your risk by using condoms and/or dental dams."
If traveling abroad during spring break, know the laws and customs of the destination. Visit the U.S. Department of State's website, www.state.gov, which provides information specific to different countries. Pay particular attention this spring break to the travel warning issued regarding Mexico (see the U.S. State Department's website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3028.html).
The tips Harris stresses to spring breakers traveling to U.S. destinations are the same she extends to those traveling to foreign countries -- go out in groups, don't drink and drive and do not leave with someone you do not know. At the beach, heed signs warning of undertows and riptides. Don't go in the water alone or when you've been drinking. Use sunscreen and reapply often.
"While it may seem like a lot of 'don'ts,' my main concern is that our students come back to this campus safely," Harris said. "Spring break is a wonderful time to share with friends and to take a break from school; it shouldn't end in tragedy or regret."
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