6 Tips for Surviving Your First College
Party
Of course you knew you’d have to go to classes and take tests in
college, but earning that degree is probably only half the reason you enrolled.
Getting a taste of college life and freedom is often a motivating factor for
college-bound students, and that typically means going to college parties.
While you should let loose and meet new people at your first college party,
it’s more important that you stay safe and survive to make it to the next bash.
It’s easy to let things get out of hand when you’re around alcohol, attractive
co-eds, and peer pressure, but take control of the situation with these six
tips so you can have a safe, good time.
If you choose to drink, do it wisely. Drinking more than you
ever have before, at a place where you probably don’t know everyone is not smart. By eating before
you go to the party, you can delay the absorption of alcohol into your
bloodstream, allowing you to feel the effects of the alcohol more slowly. This
will hopefully keep you from getting dangerously drunk or sick as you drink
throughout the night. You may have heard the idea of skipping a real meal and
“drinking your dinner,” but that is not a move you want to make at your very
first party.
Another
way to prevent yourself from getting inebriated too quickly (and maybe making
bad decisions) is to pace yourself with your drinking. Don’t shotgun beers,
play drinking games, or take shots. Those activities can be saved for a time
when you know your limits and are surrounded by people you know and trust.
Drink slowly and take a break when you feel like you’re losing control. And if
you feel pressured to keep drinking when you’ve hit your limit, fill your cup
with soda or water to sip on until you feel better.
Using
the buddy system can help you avoid many dangerous situations, like
disappearing with someone you don’t know or drinking too much and embarrassing
yourself (or worse). Before you head out to the party, make sure you and a
couple of friends have agreed to look out for each other all night. Even if
your friends insist they’re OK and will find a way home, don’t leave them
behind, and make sure they know to do the same for you. This isn’t just a good
rule of thumb for your first party, but for any party where you don’t know at
least half of the attendees.
If
dangerous strangers all looked as menacing as they do in movies, this tip would
be moot. But the truth is that even an acquaintance or someone you’ve seen
around campus can have less-than-noble intentions. Besides the possibility of
being slipped the date-rape drug or another drug, anytime you don’t see your
drink mixed, you lose the ability to gauge how much you’re drinking and stay in
control. Even if someone is just being nice, if they’ve been drinking, they’re
likely to give you more alcohol than you should have. You don’t have to rudely
refuse the drink; just say you’re only drinking beer or a certain mixed drink
and have them accompany you as you make your own drink. Better safe than sorry.
Even if
you’ve been pacing yourself, you will probably be too intoxicated by the end of
the night to drive safely home. Prepare for this situation before you head out
to the party so you won’t be tempted to put yourself and others in danger by
getting behind the wheel. Some options: assign a designated driver, pool money
for a cab ride, or use your school’s safe ride service if there is one. You
won’t regret thinking ahead, but you will regret driving drunk when you get in
a car accident or are charged with a DUI.
Even if you’re being smart with your drinking and partying,
other people, including your friends, may not be. It’s important to know what
to do when an emergency situation arises, just in case. Binge drinking is a
common problem at college parties and can lead to alcohol poisoning, a
dangerous condition that can lead to brain damage or death. Learn the signs of
alcohol poisoning, and seek medical help if you suspect someone has it. If
someone is injured or assaulted, use common sense and never avoid calling for help
because you’re afraid you’ll get in trouble. Your friend’s life is more
important than the police breaking up the party.
Sourced From : http://www.top10onlineuniversities.org/
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