Plan and prepare for a safe spring break
Every year students on campus count down to the next break that allows them to gain their sanity back. We have hit the point in the semester where students are lacking sleep due to multiple midterm exams, and an overload of projects and papers due. With all the added stressors that have accumulated in the past month, use this next week to unwind and de-stress. Take a road trip, go abroad, hit the slopes or just relax and enjoy a week away from class. Whatever you have planned, use these safety tips and tricks to get the most out of your spring break.
Josie Bryan | Peer Health Educator
Travel
While traveling, students should make sure to pack a cooler and, to keep costs down, make sandwiches, have snacks and keep non-alcoholic drinks available — perhaps water to stay hydrated.
For students traveling abroad this break, be sure to make copies of your identification or plane tickets and keep important documents somewhere safe during the trip. As always, make sure someone, parent, friend or relative, in the U.S. knows where you will be. Provide them with an itinerary of your travel information.
Sun safety
When outdoors, wear sunscreen of at least an SPF of 15 and sunglasses. Reapplying sunscreen after swimming, sweating or as directed on the bottle will help prevent skin damage.
Sunglasses will help protect your eyes from both A and B UV rays. For those of you hitting the slopes, sunscreen and eye protection is needed too. While out, follow the shadow rule. If your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun’s rays are at their strongest, which means you are likely to get sunburned. Don’t forget lip balm, this will help prevent those pesky fever blisters and cold sores.
Alcohol tips
If you’ll be enjoying alcohol over break, remember some of these safer drinking strategies. Play it safe and wait to drink until you have arrived to your destination. If you need a ride, have a designated driver. Drinking and driving can lead to many consequences.
Eat before you begin drinking and provide yourself with snacks throughout the day. Drinking on an empty stomach is never a good idea. And as a challenge, try drinking a bottle of water for every alcoholic beverage consumed. Make sure to use the buddy system. Make rules with your friends and never leave without someone you came with. Watch your drinks and never take a drink that you did not watch being made or opened.
Know the signs of alcohol poisoning: not responsive, slow breathing with irregular stops, vomiting while passed out or cold, clammy or bluish skin. If any of these signs occur call 911, turn the person on their side, perform CPR if breathing has stopped and don’t leave the person alone. If you need more information, please contact the AOD program at the Counseling & Testing Center or Vandal Health Education.
Safe sex ideas
Sexual activity is not a requirement to have a great break, however, if you do, use protection every time. If you decide to “hook up,” use enthusiastic consent and obtain enthusiastic consent from your partner. Remember, if at any time you no longer want to partake in the activity, you have the right to revoke your consent — and so does your partner — at any time, under any circumstance. Your stories might stay on spring break but STIs and the memories will come back with you.
Spring break is time for relaxation, fun and service. Catch up on your sleep, volunteer, take time for yourself and play it safe.
Josie Bryan can be reached at [email protected]