When it is in February, what rings in the mind of most people is valentines which is not the case for college students because it’s neither midterm nor valentines, but it is spring break.
According to most campus students, Spring break is when they celebrate finishing midterms and getting a much-needed break from their regular learning schedules.
While for other college students, it is during this time that they think about college event ideas and plan for trips with their friends or socialize with others. And if you are a parent, it is pretty challenging to control what your child will engage in during this break because you are not around them.
That is why it is essential to ensure that students know how to party safely during this break to get back to school as healthy as they left.
Therefore, the article below describes a few spring break safety tips for college students. They are as follows:
1. Carry your ID
In most cases, students are encouraged to carry their identification documents, including their ID, driving license, or student ID.
Students are supposed to ensure that their ID, amongst other essential documents, remains in their pocket when they are taking an international spring break.
They are also advised to keep a paper copy of their passport in their hotel safe to serve the same purpose if the original one gets lost or misplaced.
Students are supposed to carry with them these documents because they will require them when checking into a hotel or traveling. And if they don’t have them, they may end up stranded in a place they are not familiar with and with no place to stay, which is a very unsafe situation.
2. Travel with buddies
Students either living on-campus or living off-Campus are advised not to travel alone but to be in a group of friends to prevent them from becoming victims of crime. Mostly it is essential in keeping muggers, pickpockets, and other assailants away.
Therefore, it does not matter if you are going to the club, on the beach, or hotel; you should ensure you travel with a friend at all times.
But if the student meets someone new, it is not wrong to get to know or hang out with them.
However, always ensure you do not hang out all the time with your new friend alone. Therefore, ensure you keep your friends from college very close all the time.
3. Be careful with money
One must ensure their money is kept in a safe place to prevent them from being robbed. You should also ensure you only carry small amounts of cash in your front or inner pockets where it is out of reach from pickpockets.
Therefore, any additional money you might have but are unlikely to use at that time should be kept safe in your hotel safe box.
And if more cash is needed, it is better to go to an ATM rather than carrying all your money around with you, which could end up going missing or being wasted on unnecessary purchases.
Similarly, to avoid students from being robbed, remind them to visit the ATM with a few college friends, especially if they are in an area where they are alone or during the night.
In the same case, if the student has a debit or credit card, they too should be careful to ensure they do not lose it since it might lead to several expensive charges being made, or even worse – identity theft.
4. Drink safely
Most youths, including college students, will not have celebrated their spring break properly without drinking alcohol. That is why you are supposed to educate them on the benefits of safe drinking.
When they are drinking, you will not be around to guide them on how to drink; therefore, educating them on how to drink safely ensures they do so responsibly.
The critical point of safe drinking is to drink in moderation which means that they should not be drinking more than one drink an hour or no more than 2-4 drinks during the night.
Binge drinking, where one consumes many drinks within just a few hours, may lead to poor decision-making and bad behavior.
5. Practice safe sex
While practicing safe sex, what is expected of college students is to use protection during sex.
Therefore, men who want to engage in sex should always use condoms since it is the most effective and efficient way of preventing pregnancy and the spread of STIs. For oral sex, dental dams offer protection.
6. Drive safely
Safe driving applies when the student is going on a long road trip with a few friends. In this case, they should plan to rotate the drivers to ensure each of the drivers has enough rest to remain awake while driving.
Also, ensure that you have a jack, spare tire, and all the tools needed to change a tire before hitting the road with the car.
7. Don’t break the law
Every student, irrespective of being on a spring break, is expected to abide by the law. Therefore, underage drug use or drinking is not allowed.
In addition, some activities might seem fun but are also illegal during the spring break trip, including reckless driving, trespassing, and many others.
8. Leave expensive jewelry at home.
One thing that usually increases your chances of being robbed is displaying an expensive watch or necklace. Therefore, you are encouraged to leave all your expensive jewelry at home.
Additionally, you can also be asked to leave your valuable, high-end electronics or clothes at home. And if the student insists on carrying a valuable item around with them, ensure they lock it in the trunk of their car while traveling or keep it in a safe place in their hotel or place of accommodation.
In a nutshell, practicing a safe spring break entails driving safely, practicing safe sex, being careful with money, traveling with buddies, carrying your ID, drinking safely, not breaking the law, and leaving expensive jewelry at home.
Therefore, it is crucial to observe the earlier guidelines to ensure you return to school from your spring break in good health.
