Spring Break
Don't let spring break fun get out of control
David Hall
While Spring Break gives many students an opportunity to let loose and blow off some steam, it is important to do so responsibly.
Even though drinking and partying are Spring Break staples that are part of the allure, it is important that any students going to the beach remember the risks involved.
Many beachside cities tremendously beef up law enforcement around Spring Break, making a minor in possession or public intoxication ticket all the easier to obtain.
Binge drinking and an emphasis on hooking up also increase the odds of having an experience that students will regret.
According to ABCNews.com, Spring Breakers take binge drinking to a whole new level, dangerously drinking up to 18 drinks a day for men and 10 drinks a day for women.
Not to mention that an article in Tuesday's USA Today cited a study that found that 71 percent of women believe that men want them to drink excessively. However, only about half that number of men said they like for women to drink in excess. Not only is binge drinking dangerous, it's not as socially desirable as one might think.
Dr. Jennifer Wider said in an interview with The Pride, the student newspaper at California State University - San Marcos, that an American Medical Association survey showed that 70 percent of students had friends who were sexually active with more than one partner over Spring Break.
While students shouldn't be expected to act like Puritans during their week of fun, it is important that they consider the risks behind their behavior.
Casual sex with multiple partners who are little more than strangers will undoubtedly increase the risks of a sexually transmitted disease, while binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning very quickly.
Getting "good and drunk" is possible without consuming 18 beers. If one chooses to engage in sex, safe sex should be practiced.
Acting wild and crazy for one week a year is a privilege, not a right. It's important that we do not abuse it.
Associate editor David Hall for the editorial board.
Be the first to comment on this story