While partying may seem like the norm, not everyone is drinking. In fact, 30% of college students surveyed in Spring 2022 reported never having drank alcohol, and 44% reported not consuming alcohol in the 3 months prior.
If you do choose to drink, knowing how to party smart can help keep you and your friends safe. Check out our checklists below:
If you choose not to drink and want to avoid the party scene all together, there are plenty of other activities to participate in. Check out the Campus Calendar for events on campus!
Planning on Hosting a Party?
Use the following checklist to set yourself up for a safe night!
Environment
- Normalize Not Drinking: Don’t pressure those attending to drink. Have activities that aren’t centered around drinking available.
- Provide Alternative Drinks: Provide some alternative drinks (soft drinks, juice, etc.) for those who don’t want to participate in drinking. Help your guests have a great night and feel better the next morning by providing water. Drinking plenty of water while you’re drinking alcohol helps avoid alcohol poisoning, a terrible hangover, and the result of gastrointestinal issues.
- Supply Food: Food before and while drinking can help taper alcohol absorption to a pace that your body can more easily manage. Consuming a large amount of alcohol in a short amount of time, especially on an empty stomach, can be dangerous and sometimes even fatal.
- Block Off Balconies or Roofs: Alcohol and heights don’t mix! Don’t overcrowd balconies or someone could fall off or the balcony collapse. Lock up windows that provide access to the roof.
- Be a Good Neighbor: Prior to your party, notify neighbors and consider exchanging phone numbers if it feels safe, so they can reach you if anything comes up (it’s too loud, people are on their property, etc.).
- Be Mindful of Where the Party is: Make sure the party stays in your area (yard) and not on the sidewalk, in alleyways, or on your neighbors’ property. Consider barriers that can be used to ensure guests remain safe.
- Your Party = Your Mess: Respect your neighbors, landlord and the community by cleaning up after the party. Some tips while the party is going: put out plenty of trash cans, encourage people to clean up after themselves, and recruit some people to help you clean up!
- Put Your Things Up: If it’s breakable, put it away! If it’s valuable, put it away! Lock up your room if you don’t want people using it.
People
- Have a Guest List: Don’t host open invitation parties. You want to make sure you know everyone in and around your home. The more people you don’t know at your party, the greater potential for unexpected outcomes.
- Help Your Guests Make a Plan to Get Home: Remind guests about safe transportation like Lyft Ride Smart, other rideshare programs and buses. Can they stay at your place? Are they close enough that they can walk?
Ultimately, YOU are responsible for your guests.
If they aren’t respecting you, your property or the community, it may be time to send them away.
Planning to go to a Party?
Use this checklist to have a safe night!
- Keep Track of Your Drinks: Plan for how much you are going to drink, and stick to it. Try an app to keep track of how much you drink!
- Take Your Time: Don’t consume large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, considered to be binge drinking. Aim for drinking one drink per hour to allow your body to process the alcohol.
- Drink Water and Eat: Drink water and eat food before, during and after consuming alcoholic drinks. It can help to control your buzz and rehydrate your body while reducing the risk of a hangover.
- Do What’s Best For You: Don’t try to keep up with others who are drinking more. Do your thing and enjoy the night. Try an alternative drink to take a break!
- Plan Your Way Home Ahead of Time: Partying smart means planning safe transportation, and never driving after drinking. Always plan how you will get to and from the spot. Try a RideShare app!
- Know Where Your Drink Is and Where It’s Been: Always keep your drink with you and only accept drinks you’ve poured or bought.
- Keep Your Friends Close: Go out with people you trust and stick together. Check in with each other throughout tonight to make sure everyone is feeling ok. When it’s time to leave, make sure the entire group is still together.
- Avoid Drinking When You’re Upset, Angry, Anxious: Using alcohol or drugs to deal with unwanted emotions is a slippery slope. There are plenty of positive ways to cope.
- Only Drink When You Really Want To: Not sure if you’re feeling it tonight? Check out something else to do around campus (link to campus calendar) or enjoy a night in!
- Be Careful When Mixing Alcohol and Drugs: Make informed decisions. If you don’t know how alcohol interacts with a substance, it’s not worth the risk. If you have a new prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about how it will interact with alcohol.