As the year is chugging along, the workload fully is distributed to students. As homework builds up, work tightens its grip and other stressors come up in our lives; we students will need a break from it all. That can usually be found with a party, or going out for drinks (for those legally allowed). A place to relax, loosen up, listen to music and socialize. Yet I feel some students may need some advice, lest those Wildcats become too wild.
1. Be Responsible
This is the most important tip. This can apply to breaking the law: drinking underage, breaking stuff, making a public disturbance or drinking and driving. In short, don’t put anyone else at odds with your pleasure. Some of you may think that you are fine drinking underage, but if you’re underage and drinking around people who are, you are not just putting yourself at legal risk but them as well.
Keep in mind your rights end where others’ begin. If your enjoyment relies on someone else’s displeasure, you’re an awful person and need to fix that. I don’t feel the need to preach on drinking and driving, something that deadly should be in everyone’s mind, and I’ve heard too many stories of a stupid decision ruining lives and families.
2. Know your limits
For those who are drinking for the first time, it may be difficult to know your limits and what it means to go overboard. Going overboard differs from person to person, but normally it entails throwing up. When you start drinking, your body starts reacting on thoughts without thinking the thoughts through. The more you drink, the more intense it gets.
It starts off as you feeling a little hazy and then starts breaking down your shyness, and then a few drinks later you are confessing your platonic love for your best friends. Then a few drinks later, you are pissing in someone’s yard. It is a bit of a slippery slope, so be cautious of that.
3. Look out for your peers
This is very important when going out drinking or partying to have your fellow humans’ backs. When drinking, crazy things can happen, and not all of them good. Throwing up sucks, but worse things can and do happen to drunk people. Sexual Harassment, assault, coercion, overdosing and many more horrible things can happen.
As someone going to a party, its the right thing to do to look out for your fellow human, and if the party is getting to crazy, follow your gut and get out of there. Marquette is a pretty good place, but bad people are in every place, even good ones. So look out for your fellow person, and they’ll look out for you. The saying teachers taught us in elementary school is still vital: use the buddy system.
4. Prepare
For those Boy Scouts out there, you already know, and those who grew up with G.I. Joe, you also know. Both have iconic sayings that mean nearly the same thing. The Boy Scouts “Be Prepared” is simple, be ready. Famously, G.I. Joe says, “Knowing is half the battle.” That means that once you learn something you are halfway ready, the unsaid portion is that you still have to act and plan.
If you know you are going to be drinking, drink water and eat beforehand. Find a designated driver, and make sure you have a hangover remedy. These are very basic things yet are often overlooked. Missing out on any of those can make for a worse night.
5. Have fun
This is vital, and I was told that this is one of life’s most important rules. Try to shrug off the stress, annoyance, frustration of the day and take the moments you can to let loose and laugh. Life would be pointless if you couldn’t have fun. So, when that chosen weekend comes let loose and laugh, be wild, Wildcat, but don’t forget to be smart and kind.
