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OPINION & EDITORIAL

Have fun, safe spring break

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by Guest Columnist

Thursday, March 9, 2006

I don't know about all of you, but the promise of spring break has been the only thing getting me through the last couple of weeks.

I recently talked to a friend, who is a PhD student at another university, whose professor informed him that class was still scheduled over spring break because spring break is more of an "undergrad thing" and sort of a "waste of time." In my opinion, spring break, no matter how you decide to spend your time, will give us what we need to excel and do our best the rest of the semester.

I think this week provides us students with a chance to take a break, clear our minds, do something separate from the world of academia. Taking this break will help to prevent burnout and actually make us better students — I truly believe that.

No matter how students decided to spend their break, whether we travel to another country or stay in Wisconsin, whether we do alternative spring break volunteering our time or spend the week partying, this next week will most definitely be a break from our regular routines.

Because it is a vacation from our normal lives, we may put ourselves at risk by letting our guard down and not taking precautions we normally would. Robbery, sun burn, acquaintance rape, car accidents, sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, and alcohol poisoning are among the serious risks increased during spring break — all of which can ruin your good time.

Maintaining an awareness of your surroundings, using your common sense and sticking together with people you trust can help reduce these risks greatly. Hopefully these tips will also get you thinking about ways to help ensure none of those things get in the way of your fun!

Carry with you emergency contact information and a list of important numbers you may need like friends, police, local taxi, your hotel, insurance information, etc.
Know where you are. Spend some time looking at a map and getting yourself oriented if you are in a new place. Make sure you know how to get back to where you are staying. Ask hotel staff about where you should and should not wander.
While it is great to meet new friends over the break, avoid situations in which you are alone with somebody you don't know very well. Keep in mind that a majority of sexual assaults are perpetrated by an acquaintance.
Stay together in groups with people you trust, keep an eye out for each other. If someone is sick or in trouble, take care of them.
Remember to take along any prescription medicines and let someone you are traveling with know about any medical conditions that could potentially cause a problem.
If you decide to drink alcohol over break, drink moderately, set a limit for yourself and stick to it, alternate alcoholic drinks and water, make sure you eat plenty beforehand, and always keep an eye on your drink.
Make sure someone back home knows your plans and how to get a hold of you.
Let others you are traveling with know your plans for the day and evening.
If you are spending time in the sun, wear sunscreen — I know it's an obvious one, but it's really important — and reapply often, drink plenty of water throughout the day and avoid midday sun.
If you are going to engage in sexual activity, don't take unneeded risks. Use condoms, and/or other means of effective protection.
Be realistic and know that what happens on spring break doesn't stay there; it will follow you back to Madison. Make the same smart decisions you would make during the rest of the semester.

Okay, I'm done being bossy now. No matter what you decide to do for spring break, I advocate spending your spring break having as much fun as possible no matter where you are and what you are doing. Taking these precautions is just a way to make sure nothing gets in the way of us enjoying our much deserved break from classes.

Julia Harkins is the Campus Safety Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Anonymous (March 9, 2006 @ 3:08am):

"Robbery, sun burn, acquaintance rape, car accidents, sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, and alcohol poisoning."

Just another day in Tom Monaghan's Catholic Utopia!