EDITORIAL: Chippewas keep each other safe
One year after a visiting student lost his life in Fabiano Botanical Garden on Homecoming Weekend, it is important to look back on what we have learned as a community about preventing tragedy on campus.
This weekend, make sure you stay attentive when partying with friends. Intervene when it becomes necessary to avert a dangerous situation. Never leave anyone behind.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that 1,825 college students die and 599,000 are injured each year due to "alcohol-related unintentional injuries."
Drinking-related accidents are an unfortunate reality that some college students will face. The problem is there have been people who suffered trauma and even died while others stood around and did nothing.
Taking care of your fellow Chippewas is as simple as calling to make sure a friend has a ride home or keeping an eye out for someone who shows signs of distress or inebriation. If you see a student stumbling home alone, take the time to call them a cab or help them get home safely.
Since 2012, Michigan law has encouraged students to take responsibility for keeping each other safe in emergency situations by granting minors amnesty from legal punishment if they call medical services after consuming alcohol. This eliminates the excuse that something bad was allowed to happen because students feared criminal charges stemming from the possession of alcohol.
Students are exempt if they call for help for a friend or themselves, or accompany a friend to seek medical help.
Staying safe from legal trouble should never take priority over the safety of someone's person life. If there is a situation requiring medical attention, know that the Mount Pleasant law enforcement has followed this law for years.
Underage drinking is going to happen this weekend. That is also a reality of college life and of the tailgating culture of Homecoming Weekend. We urge alumni not to encourage or facilitate drinking with minors.
School spirit on campus will be high this weekend. Here are some common tips to keep your Homecoming safe and fun.
- Drink water or soft drinks between alcoholic drinks to dilute the alcohol.
- Pace yourself. Slow down and take small sips, not big gulps.
- Eat something before or during drinking. Food makes the body absorb alcohol more slowly.
- Know how to refuse a drink. You don't have to take one just because it's offered or take part in rounds you don't want. Don't pressure others into drinking.
- Learn the strengths of your drinks so you can stick to your own limits, bearing in mind the safe limits are 2-3 units per day for women and 3-4 units per day for men.
- Plan how you're going to get home before your night out. Take a cab or ask a sober driver to collect you.
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