College football season is in full swing and so too are the awesome tailgating and viewing parties. Nothing is better than cheering your team to victory from the stands, parking lot, dorm room, or just about anywhere there is a television and a comfy seat.
Drinking and college football parties go hand in hand in hand… and if you are 21 and over you can buy and consume alcohol. A few cold beers on a hot summers day while enjoying the game is great, but drinking to excess can not only be dangerous, it can be fatal.
Alcohol clouds vision, reaction time, and judgement and this can have some devastating results.
A friend of mine who is now in his mid thirties spent a year in hospital after falling from the balcony of a party in college after he had been drinking. In hindsight, he said he had been silly to drink so much and wished he took it easy that night as the year in hospital was a painful nightmare.
These careless and pointless accidents still happen today.
Just recently, a young man who had been drinking fell in the stands of a stadium and died. He also injured an innocent bystander.
Read the full article here.
If you do choose to enjoy a drink on game day, check out these tips to ensure your safety.
Look out for your buddies
Keep an eye on your buddies and have them keep and eye out for you. If you see a friend consuming a lot of alcohol or becoming extremely intoxicated sit them down and explain to them as their friend you want them to stop drinking booze and stick to water. This won’t kill their fun, but it may save their life. They will also thank you in the morning when they wake up sans hangover.
Don’t mix it up
Consuming beer, wine, and liquor in one session can make you drunk quicker but can also make you really sick. If you do choose to drink, stick to one type of alcohol and keep in mind moderation is best.
Hydrate
Drinking a glass of water in between alcoholic beverages is a good idea as it slows your rate of drinking and keeps your body hydrated. Alcohol is dehydrating and can leave you feeling very ill if you don’t have enough water in your system to counter the effects of the alcohol.
Stay true to yourself
Have in mind an amount of alcohol you want to consume and cut yourself off after you have reached that limit. If you set your limit at two beers and then everyone starts doing shots, keep in mind that you will feel a lot better about yourself the next day if you stick to your plan. It takes a stronger person to stand out from the crowd than to conform.
With these tips in mind you can enjoy the game while drinking responsibly and staying safe. But there is one last thing to remember….
Designated driver
Unless you plan to take public transport or a taxi home, you need to have someone who is willing to stick to soda all night to get you home safely. A good idea is to split the responsibility and take turns in fulfilling this very important duty. Driving under the influence is a serious crime and has serious and potentially fatal consequences.
So now you have the knowledge, go forth and have a great and safe time while cheering your team to victory.
Alcohol can be an extremely addiction substance if you let it get out of hand. If you find your friends or yourself addicted, say something, seek help! There are plenty of choices and ways to do this.
