Being Socially Smart

Socializing in College Make smart choices. Stick together. It’s important to have one or more friends looking after you, just as you should be looking after them. Know your limits. Have fun, but make each other’s safety a priority. Stay in control. Always be aware of how much and how fast you are drinking. Don’t drink and drive.

Quick Tip Communicate Clearly Communicate clearly with your friends before you arrive at a party. Do you plan to stay for one hour or four hours? Will you stick together throughout the event? If you get separated, how will you find one another? Before you arrive at the party, understand each other’s expectations so that both you and your friends can pick up on warning signs if necessary.

Quick Tip Recognize the Patterns of Binge Drinking Recognize the patterns of binge drinking. Binge drinking elevates blood alcohol concentrations very quickly—generally after four drinks for women and five drinks for men in a span of just two hours. 1 Binge drinking is often associated with alcohol problems, including alcohol abuse and dependence, alcohol poisoning, injury, and even death. Get help if you can’t control your binge drinking. It could save your life. 1 NIAAA, April 2012, 1.

Quick Tip Find a Safe Ride If you’re not sure you can get home safely, find someone else to drive you. Many campuses offer safe rides home by calling campus police, campus security, or campus safety. You might also be able to call a local phone number that is designated for safe rides home (be sure to program it in your phone!).

Socializing in College (continued) Consequences of drinking Academic consequences Drinking and drugs can lead to sleep disturbances and many other health issues, making it harder to concentrate on assignments and tests and during lectures. Alcohol poisoning Drinking to excess can lead to alcohol poisoning, a serious condition that usually requires emergency hospitalization and can even be deadly.

Socializing in College (continued) Alcohol dependence Warning signs: You drink more than you intend to or for longer periods of time. You suffer from withdrawal symptoms. You spend a lot of time seeking out alcohol and give up other normal activities. You try to cut down on your drinking to no avail. Legal trouble It is illegal to drink alcohol if you’re under 21. If caught, you could be put on probation, expelled, or even jailed.

5 Smart Things to Do if You’ve Had Too Much to Drink 1.Stop drinking alcohol and start drinking water. 2.Don’t drive a car under any circumstances. 3.Stay put if you feel you can’t walk home. 4.If you are scared or feeling sick, call campus police or 911 immediately. 5.If you find yourself drinking too much too often, get help.

Socializing in College (continued) Drug abuse Consequences Your academic life will suffer if drugs become a significant focus of your time. Possession of illegal drugs can lead to probation, expulsion, and arrest.

Socializing in College (continued) Addiction Drug addiction is a compulsive need to use drugs on a regular basis in order to function normally. Signs of addiction: Neglecting your responsibilities as a student and at work. Fighting more than normal. Engaging in risky behavior. Avoiding activities you used to enjoy. If you find that your life revolves around drugs, even though you know they are hurting you, seek help.

Sexual Assault Be aware and alert. Be clear about your expectations when it comes to sexual activity. If your partner will not listen to your requests, leave as soon as you start to feel uncomfortable. Watch your drink. “Date-rape” drugs are often slipped into drinks surreptitiously. Make or pour your own drink, and keep it in view at all times.

Sexual Assault (continued) Get help. If you find yourself in a situation where you feel powerless to stop what’s happening and are personally violated against your wishes, you must get help immediately. Program the numbers of your school’s sexual assault hotline, campus police, and college health clinic into your cell phone. To obtain the support and assistance you need, you must talk to a trained professional immediately.

Quick Tip Stay Safe Know the locations of all the safety phones on your campus. They usually have a blue light above them and therefore are sometimes called “blue light” phones. Use one whenever you feel unsafe or in the case of an emergency.

Protecting Your Privacy

Social Media Consider your safety. If you ever feel as though your safety is at risk, talk immediately to an instructor, advisor, counselor, or security person at your college. Deleting is difficult. Remember that the text and images you post are easily shared with others and difficult to delete. Recognize stress. If you spend so much time on social media that you can’t get work done, you can become stressed.