Lacey Bearden
Staff writer
lbearden@valdosta.edu Safety never takes a vacation, not even when you set out for a crazy night of partying.  Many students have found themselves in dangerous and scary situations after some tipsy late-night fun.    The night may start out with just a few beers, but it could possibly end with trouble, such as a DUI, an MIP, a car wreck, a “peeing in public,” ticket, robbery, mugging, rape, a bloody bar fight, alcohol poisoning, waking up in jail cell next to some of Lowndes County’s dirty criminals, or, heaven forbid, possibly death or the death of a friend.
 However, these horrible things can be avoided if you remember to be safe while having all that fun.  You should always have a designated driver, or the number for a taxicab. Make sure your cell phone is charged so you can make that cab call or other calls in case of an emergency. If your battery is low but your friends insist it’s time to head to the bar, take the phone charger with you and plug it into an outlet in the corner.�
 Never drink alone; always have a drinking buddy and a dancing partner. Do not walk home by yourself. If you absolutely have to walk home, make sure you separate all your valuable things, including credit cards, cash, and your cell phone; do not keep them all in the same purse or wallet, so you don’t lose everything if that one purse or wallet is stolen.
 Always have a little cash on you because taxis don’t take Visa or a Bank of America debit card. Do not leave the bar with a drink in your hand; you will get a ticket.  Wait in line for the bathroom, even if it’s long; do not “pop a squat” in the grass because you will get a ticket and several months of probation. Do not drink and drive; you will get a DUI and spend the night in jail, because Remerton Police do use a breathalyzer; even if you’re sober they will probably assume you are drunk and give you the test.�
 Lauren Kelly, junior general studies major, has learned over the years that partying may not be the safest activity and tries to be as safe as possible while out on the town.
 “We always try to have a DD, because we know the cops are always out and won’t hesitate to hand out DUIs,” Kelly said. “Being the only sober one may be difficult at times, but we just remember that a DUI and a night in jail would be much worse.”
Do not leave your drink sitting somewhere unattended, and do not take drinks from people that you don’t know.�
 “It only takes a second for someone to slip something in your drink, so I try to keep an eye on mine,” said Ansley Shepherd, senior communications major.
 Even if you take every safety precaution is while enjoying a blackout night of partying, chances are you are going to wake up with an atrocious hangover. To avoid that pounding hangover headache, stay hydrated with as much water as possible throughout the night.
 Walker Hoye, junior business major, relies on the wise words of his grandma when it comes to hangover prevention.
 “My grandma always told me to drink a spoon full of olive oil after a night of drinking,” Hoye said.
 Partying seems to be many college students’ favorite activity, but for many others, their wild night came to a screeching halt after a dangerous or misfortunate incident. You don’t have to be scared to leave your house; you just have to be cautious. Next time you’re out drinking heavily, just remember to be careful. Safety never takes a vacation.