The time for tricks and treats is creeping up on campus. Halloween is notorious for the party scene that it creates on college campuses across the country. Safety should be a concern for every party goer, whether it be on campus or at the bars. Here are some tips on staying safe and avoiding the tricks while enjoying the treats of Halloween this year.

 

During the Halloween celebrations for students under twenty-one, primarily freshmen and sophomores, find themselves at Ugates or an athletic house. The houses and apartments are crowded with some familiar faces from classes. I think this gives many people the misconception that it is okay to roam by themselves. The buddy system is not just for grade school but a golden rule that we should carry to our graves. Not only should you be looking out for yourself but also your friends. I have had too many accounts of taking over the roll of a caretaker to a stranger that was abandoned on a bathroom floor. Do not be someone that is not willing to compromise your good time to help a fellow classmate or stranger that needs a friend.

 

Night life for college students of twenty-one and over includes strutting down State Street and hitting the bars. No matter how far you stray away from the Behrend grounds the same principle applies: stick together and know where your friends are at all times. I urge this even more since most of the time you cannot stagger back to your dorm or room in Ugates after an apartment party. One tip that I have found very helpful is actually tracking my friends. This eliminates the panic of unread text messages and missed phone calls and gives you a direct answer of where that friend is.

 

In recent years Halloween is becoming more and more sexualized. No student can ignore that the older we get the racier costumes get. This has invoked a rape culture that lingers on the inner walls of parties and bars. Halloween is a time of year to be extra cautious of your drinks and drugs. For students attending house parties bring your own drink and do not accept drinks from other people. As for bar goers make sure you see the bartender make the drink. Do not take a drink that someone bought for you, even if he/she considers it “rude”. Your safety is more important than the opinion of a stranger. Drugs follow the same set of tips. Taking unfamiliar drugs that are not your own runs the risk of unpredictable highs and the possibility of being laced with other drugs.

 

After all the fun is had and it is time to return home do not drive under any influence. Call an Uber, Lyft, or designated driver to come pick you up. What is a couple dollars compared to someone's life, your life, fines, or even jail?

 

Halloween is a fun fall holiday that is greatly anticipated by much of the campus population. Remember to stay together like your mother warned you and to be a little more on guard this Halloween at the bars, apartments, and houses because sometimes there are real monsters behind those masks.