.4
Feature
WedNFsdAy, MARch 15, -2002
The CUckAMAS P rint
Gettili your freak on for
• The dangers and dramas involved in Spring Break, from drinking and drugs to airport security, as well as the most happenin' vacation
spots and how to protect yourself while you are there.
Spring Break
tips rÀ
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IOP FIVE $PRING
B rem H of
fron
1)
2) p S ama JC iii B each ,
3)
S ouih
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Tx.
4) T he B ai I ama ^.
5) CANŒSffiKT*
W ebsites that offer
WILD RIDES
1)
P riceline . com : H elps
you
FIND AND SAVE MORE THAN
$200 ON TICKETS.
2) G reyhound : O ffers $99
ROUNDTRIP OR T5W~0FF
SPECIAL WALK-UP FARES.
3) COLLEGECLUB.COM;
O ffers
site seekers to find .
HOT SPOTS, HOTTIE PICS, AND
MEANS OF TRAVEL TO VARIOUS
exotic
The bad news on binge drinking
SALENA DE LA CRUZ
Opinion Editor
Timeless are the tales and traditions
of college students and Spring Break:
friends, dancing until dawn and bask
ing in the Mexican sunshine—and lots
and lots of alcohol. This tradition that
is looked at all in good fun and as a
way to unwind after Spring Break isn’t
just fun—it’s binge drinking. And it’s
not just about beer bongs and kegs
anymore, but about serious conse
quences that can lead to injury or
death.
“The drug that really poses the larg
est threat to the health of the people of
the U.S. across all ages, but most es
pecially college students, is alcohol,”
said George Marcdie, communications
and social marketing professional for
Social & Health Services Ltd.
Binge drinking is described as five
...IKeHrug that
really poses the
largest threat...is
alcohol. ”
George Marcelle
Social & Health Svc. LTD.
SP ring B reak
LOCATIONS.
or more drinks in a row for men and
fourormore for women. Moreeasilyit
can be described as “too much alco
S pring F ling D o ’ s
and D on ’ ts
You're away from campus,
surrounded by tons of people;
hotties and the homelies^how do
you spend your Spring Break?
What can you do about your single
lifestyle? Here are a few tips that I
think can make your Spring Break a
memorable one. You never know
you may find your "one”.
—Go for it! If you see a hottie
and you want his/her number, go
ask for it. How will they know
you want them unless you tell
them?
— Don't just hook up with
someone to say you had a Spring
Fling. Why waste what could be
your greatest relationship for a
fleeting moment of sex. >
— Don't drink so much you
can't remember you had a great
time.
Tk
.
—Keep your drejjllffirith you at
all times; you never know if
someone has slipped something
in it. This is mostly for females.
— Hey, guys. Don't slip a girl
some drugs in her drink just so
you can get your freak on.
by Salena De La Cruz
Information compiled from http://
wwwjtudentadvantage.com/issue/
hol in too little time,” according to the
Harvard School of Public Health Col
lege Alcohol Study.
Excessive drinking remains agrow
ing problem on college campuses.
With the drinking, crime has become
synonymous with this “fun.”
According to the National Center
on Addiction and Substance Abuse
(CASA) at Columbia University, alco
hol is involved in 90 percent of cam
pus rapes.
A study published in the Journal of
American College Health found that
73 percent of the assailants and 55
percent of rape victims used alcohol
or other drugs prior to the assault. Al
cohol is also involved in two-thirds of
college student suicides and 95 per
cent of violent crime on campus.
Students who binge drink are 21
times more likely to be hurt or inj ured;
drive while under the influence; get in
trouble with the police or campus se
curity; engage in unprotected or un
planned sex; damage property; or frill
behind in school work, according to
the U.S. Department of Health and Hu
man Services.
“One of .the very first facts I learned
about alcohol consumption was that
the group, in the United States, that
consistently drinks the most alcohol
are white males enrolled in college,”
said Marcelle. “I’m sorry to tell
you.. .since I first learned that fact, it
hasn’t really changed that much.”
According to the most recent stud
ies done by the Harvard study, approxi
mately two out of five college students
are binge drinkers: 51 percent of male colleges and universities have made
students and 4Q percent of women.
dorms and social events alcohol-free.
| “I guess on one level it would be
Students most likely to binge drink are
white, age 23 or yfphger, and residents great if the legal chinking age were 25.
of a fraternity or sorority.
4f zhmv
Y®ulgQMtflfier^Si,
*
people <**-
af- \
According to the
of Health Services, students make al-
participation in school,® athletic ‘ even‘die.
teams, and the though the’ ^v is 21 "^^KTnot
drunktheycan’t remember how they
about what those consequences are,”
saidMarcelle.
As many college students prepare
for what many deem as the greatest
vacation and biggest party, known as
Spring Break, many colleges and stu
dents are arming themselves with
knowledge and strength against drink
ing, Strong alcohol policies are being
set to help deter drinking. In hopes of
keeping drinking toa minimum, many
got there. It’s not funny when some
one wakes up next to someone they
don’tknow. It’s not funny when some
one blacks out and remembers noth
ing. It’s not funny when someone
drinks and drives. It’s not funny be
cause this could be you or someone
you care about Think before you
drink. Drink responsibly.
To reach Salena De La Cruz e-
mail or drop by B-104.
cally unavoidable.
According to Leon Nixon, mem
ber of the Airfield Security Coor
dination Unit (ASCU) and Airport
Police for Los Angeles World Air
secure passengers and the Ameri of narmjuksfrbstances.
socW'roat don’t haye
can population in general.
«
No longer people can say good holes in them, so you won’t be em
bye to their loved ones, friends or barrassed,” warned Nixon.
Some travelers are subject to
family at the departure gate. In
stead, only ticketed passengers what is called a random search,
with a valid I.D. can pass the se meaning that individuals will be
curity check. This rule has already, * picked out of the crowed and
been in force at many international searched.
“Stay calm when being searched
airports for a long time. Passen
gers are also required to show up and know that the procedures are
at least two hours before take off set for a reason,” said Nixon.
Often people feel offended when
time. Waiting in l^ng lines is basi-
when someone, is so
you need to be conscious of andblear
being patted down or having
strangers go through their belong
ings. Not following the proce
dures, however, is a violation
New airport security measure
against the law.
ments are intended to greatly im
“A violation can hit you with a
prove security at America’s air ports, passengers have to be pre
$12,000-20,000 fine,” said Nixon.
ports, but as new regulations come pared to be patted down and
"Keep in mind that the rules are in
into force, travelers have to learn searched. Some passengers are
place so we all can fly safe.”
how to deal with ±gj±anges that even asked to take off their shoes
✓come along.
\ •'V.
Although it is known to trav
and socks. In case you are carry-
Since the Sept. 1^ «packs,air- ||ngj^^rage when passing the eling individuals that new regu-
ports nationwide arebn
security check, you wili beasked
arebn high
high alert,
alert. Security>che^tymrwiih'be'
mas'ked'..... Talions are there to make airports
i\^beenm^de
to to have‘ar drmkto,make*snrei‘that y a sOhkDlace. to many it might
Many changes hawe
*
asjihZft^^a^n
’
^antain
itqpi r iri/frder to - the fluid doesn’jLcontain any kind -»’SeeTri" sort of redundant and at
the air traveling system
Editor-in-Chief
nottoJevelop serious al-
jp^ro^Kotj^S . drug
cohol manufacturers rich by purchas problems. However, that wbuld not
ing more than 55 billion dollars in al be acceptable socially, I donTminkl I
cohol.
do think when we tilk about the col
There are many consequences in lege age population! we need to look
volved in binge drinking. It can affect at a more jomprehensive
your day-to-day life as well as physi approach...and respect for the laws as
cal persons. Persons who binge drink they are now,” said Marcelle.
If college studentf drink, they must
can experience alcohol poisoning.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning in- remember to drink in moderation and
elude but are not limited to vomiting; responsibly. All of this does no good
unconsciousness; cold, clammy, pale if it’s thought right before they black
or bluish skin; or slow and irregular out When the world start spinning
breathing.,
out of control and the porcelain gods
“The important thing to remember are being bo wed to, remember, it can
right now is that the law is 21 (legal fc.be stopped by stepping back. Just
renSmber why
why people
people are
are in
in college:
college:
drinking age) and there are legal con- remember
sequences and it extends a lot Jiom*| to léto and have fun. But there is a
just the hassle of getting a Dpf^DrivCT ! line that needs to be drawn when hav-
Under the Influence). Itca»'cc feet
‘** ydur
—9®~ “ ing
—
lí-------- _ get
„. hurt or
fun or someone'can
Flying the friendly skies safe, secure
MAGGIE JIRASEK
coho!
times pointless to go through
several security checks and be
ing searched and patted down
more than once before boarding
the plane. However, it is impor
tant to remember that 'going
through all the procedures and
following tiie rules will make air
ports a safer place and protect
traveling passengers.
To reach Maggie Jirasek e-
mail bunny_97222@yahoo.com
or drop by B-104.