The pumpkins are carved, the candy aisles are ransacked and you’re ready to pour the punch with ghosts and goblins at your costume party tonight. But are you forgetting something?
Halloween is all about enjoying yourself. It’s the one night of the year when acting childish isn’t frowned upon. However, reliving your childhood doesn’t relieve you of your responsibilities as an adult. Stay safe this Halloween with these tips.
1. Whether it’s food or drink, watch what you ingest. It’s just like trick-or-treating in the third grade, except your parents aren’t there to check your candy.
Julia Rae Varnes, a GatorWell health promotion specialist, said there is always a risk when you accept anything from someone you don’t know. It doesn’t necessarily have to be alcohol — water and soda can be drugged, too, she said.
However, alcohol is the No. 1 substance used for date rape and is a factor in about 75% of sexual assaults, according to national statistics.
Varnes said signs to be conscious of if you think you have been drugged are drowsiness, blurry vision and confusion. If students believe any friends have been drugged, Varnes advised asking them simple questions like, “What day is it?” She said if they can’t answer these, there’s something wrong.
Varnes’ tips for any party are to bring your own beverages, open drinks yourself and watch whoever is serving you a drink. If you think a friend has ingested an illegal substance and needs medical care, Varnes stressed using the Medical Amnesty Policy, which waives disciplinary action if a student needs medical help for alcohol or drug emergencies.
2. Remember that not everyone is playing dress up.
Varnes advised students to try to stay around people they trust instead of people they simply know.
She added, “Step up if you think something is wrong, especially if you see a friend doing something uncharacteristic or something they’re not supposed to.”
GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias reminded students that it is illegal to drink and drive.
“Halloween is one of those days that will bring the crazies out, but we’re lucky that the craziest incidents are people intoxicated at parties,” he said.
Susana Restrepo, a 20-year-old UF biology junior, said she stays safe by texting someone when she is leaving a party so that they know where she is and the last time they spoke.
3. Consider your outfit. Native American costumes, Geisha getups and a Latino-on-a-donkey suit are insulting, said Dorian Mayorga, 20, a UF exploratory sophomore.
“People don’t realize that because of white supremacy and racism, members of some cultures have not been able to practice their traditions,” Mayorga said.
He added that it’s not fair that people get to wear costumes from these cultures and not deal with the stigmas that come along with racism. A costume about a culture lowers its value because anyone can wear it, he said. It also implies that it’s something to joke about.
“When people from those cultures see other people dress as them, it’s hurtful and angering,” he said.
Mayorga insisted that people should take cultures into consideration, but he doesn’t feel the same way about revealing costumes.
“People can do whatever they want with their bodies, as long as it’s not public indecency,” he said.
It shouldn’t be a problem for people to bare some skin with their costume because people cannot ask to be assaulted, he added.
4. Think twice before you use social media. Snap as many photos as you’d like, but be careful where you post them or whom you send them to. Getting tipsy might feel great, but are sloppy pictures and statuses what you want on you professional news feed tomorrow? If it’s not something you want your parents — or worse, your employer — to see, be wary of sharing it with the Internet.
5. Pack the protection. That attractive guy or girl might have fulfilled your childhood fantasy with the original Pokémon or Sailor Moon costume, and you’re just about ready to hit the hay with them. However, chlamydia, herpes and syphilis don’t take a vacation on Halloween, so put one on. Find free condoms at your local Planned Parenthood location and the GatorWell Health Hut around campus. Remember, condoms are effective at protecting against many sexually transmitted infections and Halloween pregnancies.
