As a college girl, I like going out and having a few drinks as much as the next person. But as a college girl who has been going out for a few years now, I’ve learned to prioritize my safety and well-being while out.
So, with my years of experience in going out in a college town, I’ve come up with a list of items or just tips in general that you can follow to have a safer night out.
- Nightcap drink cover
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I bought this as soon as I came to State College and I’ve brought it with me to the bars almost every time I’ve been out. I often have bartenders telling me how smart it is to use those, and people asking me where I got it.
Unfortunately, as college girls, there are many things we need to worry about when going out— and having our drinks spiked is one of those things. Most women know someone who has been through this and we all hope it will never happen to us.
Though I am careful with my drinks when I go out (I never let it out of my sight and I only leave my drinks with people I would trust with my life), I prefer to not take risks and just cover my cup.
The Nightcap comes attached to a scrunchie and and it has an opening for a straw so your drink remains protected throughout the night. I’ve become so used to it that I feel uncomfortable when I go out and forget to bring it with me.
You can get it on Amazon for $12.99— it’s also a great gift idea for your college friends who love a night out.
- be careful when letting people buy you drinks
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Based on the same principle as the item above, you can never be too careful when letting someone buy you a drink at a bar or club— especially if it’s someone you don’t know well.
A rule I always follow is: if I didn’t see the drink being made, I won’t take it. Or you can choose to have them buy you something like beer or a White Claw— and be there when the bartender opens it.
My favorite club in State College sells jello shots made in syringes, which are basically impossible to spike, so that’s my go-to choice when someone offers to buy me drink.
Having someone buy you a drink is fun (and a good way to save money), but make sure to be smart about it.
- wear ear plugs to the club
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There has been a lot of research done about the damage that club music can cause to your ears— and this damage gets worse when combined with dancing, drinking and smoking (or exposure to second hand smoke).
A study done in San Francisco, testing the sound of the city’s most popular clubs, revealed that all clubs surveyed were in violation of the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (CAL-OSHA) laws governing noise in the workplace.
At San Francisco’s most popular club, it was found that you should limit your time exposed to the sound there to a little under five minutes— otherwise you’d risk damage to your hearing.
I have never worried too much about this until a recent episode when I left a club and my ears were ringing. I knew it couldn’t be a good sign.
Now I’ve promised myself that anytime I go somewhere I know the music is going to be that loud, I’ll bring some ear plugs with me.
It might make you feel a bit ridiculous at first— after all, I’ve never noticed anyone doing the same. But my health is more important than looking “cool.”
You can get a box with 50 pairs for as little as $8.99 on Amazon— and prevent irreversible damage to your hearing.
- use your phone to its fullest potential
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It’s 2023. No one goes out without their phone.
Beyond using it to take pictures with your friends or playing a killer getting-ready playlist, you can use your phone to keep safe during the night.
This includes, most importantly, making sure your phone is charged when going out. You don’t want to find yourself praying your 15% battery lasts throughout the night so you can order an Uber home.
Make sure to charge it when you’re getting ready or bring a power bank with you. Whatever you do, make sure your phone won’t leave you hanging when you most need it.
This leads me to something else: share your location with people you trust (and who are not going out with you). Whether that is a relative or your roommate, it’s important that someone knows where you are so they can call for help if something seems off.
That’s when we learn to value those friends who say “let me know when you get home” and mean it. Sending this text might seem like something basic but it lets the people who care about you know you’re safe.
My point is: you’re going to have your phone with you anyway, you might as well use it to be safe.
- have a safe, reliable way to get home
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Whether you live on campus or at an apartment, it’s important to know how you’re getting home before you even leave your home— and stick to that plan.
Penn State provides a lot of resources for students on campus to get home safely after a night out.
For example, the Safe Walk Service provides someone who will walk you home on campus if you don’t feel safe walking by yourself. It is available from dusk to dawn, all year long. All you need to do is call 814-865-WALK (9255).
In addition, Penn State has a partnership with Lyft where it offers $10 per ride credits each month to use on the app to get a ride back to campus from the downtown area between 2 — 7 a.m., when other transportation is limited. The guidelines and more details about the program are listed here.
If you live off-campus, make sure to know how you’re getting home. Keep in mind that services such as Uber can get expensive at times like 2 a.m. when everyone is trying to get home, so be sure to have enough money in your account to get home safely.
If you’re getting a ride with someone, don’t hesitate to look for an alternative if they drink or if you no longer feel safe with them for whatever reason.
Finally, if you decide to walk home after a night out, I’d suggest you never walk unaccompanied— or at least have some pepper spray or other self-defense item with you.
- know your limits and stay with people you trust
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We’ve all been through situations when we’ve had a little too much to drink. These can look like different things: getting sick, texting people you shouldn’t… or not being aware of when you’ve reached your limit.
It’s important to try to know what your limit is and stick to it. But if you happen to cross that limit, it’s important to have people with you who will help you.
That can mean cutting you off, putting you in a car back home or taking your phone from you so you don’t text your ex. Regardless, you shouldn’t be alone having to deal with a drunk version of yourself.
Whenever we don’t listen to the voices in our head telling us it’s time to stop drinking, we need to be around people who will tell us that, who won’t let us keep drinking and who will make sure we get home safe.
Though being safe on a night out goes beyond the tips mentioned above, these are a good place to start. You can have fun at the bars and still prioritize your safety— it’s all about finding a balance.