Written by Megan Soyars
When you were a kid, the holidays meant presents, baking cookies with Mom, and staying up for Santa. Fast-forward ten years, and you’re still enjoying the holidays, but now the festivities might include spiked eggnog. You’re still staying up till 1am on Christmas Eve, but it’s not to see Santa. (Unless you happen to be counting that drunken frat guy who dressed as Jolly St. Nick. Oh dang, he lost his red hat.) Anyways, although the holidays are all about partying and having fun, remember to stay safe! Don’t give Santa any reason to put you on the ‘bad’ list. Here are a few helpful tips for making through this season.
- Have a buddy system
- Before you head to a holiday party, let someone (a friend, family member, roommate) know where you’re going and what time you should be back. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when you’ll return, but at least let them know if you will be back that night or the next day. Finally, it’s best to give them your exact address in case they need to come pick you up. And while at the party, it’s important to hang on that buddy system as well. Maybe you meet the man of your dreams at the bar. Or, at least, he seems like the man of your dreams after several drinks. Let your friends know if you’re leaving with him (but make sure it’s not to an isolated area!)
- Know your limit
- Alcohol is usually always present at holiday parties. Remember when too much is too much. A person’s alcohol tolerance depends on many factors, including weight, gender, and age.
- Watch out for your friends
- Remember that buddy system I talked about earlier? It’s also a two-way street. If you see a friend becoming too inebriated, stop them. It’s not “uncool,” it’s about keeping your friend safe! If you feel awkward telling them they’ve had too many drinks, remember you’re the one who will probably be carrying them from the party.
- Hangover cures
- Everyone has their own personal hangover cure that they swear by. One of my friends swears by a tall glass of Pepsi; one friend tells me that soda makes them want to throw up. But here are some tried and true methods.
- Drink a Bloody Mary. It may seem oxymoronic to imbue your body with more alcohol, but this allows your bloodstream to ignore the old alcohol while the vegetables in the Bloody Mary provide your body with much needed nutrients.
- Take a shower, switching between hot and cold water.
- Try some pickle juice, or electrolyte-rich drinks like Gatorade or Emergen-C.
- Finally, remember to drink plenty of water to flush out your system!
- Everyone has their own personal hangover cure that they swear by. One of my friends swears by a tall glass of Pepsi; one friend tells me that soda makes them want to throw up. But here are some tried and true methods.
Helpful Numbers to Remember:
Ambulance/Fire/Crime/Etc.: 911
Rape Hotline/Emergency: 212-227-3000
Rape Hotline/Non-emergency: 212-267-7273
Drug Abuse: 800-395-3400
Emergency Medical Service (EMS): 718-999-2770
New York Medical: 212-652-5858
Physicians on call (arrive to door): 718-238-2100
