Dear Spectrum Editor,
When the Associate Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs asks me to write a letter, of course I say yes. “Please tell our students to come to the football game on Saturday and to enjoy themselves. But please, don’t make trouble for themselves and everybody else,” she remarked.
So how can I improve on this simple request? A request to tell our students to have a good time, to root for our team and at the same time not to be swept away by too much alcohol or other drugs? Well, I can tell you that most students don’t overdo it, and in fact most of our students drink 0-4 when they party. I can tell you that when our students decide not to drink it is because they have other things to do, are going to drive or don’t want to spend the cash. This is all true even though it is not the healthy majority we usually visualize.
I can also tell you that it might be hot and humid (hopefully) which means take extra effort to stay hydrated. If you do drink, alternate frequently with water or soda. It is also better to eat along with drinking, so that you can moderate your Blood Alcohol Content or BAC. I assume you know these things, but encourage you to be prepared and to use some good thinking while you are tailgating.
If you do see someone who has had too much to drink and needs food or water or medical attention, please contact the UB Police at 716-645-2222; they will be patrolling during tailgating and will assist any student in need. Our Good Samaritan policy will assure that you will not get into trouble if you are trying to help someone else, even if you are underage and have been drinking.
We care about you, we are thinking about you, we want you to enjoy yourself and we want you to take care of yourselves and your friends. And, I’d be glad to speak to you about it any time you want to stop by my office in 114 Student Union at Wellness Education Services. Go Bulls!
Warmly,
Dr. Darrow, Director, Wellness Education Services
