Secret Weapons

Knowing when you’ve had enough.

• You need to learn your limit. And it’s different for everybody.
  
• It may mean smacking your face off a floor.
  
• When the room starts spinning and I’m still standing, I know I’ve had enough so I switch to water and I’m good!
  
• You can feel when you’re losing your edge and you have to make a decision whether you want to cross the line or take a step back.
  
• You have to make the associations that when you feel a certain way there’s going to be a bad outcome, and then to stop instead of going on drinking.
  
• It’s not healthy to be continually passing out or getting sick every night.

Date rape drugs: protect yourself.

• Just because Sackville’s small, don’t be naïve. It can happen here.
  
• It is something that can be out of your system pretty fast so you never know.
  
• Keep an eye on your friends and look for signs that something’s wrong.
  
• If you think something happened, you can always go see the school nurse.
  
• If somebody buys you a drink, make sure the bartender hands it to you.
  
• Don’t leave your drink out and go dancing. Always keep an eye on your drink.
  
• Don’t take drinks from someone you don’t trust.
  
• Always have a buddy around
  
• You can take your drink to the bathroom.
  
• The RAs are trained to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Dealing with pressure to drink.

• If somebody doesn’t want to drink, people are old enough to be cool about it.
  
• If I think I’ve had enough, I’m usually firm, but sometimes if I’ve had too much, I may go for that extra drink.
  
• If you have something in your hand, even if it’s pop or water, they’ll usually leave you alone.
  
• If you don’t want to do it, just say so. If somebody else is going to pester you, they’re just not being cool.
  
• You’re in university, you need to be prepared to step up, be responsible and make your own decisions. You can’t just fall to peer pressure.

What to do when you smell trouble coming?

• Walk away
  
• Find a friend
  
• Get security or a bouncer on them
  
• There’s always people around. Get a group.
  
• Have the Mt.A security number with you.
  
• Take a self-defense course

Avoiding the “Freshman 15”.

• Three buffet meals a day. ’nuff said.
• It’s easy to make excuses like “I have a lot of studying to do, I don’t have time for the gym.”
  
• There are healthy choices at meal hall.
  
• Go to the gym
  
• Do not bring sweatbands to university.