Stay Safe on Spring Break

Extra Advice Not from your Parents

By Jenna Bishop

Staff Writer

            With spring break just around the corner, thousands of students from all over the globe are anxiously awaiting the start of the fun in the sun.

            However, whether you’re going to Cancun, Acapulco, Florida or any other hot spot, don’t forget to stay safe.  Yeah, it may seem like your parents won't shut up about it, but safety is not something to brush off.  Especially with more and more kidnap victims making the news everyday, this must be seriously acknowledged.  Here are a few basic guidelines that will help you stay protected throughout your trip:

1.     First and foremost, stick with your friends!  Whether you’re dancing in a night club, or just hanging out at the beach, make sure you have someone with you at all times.  Even if you’re just running to the store to buy something, go with someone.

2.     Bring your cell phone wherever you go!  How horrible would it be if you and your friends get separated in an unfamiliar state (or country), and have no way of getting a hold of each other?

3.     If you don’t need a lot of money, leave it at the hotel!  The last thing you want is to get robbed of all your money, or accidentally misplace your purse or wallet.  Therefore, calculate exactly how much money you need for the day or night, and leave the rest.

4.     Don’t answer the door without knowing who it is!  Unless it’s room service, there is no reason to answer the door for strangers.  If your hotel was deemed the place for the party however, be sure to hide your belongings.

5.     Know where you’re going before you go!  If you and your friends are planning on going out, get the directions to the place you’re going.  Otherwise, you could end up lost, which could result in something bad happening.

6.     Don’t leave the scene with strangers!  It doesn’t matter how nice the person seems or how cute they are, it’s dangerous.  Even if they seem innocent, you just never know.

You can never be too safe.  Because so many people go on spring break every year, there are bound to be some dangerous ones around.  If you still don’t think safety on spring break is serious, check out these girls story at http://media.www.universitychronicle.com/media/storage/paper231/news/2002/04/04/News/Kidnap.Victim.Tells.Her.Story-229108.shtml. They didn’t think anything bad could happen to them either - until kidnappers jumped into their car and put a gun to their heads.

            The most important thing though, is to have fun.  Just make sure you stay safe.