The Truth About Spring Break
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Cancun, Mexico are only some of the many places that host these super parties. Thousands of students from across the globe come together to party their hardest and to let it loose. Scantily clad women and promiscuous men, supposedly, have the opportunity to “hook up” with no regrets. Binge drinking is only one of the many intoxicating activities that will be underway during the obnoxious event. Theft, assault, and sometimes murder can even occur during this popular college affair.
So if you or someone close to you is thinking about attending an outrageous spring break event this vacation than you should know the truth about the event. First off spring break is considered “the hook up of all hook ups”. Young men and women alike come down to the sandy beaches of Florida or Mexico to get it on. Sometimes the sex is protected but more than likely it is not. MTV and BET have a wonderful way of glamorizing these hook ups. Yeah they may promote safe sex sometimes, but the best option for these channels would be not to promote it at all. Drunken college students are not thinking about condoms in the heat of the moment, they are thinking about how they can get some and from who. MTV and BET’s media feed off of young peoples desire as a way to increase their profits during the events. They have crazy games where people are taking there clothing off or eating deserts off of a stranger’s body for prizes. They don’t realize how many people will come out of spring break pregnant or with a sexually transmitted disease while they are promoting super sex.
Dr. Drew Pinsky, an adolescent psychiatrist (from a March 15, 2005 article about Spring Break) warns of the potentially dangerous consequences of all the fun associated with the event, including sexually transmitted diseases and alcohol-related accidents and violence. Pinsky stated, “The businesses are playing into this pathological behavior of the young people. They are giving them unlimited alcohol and access to rooms so that they can go have sex together.” However, behind this faÃ?§ade there can be some potentially dire consequences.
A doctor who is an expert on venereal disease was interviewed on WJR, Detroit’s most listened to station. The doctor reported that 60 million Americans, about 22.5% of the country’s 280 million people, have some form of venereal disease. Many of them are incurable. He said many are relieved when they learn that they don’t have AIDS, however, 5000 women in America die each year from clamidia alone, not to mention the other 20 diseases for which they are at risk. So just imagine how many potential STD’s are roaming throughout Spring Break and how many people will probably contract one by the time the vacation is over.
I have personally been to spring break events three years in a row and the truth of the matter is people are there to have sex, to find sex, or to take sex. Men stand in rows as women walk past them in order to touch their butts and breasts. Some men even go as far as sticking their hands up women’s skirts or literally ripping the women’s clothing off in public. There have been times when women have been brutally raped because they don’t have on enough clothes or because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is not surprising to watch a group of girls lifting up their shirts for a plastic set of colorful beads or a guy with a video camera trying to get his own version of Girls Gone Wild.
If you are a young woman and you are considering taking on the risks of spring break than you should make sure to take a few friends with you. These friends should be female and male. Don’t trust anyone when you get there unless you know them and even then still watch your back. Many women can get lured into a guy’s room thinking that they are going to be alone with him, only to find his friends there too. This is how many women get gang raped.
A young woman named Kayla Fowler of Tifton, Ga, who was attending the BCR (Black College Reunion 2005 Spring Break Event) complained of nearly being raped and held hostage at one point during the event. Her friend said that she was flipped over by a group of men who pulled her underwear off. These situations have caused the girls not to ever want to come back to BCR again.
If you are a young woman at spring break then more than likely you will meet a young man or a couple of young men. Here is some valuable advice to consider; do not bring any strange men up to your room. You have to realize that this is also a very dangerous situation. You want to do all that you can to avoid any possible dangers you can put yourself through. If you meet a guy then hang out with him in a public place, don’t suggest going back to his room or him coming to yours unless you have enough friends around to have your back.
Understand that there will be men who are aggressive and they may grab you without your consent. So if you prefer not to be groped then reconsider going to a spring break destination this vacation.
Be aware that there are predators out there and you may be their potential target. Taking a bottle of mace or a small tazer may be a lifesaver if you end up in a critical situation. This is just something to think about.
Drinking too much during spring break is not one of the smartest ideas that a college student may have, however, most of them will do it anyway. Binge drinking is extremely common at any huge college event. According to the Journal of American College Health- 18 drinks a day for guys and 10 drinks a day for girls at spring break. When a person drinks this much than their perception of reality gradually disappears. The National Institutes of Health said alcohol-related assaults have hit 600,000 cases a year and alcohol-related deaths among college students have jumped by 13%. These are just some statistics that people need to think about.
Not only are college students drinking and having a good time but don’t be surprised if you see high school students also. Yeah this may seem a little crazy since the national drinking age is 21, however, places like Cancun and other island retreats have uninforced drinking laws during the break. Parents need to be aware that if they are sending their teenager to this event then they need to know what will be going on.
Well now that you know that there is definitely drinking legal or illegal, lets talk about some of the potential dangers of binge drinking at spring break. Over intoxicated individuals can end up in predicaments that can cost them their dignity, freedom, or life.
Alcohol poisoning is a serious potential danger for any over intoxicated individual. The illusion of spring break can cause a person to want to indulge in alcohol more than they normally would under any other circumstance. People who do this have the tendency to lose their sense of reality and step into a very dangerous world. People who drink are more likely to make the wrong decisions while they are intoxicated. For example if a girl is way over her alcoholic limit she may want to take off her clothing or perform sexual favors on a guy that she barely knows. Not to say that this happens all the time, however, this is very common at spring break events. The next day she may not remember the wild and exotic night that she had engaged in just the night before.
Over intoxication can cause a person to become fatally ill. If you are drinking and you drink more than your body can handle you have the possibility of having alcohol poisoning and you could die. Many people get too drunk and they end up passing out in public places. This is where bringing good friends along with you should be helpful. If you have friends around while you are indulging in alcoholic beverages than hopefully they will be there to help pick you up, literally.
How do you know if someone has alcohol poisoning? If your friend is passed out and you can’t wake them up then you need to check to see if they have cold, clammy, unusually pale or bluish skin and check their breathing. If they are breathing slowly or irregularly, less than eight times a minute or ten seconds or more between any two breaths than this could be trouble. The first thing to do is to call 911, do not hesitate; don’t think about legal ramifications, your friend’s life could depend on you. Do not leave the person alone. You should continue to try to revive them by turning them on their side so that if they vomit then they will be less likely to choke. Believe it or not but many deaths occur when drunk people choke from their own vomit. Watch their breathing closely and if they stop breathing then be prepared to perform CPR or find somebody who knows how.
Parents really need to do all that they can to warn their children about the potential dangers of spring break events or encourage them not to attend at all. For Andrew Guglilmi’s parents the warning just wasn’t enough. Andrew died when he fell from a hotel balcony while at a spring break event six years ago in Panama City, Fl. Andrew had been drinking and his blood alcohol level was way over the content level when he plunged to his death. Andrews’s parents advise parents not to send their kids to a “war zone”. What can start out as an act of innocent fun can turn into a tragic nightmare.
Besides all of the alcohol floating around spring breakers need to be aware of all of the drugs that are there too. Remember people come to spring break to party their hardest, no rules no regrets, so I can guarantee that there will be drugs of some sort around and available. Women need to really be cautious about the date rape drug that can end up in their drink at a spring break party.
So what types of date rape drugs are out there? Rohypnol is a white tablet that is either single or double scored on one side. Roche or RH is usually imprinted on the tablet, and Z or I is circled on either side. This drug is a pharmaceutical that is used in 80 countries in order to treat severe sleep disorders. One of these babies can have a person out of it and easily susceptible to be taken advantage of. They are also call roofies, roaches, la Rocha, or the forget pill.
Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is another date rape drug that is out there. This drug is often times homemade or made in clandestine labs. It is in a liquid form that is often carried in water bottles or containers. GHB is a central nervous system depressant found naturally in the brain and the other tissues. It is known as the liquid ecstasy, liquid X, and grievous bodily harm. This drug makes people feel as if they are drunk except with out the hangover. This drug can be very deadly so watch out.
Ketamine comes in a liquid form or it can also be found as a white pill or powder. Ketamine is a general anesthetic used extensively in veterinary medicine. Basically this drug is a cat tranquilizer. People who do this can become very sedate and tranquil. They may not be able to decipher what is real and what isn’t and they probably won’t be able to use their muscles for a while.
How do you know if a date rape drug has affected you? There are common symptoms to watch out for. For example drowsiness, impaired judgment, nausea, confusion, dizziness, impaired loss of memory, and lack of muscle coordination. How can you protect yourself? Never ever leave your drink unattended. Do not accept any drinks from strangers. Do not accept open containers at a party. If you feel ill then please get help immediately. The truth is it is better to stay sober so you are aware of what is really going on around you.
Theft, assault, and other violent crimes are more likely to happen during spring break events than they normally would. People are there to have fun but over intoxication drugs and impaired judgment can cause people to act out of malice and spite. Many fights can occur when a group of drunken people are approached or feel violated for any reason. This is only one reason that a fight may break out. Not to mention the many jealous boyfriends who have to defend their girlfriends during the event. Whatever the cause of violence, just be aware that it is there and you will most likely see it during this event.
Theft is very common also. People may pay attention to the guy grabbing everyone’s wallets out of their pocket or the guys that you invited to your room for a party who ends up taking most of your valuables while you are indulging in alcohol and drugs. Be smart!! Don’t bring valuables with you on spring break, don ‘t leave money and other things lying around where people can take them, and don’t go out in public with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in cash while you are out on the town. Be smart and be moderate.
There was an incident last year at the BCR (Black College Reunion) spring break event in Daytona Beach, Fla. During this event people love to bring their “hooked up rides” “tight whips” or what ever you want to call flashy cars to this event to show off. Twenty-year-old Donell L. King was brutally murdered during a car jacking. Donell’s girlfriend and his twin brother were hanging out in the Burger King parking lot before planning to hang out Fuel Night Club. A group of Tampa men approached the car and attempted to steal it, however, Donell punched the guy while in the drivers seat and the guy shot him in the neck. Donell died later that night.
BCR is a hectic event that many people want banned from the city of Daytona. According to preliminary police data, at least 10 guns were seized and 300 arrests made during the spring break weekend. The arrests were primarily for drug possession, disorderly conduct and other crimes typically associated with Spring Break.
So the truth of the matter is, if you are planning on attending a spring break event anywhere than please reconsider having your life jeopardized. Sometimes it is better just to spend a quiet vacation at home. You can also find alternative spring break opportunities. You can always find something more productive to do with your vacation time than getting drunk, having sex, and getting assaulted.
