Halloween is one of the few holidays celebrated for the sake of having fun. As college students, fun is definitely something we can pull off. Even the act of wearing a costume gives us an excuse to let loose from our everyday selves.
As with any group of young adults, we can also let ourselves go a bit too far in having fun.
Although there are inherent dangers to large groups of college students partying at once, DU should not make an immense effort to prevent the inevitable parties. Rather, students should take the responsibility of their own actions throughout the night.
Every year, party dangers increase on Halloween. The holiday is one of the days with the highest alcohol consumption levels for college students, as indicated in a study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Social, Prevention and Health Policy Research.
Additionally, 38 percent of fatalities on Halloween night involved a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, compared to an average of 31 percent throughout the rest of the year.
With increased levels of alcohol consumption also come the potential for other risks, including crime and sexual assault.
Halloween can be dangerous and DU should make sure to increase safety measures on and around campus to ensure student safety.
However, grand preventionary actions may not be very effective. Previous attempts to reduce general alcohol consumption on-campus have had little effect.
At other institutions, preventionary methods have been effective in controlling the potential for riots, however it is unlikely that the same methods would be as effective in dispersed, smaller parties like those at DU.
Additionally, attempts to create alternative university-sponsored events may actually result in a larger gathering of students and diversion of police efforts — making it easier for students to create issues outside of the event or even cause larger issues in controlling the event itself. There is no doubt that attempts to eradicate partying would be ineffective.
Considering our environment, there are few concerns about the DU population compared to other college campuses. University of California – Santa Barbara, for instance, holds a popular street party every year, attracting some 30,000 students. The dangers of underage drinking and riots related to this party have resulted in approximately $300,000 of taxpayer money invested to place law enforcement in the area during the event.
DU does not have any parties that come close in comparison to such an event. As a result, local law enforcement and DU administration need not put great efforts or funds into preventing partying, as there is not nearly enough danger to require such focus, nor any reasons to believe that those measures would be effective on the small-party culture.
That being said, proactive actions are always much more successful than reactions to dangers. DU students need to be aware of the potential risks and dangers associated with the holiday. They also need to keep in mind their limits.
As the UC-Santa Barbara police campaign advises, it’s not worth it when it comes to illegal and dangerous activities. Nobody wants to be the joke of the police department as the Disney princess who vomited all over her holding cell.
DCS and DU administration can also do their part by imparting this wisdom to students as best they can, but students also need to ensure that they are responsible for their own actions.
Halloween is indeed a fun night for many, but keep in mind that it is just one night. What you do over Halloween can make for a fun night or many nights of regret.
