Halloween is a fun time of year consisting of finding the perfect costume, indulging in sweets, fun decorations and watching classic Halloween movies. In Winona, it’s very popular to dress up in costumes and go out with friends. With that, it can also come with some not-so-fun times if you aren’t taking the precautions necessary to keep you and your friends safe!
Photo by Kelsa Katzfey ’21.
Here are a few tips to help you have a fun and safe Halloween:
1. Don’t drink and drive
This is so important! 52% of motor vehicle deaths on Halloween involve alcohol. Have a friend be a designated driver for the evening, or talk to a friend who doesn’t have plans for Halloween. Chances are they’d be willing to take you home before you ever needed to drive drunk. Take a Lyft, or use Winona Public Transit to get around town.
Bottom line: there is no excuse for driving drunk. It’s not worth you or someone else losing their life.
2. Wear a coat
You should think twice about leaving your coat behind. No matter how cute your Halloween costume is, shivering or getting hypothermia is not worth it. It may be a small inconvenience to carry around a coat, but your body will thank you later.
Bonus: carry emergency cash on you in case you need to pay a cab fare!
3. Travel in packs
I’m sure everyone has mentioned that roving packs of college students looks suspicious, but take my advice, it is better to travel in small groups. Now, I’m not saying that you need to travel with 15 of your closest friends, but have a small and trustworthy friend group to keep tabs on each other.
4. Trust your instincts
My mom always told me, if something doesn’t feel right, that’s probably because it’s not. Trust your gut and make sure that you say no to whatever is making you uncomfortable. Your safety is more important than a party or upsetting a friend.
5. Keep your phone on and charged
Make sure to charge your phone before you go out! You don’t want to risk being unreachable, or miss an important call from a friend. Another bonus tip: If you have an iPhone, you can share your location with other friends who have iPhones! Make sure your location services on, go to your Messages > click the name of the friend you want to share location with > go under the information icon > scroll down and find “share location”.
Whatever you do, make sure to have a fun night and stay as safe as possible. If you feel unsafe or need extra assistance while you’re on campus, you can call WSU security! Their phone number is 507-457-5555. They will respond and get you the help you need.
Have fun and stay safe, Warriors!
